'Indian American doctors have made India and Indians proud'

Lalit K Jha

Orlando, Jun 13 (PTI) Applauding the accomplishments of
Indian American physicians, the Deputy Indian Ambassador to
the US said the doctors have made India and Indians proud.

"You have made a major contribution to the US society.
You have made India and Indians proud," said A K Singh in his
address to the 27th annual convention of American Association
of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI).

AAPI is the largest association of Indian American
physicians in the US. Some 900 Indian American doctors are
attending the five-day annual AAPI convention which began here
on June 10.

"You have worked in virtually every part of the United
States - in urban areas, inner cities, rural area, in
peripheral communities. And going beyond your professional
work, you have also made contribution through voluntarism,
through relief work, through free clinics and through
charities," Singh said praising the commendable work done by
the Indian American doctors in this land of opportunities.

"Not only in the US, but you have also been involved in
projects in India in medical care and in humanitarian
assistance," Singh said.

For the last two years, AAPI has been organising Indo-US
Health Summit so as to channelize the expertise of Indian
American doctors in improving the health care facilities in
India. "All this is deeply appreciated," he said.

During his interaction with the AAPI participants, Indian
American physicians told him that they would like to involve
themselves in education and health care sector in India.

"I am happy to be able to share with you that just
yesterday, during the visit of the US Under Secretary of
State, William Burns, to India, it was announced that a joint
working group on education would be set up between the two
countries," he said.

More than 92,000 Indian students study in the United
States. If this figure is multiplied by the average fees of a
student in an US institution, "You get a figure of USD 3 to
USD 4 billion that is being invested by the people and
government of India in the US education system", Singh said.

Noting that the Indo-US relationship is poised for the
next level of partnership, he said, "There is tremendous
potential for the future."

But the real thrust of any relationship, he argued is the
people to people ties, "That is an area where have of you have
been standard bearers and leaders of what has been done
between the two countries," Singh said.

"Today people acknowledge more than 2.5 million Indian
Americans are contributing not only to the US society, but
also to strengthening India US relations," he said. PTI LKJ
PMR