Full speech of Odia poet and Sahitya Academy Fellow Sitakanta Mohapatra at Kosali/Sambalpuri Convention organised by Kendra Sahitya Academy at Bhubaneswar. Apparently it seems from his speech that he is unaware about the recent development of the language and literature.
by Dr Saheb Sahu
“To prove women’s inferiority, antifeminists began to draw not only, as before, on religion, philosophy and theology, but also on science, biology, experimental psychology and so forth.”
-Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1949
Some Facts and Figures
Ancient History
Sumer and Egypt
Sumer is the earliest known civilization in the modern-day Iraq. It is considered to be the first civilization in the world along with Ancient Egypt and the Indus Valley. Women in ancient Sumer (3000 BCE), could buy, own, sell and inherit property. They could engage in commerce and testify in courts as witnesses. Female deities, such as Inanna were widely worshipped, but majority of deities were male.
In ancient Egypt, women enjoyed the same rights under the law as men. Landed property descended in the female line from mother to daughter. Women could buy, sell, be a partner in legal contracts, bring court action, and adopt children.
India
In India, women during the early Vedic period enjoyed equal status with men in all aspects of life. Women were allowed to be educated in Vedas and other scriptures. Rigveda and Upanishads mention several sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi. Rigvedic verses suggest that women married at a mature age and probably were free to select their own husbands in a practice called swayamvar or live-in –relationship called Gandharva marriage. Later on several Dharmashastras, especially the Manusmriti (200-BCE-300CE) restricted the role of the women in the society.
China
Women throughout historical and ancient China were considered inferior to men. They had subordinate legal status based on Confucian laws. In Imperial China, the “Three Obediences” promoted daughter to obey their fathers, wives to obey their husbands, and widows to obey their sons. The Chinese society was predominantly patriarchal. Women could not inherit property or business.
Athens
Women in classical Athens had no legal personhood. Women were excluded from ancient Athenian democracy, both in principle and in practice. Male slaves could become citizens after being freed, but women were not allowed to be citizens. Athenian women received little education. According to Aristotle the labor of women added no value to the household. Contrary to these views, the Stoic philosophers argued for the equality of the sexes. In their views sexual inequality was contrary to the law of nature.
Roman
Rome was quite influenced by Athens. Roman law, similar to the Athenian law was created by men in favor of men. Women had no public voice, no public role. Women could not hold any public office. Roman society was patriarchal. However, girls had equal inheritance rights with boys if their father died without leaving a will.
Influence of Religions
Judaism
Judaism is an ancient monotheistic (belief in one god) religion with Torah as its foundational text. The history of Judaism spans more than 3,000 years. Judaism’s texts, traditions and values strongly influenced other two monotheistic religions- Christianity and Islam. Christianity was founded in the 1st century CE and Islam in 7th century CE. Many aspects of Judaism and Christianity have directly or indirectly influenced the Western civilization and western civil laws.
The role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible (The Torah), the Oral law and by custom. Relatively few women are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible by name and role.
Marriage and family law in biblical times favored men over women. For example, a husband could divorce a wife if he chooses to, but a wife could not divorce a husband without his consent. Women depended on men economically. Women generally did not own property except in the rare case of inheriting property from a father who did not have sons. Women were not allowed to study the Bible. During the time of worship, they were separated from men. The practice still continues to this day in Orthodox Judaism and Islam.
Christianity
Throughout Church’s history women have been considered inferior by nature and law. Women were not encouraged to study the Bible. Apostle Paul had forbidden women to preach in the church. Even today in the Catholic Church women are not allowed to be priest. Nevertheless, the Christian Bible gives rights to women to make contracts, own, sell, and inherit property.
Islam
The Qur’an introduced fundamental reforms to the existing customs and gave rights to women in marriage, divorce, and inheritance. It provides for the wife to receive a dowry from the husband which she could administer as her personal property. It makes woman a legal party to marriage contract. The Qur’an prohibits female infanticide. It recognizes woman’s full personhood. Women were not given such legal status in other cultures until many centuries later.
Hinduism
Like the Bible or the Qur’an Hinduism does not have a foundational text as ‘ the book’. Hindus have many texts which are considered sacred. They present diverse and conflicting views on the position of women. The Devi Sukta hymn of the Rigveda declares the feminine energy as the essence of the universe. The woman is celebrated as the most powerful and the empowering force in some Hindu Upanishads, Sastras and Puranas. In Smritis, such as the Manusmriti, the position is mixed. Manusmriti asserts that ” as a girl, she should obey and seek protection of her father, as a young woman her husband and as a widow her son”. However in other section, the same text asserts that “women must be honored and adored” and ” where women are revered, there the gods rejoice, but where they are not, no sacred rite bears any fruit”. Records left by travelers to ancient and medieval India suggest that ancient and early Hindu society did not practice Dowry or Sati. These practices likely became widespread sometime in the 2nd millennium C.E.
In the Mahabharata, the main female character Draupadi is strong, opinionated and deals with five husbands. They listen to her advice. In the Ramayana, Sita is presented as the honest, obedient and the ideal wife to Rama. She even goes to the forest with him leaving the luxuries of the palace.
In approximately 500 BCE the status of women in India began to decline. Although reform movement such as Jainism allowed women to be admitted to religious orders, by and large women in India faced confinement and restrictions. The practice of the child marriage is believed to have started around the 6th century CE. The position of women further deteriorated during the medieval period. The Muslim conquest of parts of India brought purdah to Indian society. It also led to the practice of the Jauhar among the Rajputs of Rajastan. The practice of Devadasi, a form of sexual exploitation of women by the temple priests started around the same time in South India.
Gender of God in Hinduism
In Hinduism, the impersonal Absolute (Brahman) is genderless. Both male gods (Devas)) and powerful female gods (Devis) are found in Hinduism. But the most popular goddesses are the incarnations of Shakt-Devi-Mata (Mother). Ardhanariswara is a composite androgynous form of Hindu god Shiva and his consort Parvati (also known as Devi, Shakti and Uma). It is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle. It represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe.
According to religious scholar Bryant-” Hinduism has the strongest presence of the divine feminine among major world religions, from ancient to the present. The goddess is viewed as central in Shakti and Saiva Hindu traditions”
Science
In her book, Inferior; How Science Got Women Wrong (2017), the British journalist Angela Saini, has summarized most of the important scientific studies that have framed women as inferior to men. Most of the earlier studies have described women as gentle, caring and empathetic and men as strong, rational and dominant. They attribute the differences to biology and evolution. A striking pattern emerges: almost all of the prominent scientists behind these studies are men, whereas much of the growing, more recent research that disputes them is done by women.
Here are some findings discussed in more details in the book:
1- Studies from around the world show that boys have around 10 percent higher risk of dying than girls during the first month of life (p-32).
2- Pretty much at every age, women seem to survive better than men. Women live five to six years longer than men across almost every society, and that has been true for countries (p-34).
3-When it comes to intelligence it has been convincingly established that there are no difference between the average woman and man. In some countries, girls are now better at maths than boys (p-65).
4- It is true that men’s brains are 8-13% bigger than women’s. But reams of research have shown that differences between the sexes in cognitive abilities or motor skills are very small or non-existent. The brain like other organs is simply proportionate in size to men’s bigger bodies (p-78).
5-Research to date suggest that humans survived, thrived and spread across the globe through the efforts of everyone (both men and women) equally sharing the same work and responsibilities. For most of our history, we lived hand in hand. And our biology reflects this (p-180).
Conclusions
There has been total subordination of women throughout the recorded human history, in all cultures and all countries. The reasons are cultural, religious and poor science. The religious scriptures were written by men from male prospective. In all the major religions of the world, God is masculine. Only ancient Hindus had some doubt about the actual gender of their God. Some of them had the concept of Ardhanariswara-half female and half male. What a great concept! There have been many female goddesses from the ancient times from Sumer-Athens-Rome to India. But all of them have been inferior to their male counterparts. Most of the interpreters of religious scriptures have been men. All the heads of the religious orders -Pope, Imam, Dalai Lama, Shankaracharya have been and still are male.
Scientific studies from Darwin to the recent times have reflected male prospective and biases. Only recently it has begun to change. Recent studies have clearly established that man may be physically larger than woman but not more intelligent. Women can do pretty much anything men can. They also live longer and give birth to babies.
According to Voice of America News Survey (2016) one in five people around the world believe women to be inferior to men and should stay at home. However, nearly all of them who were surveyed (18, 000 of them), also agreed that men and women should have equal rights. At least there is some hope.
The World Economic Forum said in its 2017 Global Gender Gap Report:
“While women worldwide are closing the gap in the critical areas such as health and education, significant gender inequality persists in the workforce and politics. Given the current rates of change it will be another 217 years before we achieve gender parity.”
It is culture, not biology which is keeping women down. Increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions in all fields-politics-education-science- industry is key to improving gender equality.
Sources:
Authored by Dr Saheb Sahu, FAAP, MPH.
Definition of Terms
Neonatal Mortality Rate – Number of deaths of children under 28 days of life per 1,000 live births.
Infant Mortality Rate – Number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
Under-Five Mortality Rate – Refers to death of children under the age of five per 1,000 live births.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 5.6 million children under the age of five years died worldwide, in 2016. This translates into 15,000 children deaths per day. More than half of these deaths are due to conditions that could be prevented or treated with access to simple affordable interventions. The leading causes of death of children under five include:
Pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria together are the cause of 3 out of every 10 child deaths before the age of five.
A child’s risk of dying is highest in the first 28 days of life (the neonatal period). Globally 2.6 million children died in the first month of life in 2016, accounting for 46% of under-five deaths. Improving the quality of care before birth (antenatal care), care at the time of birth and care after birth (post natal care) are essential to prevent these deaths.
Malnourished children have a much higher risk of death from common childhood illness such as diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria. Nutrition related factors contribute to about 45% of under-five deaths in children (who.in/media Centre/factsheet).
India and Odisha Child Mortality
1-Neonatal mortality (per 1000 live births)
2011 2013
India 31 28
Kerala 7 6
Jharkhand 29 26
Odisha 40 37
2- Infant Mortality (IMR) (per 1000 live births)
India 53 40
Kerala 12 12
Jharkhand 46 37
Odisha 69 51
3- Under 5 Mortality (U-5MR) (per 1000 live births) for 2013
India 52 Male – 49, Female – 56, Rural – 58
Kerala 13 Male – 12, Female – 14, Rural – 13
Jharkhand 50 Male – 47, Female – 54, Rural – 53
Odisha 68 Male – 67, Female – 70, Rural – 72s
*niti.gov.in
According to UNICEF, there has been a consistent decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under –Five Mortality Rate (U-5MR) in India. The rate of decline in current decade is higher than the previous decade. The IMR and the U5MR rates have also declined in Odisha in recent years, but the rates are still very high. If we take the example of IMR, the 2008 rate for Odisha was 69 per 1000 live births (India was 53) and 2013 rate was 51. It is a decrease of 20% in five years, not bad but not good either. Jharkhand is a poor state like Odisha. It has high tribal population, but its IMR in 2013, was 37 compare to 51 for Odisha. The IMR for the state of Kerala with similar population as Odisha was 12. Odisha still has a long way to go.
What Determines Child Survival in India?
Maternal and Demographic Factors:
Social Economic Factors:
What Government of Odisha should do to reduce the high child mortality rate?
“Infant Mortality Rate continues to be high in Orissa. It is recognized that about 60% of infant deaths occur during neonatal period (first four weeks of life). Most of these deaths are due to pre-maturity, low birth weight, respiratory infections, diarrhea and malnutrition. It is also acknowledged that infant mortality is higher in lower socioeconomic groups residing in backward tribal districts of Orissa. Notwithstanding the fact that several strategic interventions are being implemented to reduce MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate) and IMR, the decline has been marginal.”
Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha (health.odisha.gov.in/IMR-Mission) Nov. 6th 2017
It is at least hopeful that Odisha government is acknowledging that all its programs to reduce Infant and maternal mortality rates are not working that well. The government has diagnosed the problems but the treatment it is providing is not working. What the government of Odisha can and should do to correct the situation?
This direct money grant program is not as radical as it seems. There are multiple studies to show that the poor use their money more wisely than most people think. They know their priorities better than the government officials. Conditional cash grant programs have been quite successful in Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and many more countries around the world (bolsafamilia.org).The government of Odisha, should be the first state in India to try this direct cash grant program. The downside risk is very low but the upside potential is quite high. Odisha will be no longer one of poorest state in India in 3-4 years.
Conclusion
Illiteracy, poverty, malnutrition and high child mortality rate are interrelated. The child mortality rate of Odisha is unacceptably high. It is even higher than that of Jharkhand which has a high tribal population like Odisha. There is also a large discrepancy in child mortality rate among the 30 districts. The department of Health & Family Welfare admits on its own web site that the rate of decline in recent years has been marginal. There are resources available from UNICEF, USAID, Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, Government of U.K. and Norway and the central government at Delhi to reduce the child death rate in Odisha. But no amount of external aid will help unless the government of Odisha executes its own programs to reduce its high poverty rate and high child mortality rate.The government of Odisha should significantly increase its health budget and spend most of the money in preventive care (water, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition,and health education). Acute care should be covered by health insurance for all Oriyas as has been done in Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Sources:
Dr. Saheb Sahu is a pediatrician and neonatal specialist. He was the managing director of Kalinga Hospital, Bhubaneswar, for 4 years.
Today villages of India are rapidly growing with population and so demands of consumption are also increasing. Villages are well connected with roads. Slowly villages are turning into semi urban habitation. The rural areas are in a constant transition.
Today, you will not find kids playing those games on the village roads which were existed some 20 years ago. Today mobile phones, TV, and laptops etc have substituted those. Slowly many rural industries have also extinct like the oil seed processing unit, making murhi, etc. New machines of oil seed processor and murhi maker have substituted them. Many more machines will be introduced in rural area in coming days. And many rural and agro based industries will be remodeled. Nowadays, in rural area women are not crushing rice and other stuff to make cakes rather people are making good business keeping a big grinder for the village women. Such is the scene of the village today.
In this changing surrounding let me suggest few good business idea for the rural entrepreneur:
Apart from the above mentioned business, there are many new ideas like setting up rural banks, micro financing company, etc. Before initiating any business first study about the area and its demand.
Here are some interesting facts about our Earth
Source:
Natural Wonders of the World, DK/Smithsonian:Penguin Random House, New York, 2017
Today book business all over the world has declined due to many reasons. Only educational books like books related to different competitive exams etc are on sale.
Book reading is perceived as a source of entertainment and to acquire knowledge. Now smart phones and gazettes with internet have substituted the job.
When we discuss about Kosali book or magazine, there is a viable market but one need to explore the viability with an entrepreneur mind. In my close association with book and magazine productions over few years, I have experienced that the market is virgin and one need to toil hard to make it viable.
Today, all the book or magazines published in Kosali are almost self publication. There is hardly any publisher or marketing network for it. Though there are many names as publication house which are publishing and marketing the books but they charge the cost of the publication to the author. All publications are amateur and not professional. No book is published for sell rather authors commission somebody to coordinate the publication work for their book and they pay for it. Generally such publications are limited to mere 200-300 copies for distribution amongst the writer circle.
But there is a viable market for Kosali books and magazines. One has to believe it and work hard on it. Let me help giving few suggestions to create a niche market for your publication. Publishing stage is a romantic stage but marketing the book or magazine is the real testing stage of your entrepreneur skill where you need to do hard work. In metro cities, kids and disable people are found selling books and magazine at the red lights. When a vehicle stops they push the magazine or book to them. Another best marketing is of Bhagbat Gita. This book has been translated into almost all languages of the world and it has been reprinted many editions because of its never ending demand. Bhagbat Gita is sold by the Bhagbat lovers by travelling cities and villages door to door. The religious scripture is marketed by push.
Now come to Kosali magazines and books. Kosali magazine and book has a limited readers. Let us find out which are the viable places to sell it:
Hard work, hard work and hard work are the only mantra for success! Best of luck !
In the post independence era, the socio-political scenario of the country was changing rapidly. Printing presses were available in western Odisha. Writers were trying new theme. The naked reality of the society was flowing from their fountain pen. At that juncture “Paercha Sati” by Khageswar Seth appeared in 1949.
In 1950 Kurephul by Indramani Sahu was published. It is considered as the first Kosali poetry collection. Indramani Sahu is known as Kosal Balmiki as he is the author of Kosali Ramayan.
Sri Panchami by Satyanarayan Bohidar published in 1953. In 1959 Sashibhushan Mishra Sharma’s Rakh Ma Palsa Gucha appeared.
In 1974 Kosali magazine Jharan was released which was edited by Nrupati Dehury. In between 1961 to 1970, 10 poetry collections were published. From 1971 to 1980 18 collections, 1981-1990 40 collections and 1991 to 2000 66 Kosali poetry collections were published.
Modernity in Kosali poetry was introduced in around 1970. Prof Jayadev Dansana’s Ulysis Aur Salegram published in 1978 is considered as the first modern Kosali poetry collection.
Slowly Kosali language and its other aspects were discussed around this time. In 1987 an article of Pt. Prayagdutta Joshi titling “Swatantra Kosali Bhasa” published in Saptarshi created a huge uproar in literary and intellectual circle of western Odisha. Pt Joshi coined the name Kosali for the language of western Odisha. And it was opposed by Sambalpur based writer Dr Nilamadhab Panigrahi. The battle of Sambalpuri vs Kosali began. Dr Dolagobind Bishi wrote “Kosali Bhasa Sundari”(1984) and supported the name Kosali. He further edited a quarterly Kosali magazine “Kosal Sree” from 1988. Kosali Bhasa Sahitya Parishad the organization of Pt Joshi started publishing “Kosal Bharati”. But Dr Nilamadhab Panigrahi of Gulunda who is also famous for his epic “Mahabharat Katha” published Nishan magazine and its 4th issue was titled as “Paschim Odishar Bhasar Na Sambalpuri” and wrote an article “Samaleswari Banam Kosaleswari”. Finally to diffuse the conflict a meeting was held in Sambalpur on January 2nd and 3rd in 1993.
Around 1991 Haldhar Nag was introduced into Kosali literature. Hailing from a humble background and having schooling up to 3rd standard the gifted Kosali poet is dictating Kosali literature almost for 2 decades now.
Today Kosali language is enriched with many great literatures like Ramayan, Mahabharata, Srimad Bhagabat Gita, Meghduta etc. About 5 thousands authors are regularly writing in different genre like Architecture, Astrology, Mantra-Tantra-Yantra science, Medicine, Yoga, Music, Arts, Dance, Drama, Yoga, Philosophy, and Grammar. Every day, regional radio stations and private television channels are broadcasting different Kosali programmees. From 2012 the Registrar of Newspapers for India also included Kosali in its language list (earlier it was Ori-Koshli). Around 80 unregistered and 6 registered magazines and periodicals have been published in last 3 decades in Kosali. Sambalpur University is providing a PG Diploma Course in Sambalpuri and Haldhar Avasik Vanabidyalaya, Kudopali has included 2 Kosali primers since 2012, authored by Saket Sreebhushan Sahu, in its curriculum.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu comments on politics and culture
The by-poll bound Bijepur constituency is getting warm day-by-day. BJD has already declared its candidate as Ritarani Sahu and BJP is projecting discarded former MLA from BJD Ashok Panigrahi. Folks are waiting for the press meet of PCC. Most probably PCC will declare the name of its candidate on 26th after collecting report from the ground on 25th.
Though names have not been declared from BJP and Congress but campaigning from all party have started for the by-poll. The situation so far is positive for BJD and Congress but BJP camp is down with conflicts. Strong protest was staged on the joining of Panigrahi in BJP by party’s senior members.
There is discontent amongst the workers in the constituency in BJP after the joining of former discarded MLA from BJD, Ashok Panigrahi. The workers have now distracted and opting for other options as they have not accepted someone like Panigrahi as their candidate and BJP has loosed almost 35000 to 40000 votes till now. As per the sources when Panigrahi was the standing MLA from BJD in 2000-2004, he had exhibited colonial behaviours with the local people. And many say he loosed the next election due to his bad behaviours though he was the candidate of BJP-BJD alliance in 2004.
Another upsurge which is going against Panigrahi and BJP is the upsurge of Kuilta caste. Kuilta caste holds the majority with a 52% population while ST and SC are 35%, General 5% and Other OBC 8%. Now BJP is in back foot, the Hindutwa agenda of the saffron party is non functional here. No influential Kuilta leader is with BJP.
Further, sources say, a group of high level delegation met and approached the influential BJD leader of Kuilta caste of Bijepur to join BJP but he denied instantly. He said, “When we were in BJP in 2004 and Panigrahi was in BJD, the former MLA used to see us in an inferior eye and literarily spit on us. So, it is not possible to support such a person on any ground.”
The media hype projecting Ashok Panigrahi as the hero with a pocket vote of 18000 now costing badly to BJP. Discussions are also on about the candidature of Ashok that he has been finalized from Delhi with a lobby by BJD MP Baijayanta Panda who is likely to join BJP. Baijayanta is eyeing for Bargarh parliament seat. Sources added, Baijayanta is going to join with few MLAs and MPs and he may fund the party in next general election that’s why BJP’s higher level authority is silent on Ashok and trying to douse the anguish of the grass root workers.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu comments on politics and culture.
Printing press came to Odisha in 1838 and publications of magazine and periodicals started in 1861. In 1891 a Kosali poem by poet Madhusudan appeared in Sambalpur Hiteishani edited by Pt Nilamani Bidyaratna and patronized Bamanda King Sir Basudev Sudhal Dev. This poem is considered as the first published Kosali poem. Like Madhusudan many authors have been found writing Kosali in the pre-independence era. Some significant names are; Jatan, Chaitan Das, Balaji Meher, Lakhman Pati, Ganga Prasad Panda, Moulana Mustakim Khan, Kapil Mahapatra, Parikshit Khandual, Dhaneswar Mahapatra, Mayadhar Seth, Sridhar Udgata, Bidhubhushan Guru, Indramani Sahu, Chintamani Sahu, Danei, Baidyanath, Nakphudi Panda, Satyanarayan Bohidar etc.
In the pre independence era, so many Odia Magazines like Jijnansu, Paarijaat, Patna Deepika, Sankha etc have published Kosali writings.
The early writings like ‘Bhulamana Chautisha by Jatan’, ‘Gundia Pasra’ by Balaji Meher, ‘Bhulia Pasra’, ‘Kanra Pasra’, ‘Teli Pasra’, ‘Munus Baran’, ‘Maheji Baran’ by Lakhman Pati and ‘Turi Pasra’ by ‘Moulana Mustakim Khan’ were written to sing and perform in Samparda. All these poems start with “sun sun re paaliaa bhaai”.
Jatan with his partner Ratan used to travel in Patna-Borasambar region and perform Kirtan while Balaji Meher, Lakhmana Pati and Moulana Mustakim Khan were cotemporary of noted Odia poet Gangadhar Meher. It may be noted that Gundia Pasra was recited by Balaji Meher in 1912 at Fraser Club Sambalpur to welcome Prince George Sixth while he was visiting Sambalpur.
Ganlia Ramayan written in between 1920 to 1930 by Kapil Mahapatra is considered as the first published Kosali book. Sri Mahapatra was the court poet of Sarangarh.
In 1942 Kosal Sahitya Sammilani was organized at Balangir and in the written poetry competition Parikshit Khandual won the Gold for the poem ‘Mor Ghar’.
Some more poems like Bhim Charit by Chaitanya Purohit, Bastar Haran by Dhaneswar Mahapatra, Bhakua by Mayadhar Seth, Chere Biha by Parshuram Jhara, Chadhei Chautisha by Chaitan Dash etc were written in pre independence era.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu comments on Politics and Culture
Passport
A passport is a travel document usually issued by a country’s government that certifies the identity and nationality of its holder, primarily for international travel.
Visa
A visa is conditional authorization granted by a country to a foreigner, allowing him/her to enter, remain within, or to leave that country. A visa most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant passport or other travel document.
All visitors to the United States must obtain a visa from one of the United States diplomatic missions (embassy or consulate) unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or one of the Visa Waiver Countries. India is not either of these countries; hence all Indians citizens will need a visa to enter the United States.
There are two main types of visas- immigrant and non-immigrant. The immigrant visa is also called a permanent visa. An immigrant visa holder (green card holder) can apply for US citizenship after certain years of waiting, usually five years. A non-immigrant visa holder cannot apply for citizenship without first changing his status to an immigrant visa.
Immigrant Visa
Immigrating to the United States is a complex process. To be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign (alien) citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative or a permanent resident relative (green card holder), or a prospective U.S .employer. A U.S. citizen can file an immigrant visa petition for- spouse, son or daughter under 21, parent and brother and sister. A green card holder can file an immigrant visa petition for- spouse and unmarried son or daughter.
Non-immigrant Visas (Temporary Visa)
There are several different categories of non-immigrant visas. I will discuss the ones most commonly obtained by people coming to the United States.
B-1and B-2
The most common non-immigrant visa is the multipurpose B-1/ B-2 Visa, also known as the visa for temporary visitors for business or pleasure. B visas are issued based on applicant interviews with a U.S. consulate official. Certain demographics, such as young adults, those who are single and /or unemployed, almost never receive visas. In 2016, only 26% of Indians who applied for B visa , received one.
F-Visa
These visas are used by foreign students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities. F-1 visa holders have limited work opportunity with in the college or university. I have discussed these visas in an earlier article published in http://odishawatch.in/
H Visa
H visas are issued to temporary workers in the United States. The H-1B visa category allows US organization with a Federal Identification No/IRS Tax number to employ foreign professional to work in US for up to six years. Dependents of the H1B visa holders can stay with him/her as long as the H1B visa status is maintained. They can also attend school.
H1B
The H1B visa is for professional- level jobs that require a minimum of bachelor’s degree in a specific academic field. Most Indians IT professionals enter US under H1B visa. Foreign medical doctors who have completed the FLEX can also get H1B visa. H1B visa holder can apply for permanent status or green card. After being a green card holder for five years one can apply for US citizenship. Spouse and children of H1B visa holder can also get temporary visa to enter USA. Candidates who are eligible for H1B visa are:
The current US law limits H1B visa to 65,000 per year from all the countries of the world. Additional 20,000 per year H1B visas are available to foreign nationals with master or higher degrees from an US university.
J-1 Visa (Exchange Visitor)
J-1 Visa is issued to participants of work-and study- based excahnge programs. Spouse and children of J-1 visitors are issued J-2 Visa. Exchange visitor visa candidates are:
Grounds for Denial of Visa
Grounds for denial of visa may include, but not limited to:
Contrary to popular misconception, a US visa does not authorize the alien’s (foreigner) entry to the United States. A US visa only serves as a preliminary permission given to a foreigner to travel to the United States. The final admission is given at the designated port of entry, by a U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officer.
Conclusion
Coming to the USA legally is not easy. If you can get a job with Tata Consulting, Infosys, Wipro or other IT companies in India and they send you to US that is the easiest way. When you are working for them on some project in US, you may be able to find a job with a US company who may be willing to sponsor you for a permanent visa. There is along waiting period, several years, to change your temporary visa status to that of permanent status. Once you get a green card (immigrant visa) you can switch job, make more money, sponsor your family members and later on if you want, become a US citizen. The other way is for you to come to US for post graduate study (Master, PH.D). Once you complete your study, your job prospect in US is quite good. Most likely some company will hire you for your expertise and they will sponsor you for a green card. You will also be eligible for the 20,000 H1B visas available evry year for foreigners with Master or higher degree from an US university.
The US embassy is located in New-Delhi. There are US Consulate offices in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and a virtual consulate at Bangalore. Visit their web sites for more information (in.usembassy.gov). The best source of reliable information is the Web site of the US State Department (travel.state.gov/content/visa).
I was born in village Mullbar in Bargarh district. I attended my village elementary school, Kamgaon Middle School, C.S.Zila School, G.M. College and A.I.I.M.S (NewDelhi). I came to US on a J-1 visa to further my medical training. I got a teaching job in a medical college, changed my visa status to permanent, became a US citizen and raised a family in USA. I did it in 1970, with eighty dollars (50 rupees at that time), no connection and no internet. I have written this article with the hope that some of you will come to US for higher study and hopefully you will be able to stay. Even if you cannot stay, you will get a great education and get a good job when you return home.
Study hard. Do well in college. Dream big dreams. Once in awhile dream comes true. Good Luck and Best wishes!
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