NRI youngsters from US

to get in touch with roots

Come August, 24 Non-Resident Indian youngsters, 20 from the US, will be trooping to India. No, they’re not here to catch up with family or visit tourist hotspots, but to get in touch with their Indian roots by getting involved in development projects.
Reared abroad, they will be sampling the Indian experience through a one-year fellowship with city-based non-government organization, Indicorps. The NGO, set up in 2002, has two fellowships a year, beginning in January and August open only to people of Indian origin. The fellows will be involved in projects across the country.
And the youngsters do not mind taking a one-year break from their studies or careers. They don’t see it as a break, but as part of life’s journey. It’s such a robust experience that they feel better prepared for any career. During the course of the project, they also experience spiritual growth — how to become better human beings. Three fellows, who are finishing this August, are based in Ahmedabad. Ishtar Lakhani, a third generation Indian living in Durban, South Africa, is working on “re-energizing” Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by training and recruiting college students to work as guides.
Visitors don’t want a history lesson but interesting anecdotes about the 15 years Gandhi spent in the city, according to one of the members of the team. The richest part of her Ahmedabad experience has been participating in all seasons and festivals.
For Parth Thakar, 24, it’s homecoming as he was born in the city. He has been working with Environmental Sanitation Institute to design and build a mobile health and sanitation bus that will tour rural Gujarat to create awareness.
What motivated Parth to take up the fellowship was a desire to reconnect with India. “It’s also a chance to give something back to my home country. Living in Ahmedabad has been fantastic — especially the strong family and community feeling,” Parth said.
Rashida Merchant, 23, has been involved in Manav Sadhana’s activities in Ramapir No Tekro, a slum in Juna Vadaj area of Ahmedabad. She’s been taking computer classes, tuitions for children and working in health camps and the anganwadi in the slum. She took up the fellowship because she was interested in development work, specifically in India.

Some projects the 24 fellows will be involved in:
* Inculcating sanitation and hygiene practices in villagers (Dholera, Gujarat)
* Reducing prevalence of waterborne diseases by installing reverse osmosis units (Bagar, Rajasthan)
* Utilizing renewable energy to increase income for mountain communities (Uttaranchal)
* Setting up BPOs in rural areas to stem migration of youth (Andhra Pradesh)
* Promoting pre and post-natal care of women in slums (Maharashtra)
* Increasing awareness and support for learning disabilities (Karnataka)