Zoho founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu has issued an open letter to the Indians living in America. In a detailed post on X addressing “brothers and sisters from Bharat”, Vembu urged the Indian diaspora in America to “come back home”.
He started the post while reflecting on his own journey when 37 years ago he went to America with “no money but with a good education and cultural heritage from Bharat”.
He acknowledged the outstanding success achieved by the Indian diaspora and expressed gratitude, stating that “America was good to us” and that “we must remain grateful” adding that “gratitude is Bharatiya way.”
‘Significant number of Americans believe Indians take away American jobs,’ says Vembu
Vembu highlighted that a significant number of Americans believe that Indians are taking away American jobs and that the community’s success in the US is “unfairly earned”.
He added that many in the diaspora may hope the next election will resolve these tensions. However, he argues this hope is misplaced, as the political contest represents a deeper conflict, with one side harboring animosity toward Bharatiya civilisation, while the other side who “hate the civilisation themselves”. He argues that in this “hard right” vs “woke left” battle, Indians in America are positioned as bystanders rather than active participants.
Respect in today’s world comes from a nation’s ‘technological prowess’
Vembu in his X post said that respect in today’s world, along with prosperity and security, stems primarily from one source – a nation’s technological prowess. He added that India produces sufficient brain power to achieve this but has exported much of that talent, especially to America.
“If India remains poor, the woke left will give us moral lectures with pity and the hard right, different moral lectures with scorn (“hellhole”) and we must not confuse either with respect,” he said.
As India develops its technological capabilities, Vembu believes its civilisational strength will naturally assert itself.
He acknowledged that returning home may be difficult for many to contemplate but appeals directly: “Please come back home. Bharat Mata needs your talent. Our vast youthful population needs the technology leadership you gained over the years to guide them towards prosperity. Let’s do it with a missionary zeal.”