It was a sight not to be missed – the Indian flag spotlighted on the NASDAQ Exchange board in frenetic Times Square.
On the eve of India’s Independence Day I trekked to the NASDAQ Exchange where Consul General of India Prabhu Dayal was presiding over the closing bell ceremonies.
He was accompanied by movers and shakers from the Indian-American community, including Francisco D’Souza, CEO of Cognizant, which is one of seven Indian companies listed on NASDAQ that together have a total market capitalization of $ 35 billion (Infosys and Cognizant are both members of the NASDAQ 100 index.)
“The US continues to be the largest source of direct and portfolio investment into India which makes it an indispensable partner for us in our development,” said Dayal. “On the other hand, the huge Indian market provides great opportunities to American investors.”
A decade ago, it would have been hard to visualize India’s name written in lights on the NASDAQ tower in Times Square. I asked Francisco D’Souza of Cognizant about his thoughts on the Indian economy on the eve of the 63rd celebration of India’s independence, and he said: “The NASDAQ ceremony implicitly recognizes that India’s economy has emerged as a fast growth, dynamic economy – powered by intellect.
As I travel between India and the US, it’s remarkable to see how many members of the young generation of Indians are rapidly becoming global citizens – they are at home in many parts of the world and influenced by cultures from around the globe. They have opportunities that few in their parents’ generation had.”
The NASDAQ event was also a great photo op, and the guests were asked to wave and cheer into the camera as the closing bell sounded – and these images were then beamed on the electronic board on the tower in Times Square. It was quite surreal to see waving and smiling Indians reflected on the huge tower, along with the national flag.
More photo ops took place outside the Exchange with camera crews and photographers clicking away. Curious crowds eyed the proceedings and I gave a few brief impromptu history lessons on the spot to passers-by who asked. Some were impressed; others seemed disappointed that it wasn’t a movie shoot!
Still, it felt good to see the Indian tricolor splashed across the NASDAQ tower – something one wouldn’t have seen a decade ago and certainly not in the 80’s when I came to the US as a new immigrant and India was considered by most Americans that I met to be this strange, foreign land far, far away.
Today I’m heading out to the Consulate of India near the leafy environs of Central Park, for a celebration of India’s Independence. No matter how far one is from the homeland, the links are always there.
We might be global Indians but the homeland connections remain. D’Souza paraphrased the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi to show how young Indians are balancing both worlds. “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
What are your thoughts on India’s Independence? Do you have any reflections to share?
