India’s Reverse Brain Drain (Brain Gain)

Traditionally India has been a country that exports highly skilled as well as unskilled manpower. Many of the leading corporate heads in many countries across the world are Indians, or people of Indian origin who decided to take the nationality of the host countries. Over the many years, there has been a systematic brain drain leading to some of the country’s best talents going to foreign countries in search of careers, wealth, and fame.

However a recent development seen is reverse brain drain, which some observers would like to tag as Brain Gain. Indians are coming back in thousands. Partially due to improved economic and political conditions in India, and partially due to the legal systems and change in work environment in the host countries. On the returning band wagons, its not just the low skilled or semi skilled persons returning due to the recent legal changes in countries of the Middle East, but also extremely qualified and wealthy Indians who have made a conscious decision to either return to their motherland on a permanent basis, or to invest in India, and still benefit from the citizenship of another country especially the Americas, the Australias, or the European Countries.

The trend is so evident that it is high time for India and its policy makers to awaken to the need for policy and systems to enable a seamless re-integration of these returning Indians in their motherland. While many states such as Gujarat have taken great effort in making this happen, and Kerala is following through; it is not sufficient enough. Some of the problems in implementation seem to stem from the usual bureaucratic hurdles that we have so often heard about.

It is also important for the private sector and for entrepreneurs to set up services and facilities that will enable such a return. Vaapas.com is one such attempt.

Dont miss our next post about the many areas that the returning NRIs have contributed immensely in India and its development.

The Story of Vaapas.com

It has been many years since I have toyed with the idea of setting up a web based company that bridged the gap between the 30 million Non Resident Indians (NRIs) scattered across every nook and corner of the world, and their dreams and aspirations of returning to India for re-employment and re-settling. What I would like to call a reverse brain drain.

I have seen many persons who have spent their entire careers overseas (outside India) working in many strange lands, with benefit to those countries, and to those companies. But when they eventually decide to return to India, they are faced with various obstacles and questions. Will I get a suitable job, will I get sufficient salary, can my children re-settle and adapt to the Indian life style? Through Vaapas.com I intend to provide them answers and solutions. The time is right because India is undergoing an economic transformation. Inspite of various fluctuations in the economy, the country is on a path of permanent growth, something that every NRI can contribute to.

I have also watched with pain in my heart when I see elders in India beyond 55 – 60 yrs of age who are forced to retire from active employment due to either their reaching the legal retirement age, or having to voluntaril retire to get the monetary gains to cover a large expense such as a marriage of their daughter, or paying off a loan. These elders who possess such immense knowledge and expertise often take a back seat in their own homes for the rest of their life, losing in many cases their happiness, health, and very often dignity (when their own children tend to illtreat them). Vaapas.com will help these elders retrun to active employment in jobs that will help them live a dignified life till their body permits them to work.

Finally I have also seen many NRIs faced with various difficulties handling their requirements in India while residing overseas. They may have houses that need to be maintained, they may have aged parents who need care and support, they may have children whose marriage needs to be arranged – but have no one to handle it for them, they may have schooling needs, investment needs, legal needs, just to name a few. Vaapas.com will provide the support to all these needs starting in a phased manner to spread across the country and reach every part of India.

Vaapas (meaning return) will open up opportunities like never before.

Vaapas.com will be a unique organization, with unique priorities, a unique way of life.

Welcome to Vaapas.com.