The Kolkata memorial for which we have campaigned since January 2009 is becoming a reality. Straight up, some of the names that will spring to mind are those of Ashook Ramsaran of GOPIO International and author Leela Gujadhur Sarup. On behalf of the sizeable Indian diaspora, they have combined to lobby effectively with the Indian Government and the state Government of West Bengal to get a memorial at Kolkata, dedicated to indentured workers whose descendants they both are. While Sarup, an Indo-Mauritian based out of Kolkata has done pioneering research on indentured workers and has put together several books based on rare, archival research, Guyanese-born Ramsaran, in his capacity of executive vice president of the GOPIO, has connected with thousands of overseas Indians to make them aware of the project. To its credit, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) also realized the importance of the project.

In MOIA’s Secretary A Didar Singh, they found a no-nonsense bureaucrat who vigorously pursued the project with his counterparts in West Bengal, and those in the Ministry of Shipping to get necessary clearances in the sensitive port and harbor areas of Kolkata. It is in this area, called Garden Reach, that a commemorative plaque will be installed on January 11.

In this issue, we have several articles from the overseas Indian community, expressing their joy at what is unfolding, and also letting out some steam at the unfair treatment inflicted on their ancestors from time to time during the British days.

Elsewhere, we have a comprehensive section called NRI EMPIRE that brings you updates on the diaspora from different parts of the world. Another one on NRI voting rights concerns a much-debated subject. It concerns not so much the descendants of indentured workers but mostly the post-1960s immigrants who left for Britain and the New World.

Happy reading.

Sayantan Chakravarty
(sayantanc@gmail.com)