2. Do you plan to return to India to settle down?
No. I would like to go back and spend some years in India, but I consider my adopted country - USA - home.

3. What do you like most about being abroad?
Tangible things like clean air, no trash on the roads, organised life, availablity of goods, as well as intangibles like freedom to do as you please or be what you want to be.

4. What do like least about being abroad?
Not much.

5. Would you be concerned about raising your family outside India?
No. I would like to think that my children will grow up knowing that they can grow up to be what ever they like - not just Doctors and engineers!

6. What are your thoughts about marrying outside your immediate community, someone who speaks a different language or practices a different religion?
I am married outside my immediate community, country, caste, and religion.

7. What would be the first thing you would do if you became the Prime Minister of India?
Get the Indian population to have better expectations. From Polititians, police, infrastructure, media, industry, family. I would also give incentives to Indians to move to Kashmir.

8. What do you think are India's greatest strengths?(max 3)
1) Population
2) Resources
3) A culture to be proud of

9. What do you think are the biggest problems facing India? (max 3)
1) Lack of expectation
2) Corruption
3) Terrorism

10. Do you think that a presidential form of government would better serve the needs of India's democracy?
Not sure.

11. For whom do you have the highest regard amongst living Indians?
Myself.

12. Do you think that the national obsession with Cricket has helped or has it hurt India as a sporting nation?
Obsessions are good - every one needs something to be proud of.

13. What do you think are India's greatest achievements since Independence? (max 3)?
1) Democracy
2) IITs
3) Bollywood

14. What is your favourite pastime?
Art, reading.

15. What is your happiest memory?
Marriage and childbirth.

16. What's your most memorable journey?
Machu Pichu, Peru.

17. What is your ultimate food dish?
Kheer.

18. What are your favourite movies? (max 3)
Comedies...

19. What are your favourite books (please list authors as well)? (max 3)
1) Ayn Rand - We the living
2) Vyas - The Bhagvad Geeta

20. A message from you to other NRIs
Be the best example of India you can be - you represent a great nation and a great deal of history.

- Barkha Herman, Pompano Beach, Florida, USA

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The views of this column are the author's own, and do not necessarily represent the views of NRI Online.