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NRIs' talent forced Clinton to visit India: Telugu delegate

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

"United States President Bill Clinton has embarked on his visit to India not because of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee or any Indian politician but only because of the (talented) Indian Americans," said Krishna Srinivasa, a prominent Republican leader and venture capitalist based in the United States.

Krishna Srinivasa, who forms part of the high-profile delegation accompanying the US president, told newsmen in Hyderabad in an informal chat on Sunday evening that the Indian American community, with a population of 1.4 million to 1.6 million in the United States, has contributed significantly to the American economy and society in the last two decades.

It is in recognition of this contribution that Clinton had decided to come to India on this visit.

"India has the largest number of IT professionals working in the United States. This demand will grow. The Indian Americans have done a marvellous job. The American quota system for visas turns out to be favourable for IT professionals from India, not because of the US, Indian or Andhra Pradesh governments but due to Indian talent," he said.

Srinivasa, presently a venture capitalist associated with Professional Consulting Services, a Dallas-based company, as its president, said, "India missed the industrial revolution. The Indian computer revolution is a good thing to happen to us. Much has been achieved in the last 20 years. India is on the right track. India can play a key role in telecom and IT in the world."

"I promoted Cumberland Software and later sold it to another banking software company. I must have taken thousands of programmers from this country. We have excellent software professionals," the migrant from Andhra Pradesh and now a naturalised American citizen recalled.

Srinivasa said that there are about 400,000 Indian Americans engaged in the IT sector in the United States.

"There is no publicly traded IT company in the United States without Indian professionals. There are thousands of IT companies in the United States, employing anywhere from 10 to 1,000 or more Indian IT professionals. A study had shown that 39 per cent of the IT professionals coming to the US were from Andhra Pradesh. In the Silicon Valley, the American venture capitalists are looking for talented Indians who can take lead and promote IT start-ups," he pointed out.

He said that Clinton's proposed trip to Hyderabad on March 24 would prove to be a landmark event for Andhra Pradesh.

"The exposure that Hyderabad and IT will get will be significant and its positive impact will be enormous. This will give an opportunity for more IT ventures and more visas for IT professionals from Hyderabad. There is the possibility of more US-based IT companies opening their branch offices or setting up new offices here," he observed.

"Bangalore lobbied heavily to have Clinton visiting that city. I don't know why they had not succeeded whereas Hyderabad was included in the itinerary," he said.

Referring to Indians' role in American politics, Srinivasa said, "I got involved in the US politics. Several Indian Americans are associated with either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. Some are associated with independent groups. Right now, we do not have the numbers (to play a key role in US elections) but have the financial and time resources to work for the Indian caucus."

As per the previous census, there were 1.2 million Indian Americans in the US. The next census is likely to show 1.6 million Indian Americans. Of them, less than half a million are citizens.

"Indian vote can make a swing in the elections in any district in the United States only if it exceeds 10 per cent of the electorate. However, only in the Silicon Valley, we have that percentage and nowhere else," he pointed out.

At present, there is no one of Indian origin in the US Senate or the House of Representatives. There are a couple of state representatives like Kumar Baruah and Satbir Chowdhary. "I am a Republican, not a Democrat. I am happy that President Clinton has invited me to be on his team during his visit to India," said Srinivasa, who is a close associate of the former US Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Two distinct groups are accompanying the US president on this visit to India.

There is the business group organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce. There are about 30 Indian American businessmen in this group.

There are also a few Indian Americans among the 25 to 30 dignitaries in the political group accompanying Bill Clinton.

There are altogether three Telugus in the US President's delegation. The other two delegates are: Nalluri C Murthy of Self-Venture Capital and Investor and Raj Vattikuti of Complete Business Solutions.

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