2. Do you plan to return to India to settle down?
Presently I don't want to return, I would like to settle here.

3. What do you like most about being abroad?
Easy-going life, better & oraganised living, natural beauty & manners.

4. What do like least about being abroad?
Less friends, no social circle, feeling bored when you cannot work here because visa status doesn't permit you to work.

5. Would you be concerned about raising your family outside India?
No.

6. What are your thoughts about marrying outside your immediate community, someone who speaks a different language or practices a different religion?
N/A

7. What would be the first thing you would do if you became the Prime Minister of India?
I would first like to remove all the bureaucrats who are corrupt, create a fear for law, until there is fear, people don't obey laws.

8. What do you think are India's greatest strengths?(max 3)
1) Rich cultural traditions that keep its people tied to each other, 2) morals & ethics.

9. What do you think are the biggest problems facing India? (max 3)
Biggest problem is population, we don't lack resources but we have excessive consumption.

10. Do you think that a presidential form of government would better serve the needs of India's democracy?
Maybe.

11. For whom do you have the highest regard amongst living Indians?
Mr Narayan Murthy of Infosys.

12. Do you think that the national obsession with Cricket has helped or has it hurt India as a sporting nation?
Obviously it has damaged India as sporting nation, firstly loss of work when people are glued to TV sets, secondly other sports suffer, & finally cricketers assume themselves as God, they think people just adore & admire them, they can do anything..

13. What do you think are India's greatest achievement since Independence (max 3)?
Its place as one of the most important countries in the third world.

14. What is your favourite pastime?
Reading books, listening music, cooking, freaking out, chatting.

15. What is your happiest memory?
When I got my first job.

16. What's your most memorable journey?
My most memorable journey was to Sikkim & Darjeeling in India in 1996, because I did not wanted to go first, but I really enjoyed VERY MUCH.

17. What is your ultimate food dish?
Chole tikiya & Pani puri.

18. What are your favourite movies? (max 3)
1) Chalti ka naam gadi, 2) Anand, 3) Hum dil de chuke Sanam

19. What are your favourite books (please list authors as well)? (max 3)
All Sidney Sheldon novels.

20. A message from you to other NRIs
When we are abroad we come across my new things, but we should maintain our identity as Indians, as part of the one of the worlds most culturally-rich countries, but also take all new good things which we come across.

- Monika Jain in San Jose, California, USA

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