This was a long over due post, I had the good fortune to meet Desi journalist – Francis Assisi, in February during a conference on the diaspora. He is currently editor at Indolink, where he also writes a column INDiaspora: Desis in Pardes. He covers issues contemporary, racy, complex , debatable and academic. He has for long urged the Indian diaspora to accept its ‘marginality’ in the American society and learn to accept the status of being Indian American.

A soft-spoken man, with an in-depth knowledge and passion for the diaspora, his manners are impeccable. My emails to him get back a prompt reply with sound advice, I remember when I started the blog, he was the first to ask me to collaborate and get in other students as well. He gave me leads to South Asian academics in the US. That is how I discovered the only book to talk of South Asian Diasporic Film –Beyond Bollywood.

I later learnt that the Assisi has had a dual career in medical research and in journalism. He also contributes to Mantram magazine (New York) and the International Indian (UAE). He has done pioneering research on identifying the first people of Indian origin in America (Indentured slaves taken to colonial America around 1860)

I also read Shashi Tharoor’s columns regularly, the UN high Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information of the United Nations. He is also Indian and a writer, espousing the cause of the Indian Diaspora. He writes articles on the diaspora , but hardly telling us why the story or the relationship between the diaspora and India is important. He criticizes the government for looking at the NRI only to increase India’s economy. I think to a large part it is true, but then here is a man of experience who can do more than just criticize. He should offer more solutions on how the diaspora can engage in an active dialogue with the Indian government. Shallow NRI observations really don't help.

I think the Diaspora needs more journalists that write actual stories on the diaspora, to speak of issues that have been pervading their lives. We need journalists who act as intermediaries between India and the Diaspora only then can there be an honest, creative and enriching relationship between the two. I am talking about the kind of real informative and objective journalism, Francis Assisi writes about.