Ambassador Agnihotri cements Indo-US ties

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> >Title: Ambassador-at-large, Agnihotri to cement Indo-US ties >Author: T.R.

Ramachandran and Prabhjot Singh >Publication: The Tribune >August 20,

2001 > >New Delhi/Chandigarh, August 19 >“Building bridges of understanding

between a strong NRI community and the US authorities on one hand and the

Indian government on the other would be my first and foremost endeavour,” says

Mr Bhishma K. Agnihotri, who is tipped to be India’s ever Ambassador-at-large.

He has been asked by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to “come over

to India” in the coming week to discuss modalities of his new assignment. > >“So

far I have no official communication about my appointment. But I hope to get a

formal communication before I leave for India later this week,” said Mr

Agnihotri, presently working as Chancellor, Southern University Law Center,

Baton Rouge in the USA, in a telephonic interview with The Tribune . > >His

appointment assumes importance in the light of Mr Vajpayee’s forthcoming visit

to the USA to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York in the

last week of September. > >“My effort would be to initiate a two-way traffic

with focus on the NRIs. This would consolidate a new Indo-US relationship

foundation. The NRIs have the resources. We would help the existing diplomatic

network and supplement Indian embassy in Washington. I am confident there would

be no clash or conflict of interests but would rather work as a team,” he said.

> >The Tribune was the first newspaper in the country to talk about the

possibility of appointment of Mr Agnihotri as Ambassador-at-large 11 months

ago. > >The proposed appointment of Mr Bhisma K. Agnihotri has raised eyebrows

among career diplomats though the NDA Government believes the move is a key

element in meeting the aspirations of Non-Resident Indians, who at present,

number 15 lakh and contribute 5 per cent to the American GDP. >

>Sixtyeight-year-old amiable Mr Agnihotri is a son of Punjab as he belongs to

Jalandhar and is married to Krishna, a daughter of a former Punjab MLA, Mr

Harbhagwan Moudgil of Ludhiana. His son is a cardiac surgeon at Harvard while

one daughter is a lawyer and the other is a child psychiatrist. His wife had

worked as a lecturer in a Government College in Punjab before immigrating to

the USA. Mr Agnihotri, one of the tallest member of Indian community in the

USA, is very popular among various sections of NRIs in the USA. > >“There will

be no exclusive focus of this new position but idea is to make NRIs a cohesive

force to be helpful to India. The role of the NRIs in implementing India’s

goals and desires in the present day world has to be coordinated in a positive

manner. The foremost task would be to encourage NRIs to make investments in

India and participate in various developmental activities vigorously. Besides,

the Ambassador-at-large would also work to ensure that future of the NRIs in

the USA is secure. > >“The idea is to create a strong group of Indian

professionals, who by rising above religion, region or caste considerations,

become a role model of Indian community to influence the social, economic and

political lifestyle in the USA. > >“Sixteen years ago, the number of Indian

doctors in the USA was 34,000. I have been Adviser of the American Association

of Physicians of Indian (AAPI) Origin. President Bill Clinton accepted the AAPI

invitation in 1995 to address its members in Chicago,” Mr Agnihotri said

maintaining that the position would provide a common platform for all the NRIs

to understand and propagate India’s new economic policies and contribute for

further development of their motherland. This would also include investment in

infrastructure development and other key areas. “The idea is looking at Indians

in a global framework.” > >Mr Agnihotri says that he would decide his priorities

only after meeting the Prime Minister and then the Indian community in the USA.

“But dual citizenship would certainly be on top of his priority list,” he said.

> >Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs say that a formal letter of

appointment as Ambassador-at-large is in pipeline and expected to be issued

soon. > >Authoritative sources in the union capital dismissed speculation that

Mr Agnihotri’s presence in the USA would lead to another power centre emerging

in the Indian mission in Washington. On the contrary, Mr Agnihotri can do a lot

by maintaining a constant interface with the NRIs and help serve as a vital

bridge in galvanising the Indians to participate in development projects back

home. The persistent complaint of the NRIs has been that Indian missions have

hardly any time for them. > >Mr Agnihotri, who has known Mr Atal Behari

Vajpayee for an extended length of time will base himself both in New York as a

member of the Permanent Mission of India. > >Sources said that the Indian

Ambassador in the USA, Mr Lalit Mansingh, needed have no fears of Mr Agnihotri

treading on anybody’s toes as his brief would be specific. > >

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