Indiaspora Forum in Bengaluru Unites Global Indian Diaspora, Showcasing Expanding Influence
A recent Australian newspaper headline declaring 'Singh beats Smith' in Sydney business ownership captured a broader trend: the Indian diaspora, now estimated at over 35 million people across more than 200 countries, has evolved into a formidable global force. This shift was vividly on display last month as members from 25 nations gathered in Bengaluru for the Indiaspora Forum, creating a unique convergence of venture capitalists, paralympians, AI researchers, art collectors, policymakers, and meditation gurus.
Building a Deliberate and Durable Network
Founded in 2012 by entrepreneur MR Rangaswami, Indiaspora represents a purposefully slow and steady growth model. "We are not an overnight success," Rangaswami emphasized. "Non-profits scale differently—it's been slow and steady." This patient approach has yielded a durable organization that now operates across what he terms the 'big six' diaspora hubs: the United States, United Arab Emirates, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore.
The annual forum has emerged as one of the few platforms where the full breadth of Indian diaspora influence—extending far beyond economic contributions—receives serious examination. Rangaswami is intentional about maintaining a non-transactional atmosphere, distinct from typical professional gatherings. "We do want this event to be a non-transactional event," he stated in his keynote address. "This is not about selling to each other. This is not about pitching. It's really about getting to know and understand and enhance your field of knowledge, and enhance more of what you know about other things going on in the world."
Filling a Critical Global Gap
For Asif Ismail, CEO and publisher of American Bazaar, Indiaspora addresses a long-standing void. While regional associations like Gujarati samajs and Telugu organizations have existed for decades, their focus remained narrow and community-specific. "Before this, there wasn't really anything binding the diaspora together globally," he noted.
The organization gained early recognition with a high-profile inaugural ball for President Barack Obama in 2013 and has since matured into a professionally managed network with staff largely from corporate backgrounds. Yet, it retains a community-oriented essence. Rangaswami shared a poignant example: a US-based member needing to travel to India for a funeral faced obstacles because her newborn lacked a passport. "Our members helped organize it," he recounted, highlighting the network's supportive role.
On political matters, Indiaspora maintains an understated approach. While immigration hurdles, geopolitical tensions, and mobility concerns affect diaspora communities worldwide, Rangaswami clarified, "We don't publicly lobby. But we work privately with governments, conveying concerns and facilitating dialogue."
Beyond Remittances: Measuring Hard and Soft Power
Traditionally, the narrative around the Indian diaspora centered on remittances—the billions sent home annually. However, the Indiaspora Impact Report, launched at this year's forum, argues this perspective is too limited. The report presents compelling statistics:
- 76% of overseas angel investors backing Indian startups are from the diaspora, operating across 56 countries.
- Over 60% of surveyed Indian NGOs have received diaspora donations, with more than half leveraging diaspora networks for global institutional funding.
- Nearly one in five internationally co-authored research papers involves a diaspora connection.
Beyond quantifiable metrics, there's the subtler influence: yoga studios proliferating in American suburbs, Indian cinema transcending language barriers, and cuisine becoming commonplace in cities where it was once exotic. "It's not just about money," Rangaswami asserted. "It's about influence, culture, and ideas. We have to measure both the hard and soft power of the diaspora."
Strategic Choice of Bengaluru and Year-Round Programming
The selection of Bengaluru as host city was strategic. Following last year's forum in Abu Dhabi, Indiaspora aimed to bring the conversation back to India, choosing the nation's IT capital as an ideal venue. "Bengaluru represents the new India—tech-driven, global, forward-looking," Rangaswami explained.
Indiaspora now conducts programming throughout the year, including:
- Climate summits addressing environmental challenges.
- Global health discussions focusing on conditions like diabetes and heart disease that disproportionately affect South Asians.
- Indiaspora Next, a new initiative designed to engage younger diaspora members in networks historically led by older generations.
Sree Sreenivasan, an ambassador for the organization, observed that while networking may attract participants initially, "it's ideas and inspiration that keep them coming back." He described the forum's core strength as its convening power—a quality resistant to easy digitization. "One of the great skills of the 21st century is bringing people together," Sreenivasan noted. "You could do this online, but when people from 25 countries come together in one place, ideas and relationships deepen in a different way."
The forum's diverse sessions reflected this philosophy. Art collector Kiran Nadar discussed her new museum in Delhi, while spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar conducted meditation sessions. Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj joined a panel of athletes, including a Paralympian, to explore India's bid for the 2036 Olympics. This eclectic mix underscored the diaspora's multifaceted impact, proving that the story of overseas Indians extends far beyond financial transactions to encompass cultural exchange, innovation, and global connectivity.
