Sydney, 31st Aug, 2014

I wrote a post on India House last year. Link is here.

https://yadusingh.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/india-house-in-sydney-what-is-this-about-why-do-we-need-it/

We had several meetings with well-meaning people. We were on to it.

After this, literally every Indian community association in Sydney started to announce that they too want to build an “India House”, but without any attempt to network with others. This “Me too” disease is very prevalent with associations and “Community Leaders”.

One of such associations is the one which collected money for “India House” during one of its major events a few years ago. There is unfortunately no record or details of this money anymore.  They have mismanaged their funds, thus having a massive hit in their reputation in our community. Community knows about it and has nothing but disdain for them.

Another one is the one which gave “Role model of the community” medals to those who deserved shunning, not medals. People wonder about ethos and principles guiding this association. Everything seems to be Naqli (Fake) there.

There are others too, who claim to be an Umbrella body but without any group with them, justifying their claim of being an “Umbrella” association.

Any smart person should always analyse and review the current circumstances, while keeping the past examples and factors in mind.

It is clear to me that the best option for us is to take a back seat and let others, who have put their claims to build “India House” out in public, take the responsibility and leadership for this matter. There is an undeniable fact that there can’t, and will not, be multiple India Houses in Sydney.

As far as I am concerned, I am getting out from my plans for “India House” in Sydney. I hope others will do what needs to be done and what they have claimed. I will support them with whatever I can do, when they indeed do something in this regard. I know for sure that our community will need to take a structured, co-ordinated and unified approach to deliver this project. We can not have multiple groups trying (or at least claiming) to work on this project.

I understand that “India House” will be one of the topics which will be discussed in a meeting of some “select” Indian community members, organised at the Indian Consulate General in Sydney next week. I am one of the invitees to this meeting. I will post an update on this and any other relevant topic.

Dr Yadu Singh

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