Javed Hassan -NRI's should invest

Indian expats should launch book project, says journalist
RIYADH: A veteran Indian journalist has stressed the need on the part of the Indian expatriate community in Saudi Arabia to pool their enormous intellectual resources into a book project to let the Saudis know about their contribution to the Kingdom.

"Saudis do not know enough about Indian contribution to the Kingdom, since they tend to identify their country with the labor class," said Javid Hassan, Senior Reporter of Arab News, where he has been working for nearly 25 years. He gave this exclusive interview to www.YaHind.Com - The First Indian Portal in the Kingdom on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Arab News, the Middle East's leading English language daily.He said it is unfortunate that the NRIs, despite having a wealth of talent across a broad spectrum of specialized fields, have failed to come up with a book that would enlighten Saudis on their major contributions to the Kingdom's national development. As a result, the average Saudi citizen is not aware of their distinguished achievements in different fields. In this context, Hassan cited the example of Project Honey Bee launched by the entrepreneurs of Gujarat. Under this project experts from different fields get together and share their ideas and experience for the benefit of the community. To this end, he pointed out, hundreds of technology students in Gujarat came up with schemes for the transfer of technology to small-scale ventures in that state through cost-effective solutions.He said a similar project, under the banner, Project Honey Bee Saudi Arabia, could be initiated by NRIs as part of an awareness campaign about the role of the Indian community in the Kingdom's economic development program. Indian doctors, engineers, architects, computer programmers, academicians and other professionals could write about some of their outstanding achievements in those fields."There should be an executive summary in Arabic highlighting the contributions of Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia," the journalist said, adding that a similar book has been brought out by western expats in the Kingdom. He said it is regrettable that members of the Indian community, instead of mobilizing their enormous intellectual resources for productive use, spend a great deal of time socializing over dinner parties. "In the process, they are also taxing their health and creating cardiovascular problems for themselves," he observed. In this context, Hassan has a word of advice to the community. "Here the level of disposable income is quite high. Besides, there is a wide choice of food to tickle one's taste buds. In such a situation people succumb to the temptation of taste over the nutritious value of food. That's the starting point of all health problems. The longer is one's girth, the shorter is the life span, say doctors." Regular exercise, consumption of low-fat food and an active lifestyle would be highly beneficial.Hassan suggested that besides taking up this creative project, they could also share their experience online through www.YaHind.Com for the benefit of other members of the community. Equally important was the need for a directory of Indian professionals together with their contact addresses. Such a venture could go a long way in creating more job opportunities for their fellow countrymen.Asked to give suggestions to his compatriots back home, he said it is absolutely necessary that those aspiring to come to Saudi Arabia should learn Arabic, which would definitely give them a leverage over others in the Kingdom's competitive market. He said Saudi Arabia, which earned $ 345 billion in oil revenues last year—35 percent up over the previous year—has allocated a hefty budget for the setting up of 2,000 health centers all over the Kingdom. It is also planning to spend SR 15 billion for opening 4,000 schools in the long run. Plans are also under way for establishing Jubail-II industrial city in the Eastern Province. This is in addition to an IT park that is going to be established by the Riyadh Development Authority in collaboration with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry."In other words, there will be a great demand for doctors, paramedical personnel, nurses, biomedical engineers, teachers, computer programmers and engineers, webdesigners and a whole range of technicians down the line. Indians can greatly enhance their employment prospects by acquiring the additional advantage of the knowledge of Arabic, " he observed. Saudis open up when someone communicates with them in Arabic, no matter which nationality he belongs to, Hassan said. According to him, the Government of India should also promote tourism by targeting Saudis going there for recruitment purpose. "They should be shown IT centers of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, besides centers of educational and medical excellence in different parts of the country."He said this is the right time to focus attention on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, since there is a perceptible change in policy of the GCC states. Saudi Arabia, he pointed out, would like to establish closer relations with the countries of South, Southeast Asia and the Far East. "This is the time to strike while the iron is hot."Asked what could be done by the Federal government in New Delhi to promote manpower export to the Gulf, he said that the accent should be on IT and other professional disciplines. In this context, he commended the initiative of the Kerala government which has set up Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA) to promote the welfare of Malayalees residing in the Gulf states. A similar body needs to be established at the all-India level, he observed. Asked about his future plans, Hassan said he is planning to write a book about his experience in the Kingdom. "Thanks to Arab News, I have visited 23 countries around the world and took notes during my travels abroad. I observed their culture from close quarters and hope to sum up my experience in a book. For this, I have to do research, conduct surveys, and come up with something interesting and newsworthy," he added.The journalist said Indian expatriates have carved out a niche for themselves as a talented and hard-working community. They have earned the respect of Saudis as a law-abiding people. It is for this reason that Saudi security forces feel relaxed in their presence and let them go anywhere without much scrutiny or probing questions. The following are some of the other questions:Q. You have been working for Arab News for nearly 25 years. How have you managed to stay this long?A. I believe in working sincerely and with devotion. As journalists we are the public face of our newspaper. We cannot afford to be slipshod in our work or relax our guard at any time. That would be a disaster. This also applies to professionals in different walks of life. More than anything else, they should be conscious of their own image in terms of workmanship.If for any reason they become indifferent in their work, others will be quick to point out their mistakes, irrespective of the circumstances that he or she might be placed in. But if the employee continues to perform well and deliver results under all circumstances, he is setting his own benchmark. This could attract the attention of others in the field and pay dividends in the long run.Q. From your long experience what advice would you give to Indians back home aspiring for a break in Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states?A. I have noticed that the concept of the contractual system in the Kingdom tends to put everybody on his toes. No one can compromise on quality except on the pain of losing one's job.This system is lacking in India, where the concept of job permanency, backed up by trade unionism, has played havoc with productivity. When an employee basks in his firm belief that once hired he cannot be fired, it produces a mindset that could be counterproductive to the organization. Over here, the linkage between performance and renewal of contract ensures a high level of productivity. Thus Indians who would normally be lacklustre in their performance back home tend to be highly productive in the Gulf.Q. Any other advice to the newcomers to Saudi Arabia? A. Yes, they should take care of their health and do regular exercise. Here you have a high level of disposable income and the freedom to taste the choicest food. This puts you in a bind. Either please your palate, eat without any self-restraint, and end up with cardiovascular problems, or go for nutritious low-fat diet, lead an active lifestyle, and stay healthy. The choice is yours. Q. Where did you have your schooling?A. I am originally from Hyderabad, but have settled down in Bangalore for the last 25 years. I had my primary and secondary education from Madras-e-Aliya, where my classmates were Asif Iqbal and Ghiasuddin Babu Khan, now celebrities in their different fields. I did B.Sc. and journalism post-graduate course from Osmania University. Journalism was in my blood, since my father himself was a well-known journalist of his times. As a journalism student, I used to do part-time reporting for a newsweekly from Hyderabad. Even as a journalism student, I was the student editor of Osmania University's Science College magazine. I had a passion for enriching my vocabulary and improving my language. So I had literary pastimes, so to speak.