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    The Indian Eye
                                            COMING TO AMERICA                                                                               15
                                                                                                                         JULY 10, 2026

            ican community. These include the   to  my  heart  has  been  mentoring
            Federation of Indian Associations   young  people.  Whether  helping
            (FIA), which today organizes one of   newly arrived students, encouraging
            the world’s largest India Day Parades   young  professionals,  creating  net-
            outside India; the National Feder-  working  opportunities,  or  promot-
            ation of Indian American Associa-  ing  leadership  development,  I  have
            tions (NFIA); the Indian American   always believed that investing in the
            Kerala Cultural and Civic Center;   next  generation  is  among  the  most
            the South Asian Council for Social   meaningful ways to give back.
            Services (SACSS); the National Indi-  As both a scientist and communi-
            an American Association for Senior   ty leader, I have witnessed extraordi-
            Citizens (NIAASC); and the Jagdish   nary changes over the past fifty years.
            Bhagwati  Chair  for  Indian  Political   I arrived in America during the era
            Economy at Columbia University.   of mainframe computers, witnessed
                Perhaps  the  most  significant   the personal computer revolution,
            milestone came in 1989 when I     the internet age, biotechnology, nan-
            helped  organize  the  First  Glob-  otechnology,  artificial  intelligence,
            al Convention of People of Indian   and  today’s  digital  transformation.
            Origin  in  New  York.  That  historic   Throughout these changes, one prin-
            gathering led to the establishment of   ciple has remained constant: Amer-
            the  Global  Organization  of  People   ica  continues  to  reward  innovation,
            of Indian Origin (GOPIO), the first   hard work, creativity, and persever-
            worldwide organization representing   ance.
            the Indian diaspora.                  The success of Indian Ameri-  cally successful communities in the   but also to help create opportunities
                Over the years, GOPIO has     cans is not an accident. It reflects the   United States, while remaining deep-  for countless others.
            grown  into  a  global  network  with   convergence of America’s openness   ly committed to family, education,   My  story  is  only  one  among
            chapters in numerous countries, pro-  to  talent  and  the  strong  education-  philanthropy, and civic engagement.  millions  of  immigrant  journeys.  Yet
            moting  community  development,   al  foundation  and  work  ethic  that   As the United States celebrates   it  reflects  the  enduring  promise  of
            youth leadership, educational initia-  many  immigrants  bring  with  them.   its 250th anniversary, I look back with   the American Dream—that talent
            tives, women’s empowerment, entre-  Together,  these  qualities  have  en-  profound  gratitude.  America  gave   should matter more than birthplace,
            preneurship, civil rights, humanitari-  abled Indian Americans to make sig-  a  young  engineering  graduate  from   that opportunity should reward hard
            an service, and stronger ties between   nificant contributions in technology,   India the opportunity to become a   work, and that success finds its high-
            India and the countries where peo-  medicine, academia, business, public   scientist, entrepreneur, author, tech-  est purpose when it is used in service
            ple of Indian origin have made their   service,  entrepreneurship,  and  gov-  nology  analyst,  institution  builder,   of others.
            homes.                            ernment. Today, they are among the   and community leader. It allowed me   That, to me, is the true meaning of
                One initiative particularly close   most highly educated and economi-  not only to fulfill my own aspirations   achieving the American Dream.

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