Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Hillary Rodham Clinton had all the right credentials. She was a former US President’s wife, a Senator, and a lawyer. But she was first defeated in her first presidential bid by her own Democratic party nominee Barack Obama and then by the Republican, Donald Trump. In 2020, she took over as the 11th Chancellor of Queen’s University, Belfast.
Until some years ago, only a few knew Kamala Harris outside the US. Daughter of an Indian biologist who settled in the US, she became the 49th Vice President of the USA in January 2021. She is the first ‘colored’ woman in US history to reach the second-highest office in the country. If President Joe Biden, who will be 82 in 2024, declines to run for a second term, she may be pitted, probably, against a resurgent Donald Trump!
Why did the Americans ‘reject’ Clinton but favored Harris?
Kamala’s victory signifies the importance of ‘colored’ people in a White-dominated kaleidoscopic America where demographics are changing every decade due to the influx of immigrants at an ever-faster pace. In particular, the tiny Indian-American community (who number only four million and constitute just 1.2 percent of the total American population) has surged ahead in the country of their choice.
The Biden Administration has already appointed or nominated more than 20 Indian-Americans in key posts.
Not only in America, but the Indian-origin change-makers are also winning accolades across the world.
Media reports said over 200 Indian-origin persons currently occupy leadership positions across 15 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Of them, nearly 60 hold Cabinet ranks, according to the first-of-its-kind survey, released by a US-based organization working among the Indian diaspora.
The survey drew from government websites and other publicly available resources. The 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List recognized these leaders of Indian heritage who have ascended to the highest echelons of public service across the globe.
“It is a huge source of pride to have the first woman and first person of color as the Vice President of the world’s oldest democracy be someone of Indian heritage. We wanted to use this seminal moment on Presidents’ Day to highlight a host of others in the diaspora who also is in public service,” said Indiaspora founder MR Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and investor, media reported.
“These leaders are building a legacy for future generations, and one that extends beyond our community to all of the constituents and communities that they serve,” he said in a statement.
The exhaustive list includes diplomats, legislators, heads of central banks, and senior civil servants from countries with significant histories of diaspora migration, such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
“It is an honor to be included on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List. As the longest-serving Indian-American Member of Congress, I am proud to be a leader in the Indian-American community, which has become an integral part of American life and society,” said Congressman Ami Bera, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia.
With more than 32 million People of Indian Origin (PIOs) globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world.
The officials on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List collectively represent more than 587 million constituents, and their countries account for an estimated $28 trillion in GDP, demonstrating the impact that these leaders are having globally, Indiaspora said in a statement.
“It truly is inspiring to note the remarkable contribution that government leaders of Indian heritage have made to advance the societies that they now represent,” said Rosy Akbar, Fiji’s Minister of Education, Heritage, and Arts. “For a sizable segment of the population, it is government policy addressing social injustices that lead to a transformative path of sustainable socio-economic progress.”
The list includes immigrants from India, as well as professionals born in countries such as Singapore, South Africa, the UK, Canada, and the US.
“As a proud Indo-Canadian, it is an honor to be included in the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List alongside an accomplished and diverse group of leaders from the India diaspora,” said Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar.
“I am eternally proud of my Indian heritage but also of being Canadian. Canada has given me its protection and its opportunities, and in return, I am committed to making it a better place so that it continues to be a land of protection and opportunity for future Canadians,” she said.
While some of the officials are part of their country’s first wave of immigration, arriving as refugees or for economic opportunities, others serving in their governments are part of subsequent waves of diaspora, who came for educational opportunities, or are of subsequent generations, Indiaspora said.
“It is inspiring to see the number of Indian diasporas who are entering the public arena,” said Indiaspora Board Member Arun Kumar, Chairman, and CEO at KPMG India, who served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Barack Obama Administration.
“Having had the opportunity to serve, I can speak to what a memorable and fulfilling experience it was. Above all, it was a meaningful way to give back. My hope is that this cohort of leaders will set an example for even more of the Indian diaspora to aspire to public service,” media reports quoting Kumar said.