Kanchan Banerjee talks to Mr. Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, Hon’ble Consulate General, New York on his mission and future plans
Born on November 5, 1958 in Kolhapur District of Maharashtra State (Western India), Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Manohar Mulay took his primary education at the village Primary School. Subsequently, he completed Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Shahaji Chhatrapati College at Kolhapur, followed by Master’s Degree in Personnel Management from Mumbai University. He joined Indian Foreign Service in 1983 and, besides serving at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, has also done postings in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Moscow and Port Louis.
He served as Minister in Damascus and was High Commissioner of India to Male (Maldives) from April 2009-March 2013. In New Delhi, he acquired diverse experience during his assignments at Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Finance. He also served as Adviser in the Cabinet Secretariat. Ambassador Mulay took charge as Consul General of India in New York on April 23, 2013.
Q1. You’ve come to New York after many important assignments in other countries. Was it your desire to come to New York and with a particular goal?
Ans: USA has acquired significant position in the contemporary world. Within USA, New York has a special place as it is known as the financial as well as cultural capital. This city has a lot to offer as it also headquarters many prominent corporate entities. As such, I have always held a special attraction for the US and particularly New York. We have a defined system of postings and I am happy that I was posted to New York as the CG. My primary objective would be to contribute to the bilateral relations through improved interactions in the field of trade, investment, banking, financial institutions, media organisations and cultural institutions. Simultaneously, I would be keen to learn as much as possible in this great country.
Q2. What is your personal mission in the US today?
Ans– Our relations with US are strong and continue to expand. In the recent past, we have had significant visits starting from President Obama in November 2010 to Vice President Joe Biden in July 2013. Similarly, from the Indian side, several Cabinet Ministers have visited in the last three months. This includes Finance Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister, Corporate Affairs Minister, Home Minister, and Power Minister. This strong partnership with the trade relationship that has seen phenomenal growth leading to a total trade of US$ one hundred billion is full of promise. The Consulate would try to consolidate the gains so that further improvement in the relationship could be facilitated.
Besides, the tri-state area alone has 1.8 million overseas Indians (including NRIs, OCI card holders and PIOs). Consulate aims to streamline and provide efficient services to the diaspora. There are large number of US citizens that seek support of the Consulate and the same is also being provided. Consulate is also a cultural platform for both Indian as well as the American citizens who want to link up with India. This is being made more proactive with diverse programmes being organized touching dance, music, culture, literature, business as well as other areas.
Q3. What are the challenges you are facing today in your mission?
Ans – US provides considerable opportunities and therefore there are formidable challenges. In terms of consular services, CGI, New York is one of the largest among all the Indian missions. With limited resources and manpower, we have been providing efficient and qualitative services. Besides, India has attracted considerable FDI from the USA. Further efforts are required to generate wide scale interests among US business community so that investment could rise. Indian businessmen are keen to start joint ventures as well as manufacturing facilities in the US. Providing them with credible information is important. Our cultural power is recognized. However, we need to move to the next stage where Indian artistes could perform in prestigious locations for audiences that go beyond the diaspora. Our efforts would be to focus on these areas.
Q4. What are you doing about those (including the outsourcing of Passport and Visa services)?
Ans:- Our aim is very clear to streamline the system and provide transparent, effective, and efficient services to all those who approach the Consulate.
Q5. What are the new projects and activities you are planning to do (including celebrating statehood days)?
Ans:- There are a number of projects in the pipeline. These are besides the highly busy cultural calendar that the Consulate has in normal course. We are encouraging to hold sectoral workshops and seminars to promote business links between India and the USA. Similarly, events focused on youth and women are also being planned so as to create awareness about the opportunities offered by India. Consulate would also undertake special events encouraging local talent available with focus on arts and culture, business and intellectual ideas. On the consular side, special outreach programmes for various states are being planned with a view to provide on the spot information on visa, passport, OCI cards, PIO cards and other consular services. Its also proposed to celebrate special days devoted to Indian States and Union Territories with the cooperation of the diaspora. Programme focusing on promotion of Hindi are also being worked out.
Q6. How are you pushing for the release of a Diwali Stamp by the US Postal service? What can Indian Americans do about it?
Ans – This has been proposed by the US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and it deserves support of the Indian Americans. On my part, I have written a four line poetry on the suggestion of the Congresswoman Maloney, titled ‘Towards Diwali Stamp’. The poem is reproduced below:
Brighten up the world
Light up the nearest Lamp
Stamp out clouds of darkness
Bring in the Diwali Stamp.
Q7. How do you think the Indian-American community can help in your mission in general?
Ans:- We value the cooperation that we receive and goodwill that we enjoy among the Indian American community. The community can play a vital role in promoting the strong relations between India and the USA, particularly in the field of investment and trade. Other important areas are transfer of technology, joint ventures, education, infrastructure and pharmaceuticals and health services. The enormous talent available within the community could be utilized to take the relationship to a higher level in the near future.
Q8. Are there some new and exciting opportunities in the business front in India that would attract more businesses and investments to India?
Ans – India offers unprecedented opportunities for investments in various sectors. The economic reforms has been an ongoing endeavour on the part of Government of India. Only recently new reform measures including raising the cap of investment in various sectors were introduced. Now foreign investors could fairly invest upto 100 percent in several areas like pharmaceuticals and agriculture. A country with 1.2 billion population and growing middle class is a good destination for foreign investment. Infrastructure which is growing at a rapid pace could absorb over a trillion US dollar in the next 5-7 years. Sectors like civil aviation have been opened up for FDI in India.
Q9. What are your expectations from the Indian community in two countries – here in America and in developing India?
Ans: – The Indian American community can play a vital role in contributing towards improving infrastructure, tourism and investments in India. Similarly, as the members are prominent in the academia as well as media, they could create partnerships with their counterparts in India for mutual benefit. India could also benefit from more interaction between thinktanks in the US and that of India.
Q10. What is your (67th) Independence Day message to the global Indians?
Ans – The Indian Diaspora in the region has been immensely helpful towards the Consulate efforts. Its activities have contributed not only to the US society, but also back in India. The Diaspora has always been understanding and patient with regard to the consular issues. It has always been positive and complimentary towards our activities in the region. It has wholeheartedly supported all our efforts. We expect the Diaspora to continue doing so and increasingly work together with the Consulate in further strengthening the relations between the two countries. My Independence Day message to the Indian Diaspora is “Come, let us work together making the India-US relations truly strong and meaningful”.
