It was a special feeling to meet the youngsters. Seeing them gives me hope that the future of the country would be bright.
Robert R Verma | US Ambassador to India
Manish Kumar/Shambhudeep Hore
US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma visited the city Friday. During his interactions with students at KISS and later with the media, Richard shared thoughts on the future of education in India and glimpses of his life, and touched upon issues. Excerpts from Richard’s interaction with Orissa POST:
What is your assessment of education in India at present?
Indian society and the education system here have undergone tremendous change over the past few years. My father belonged to the first generation in the family to receive education. Times have changed much. Now people have immense opportunities to receive education and progress in life. Avenues are growing. This is one of the best times to acquire quality education.
You interacted with young students from the state today. What impression has it given you?
It was a special feeling to meet the youngsters. Seeing them gives me hope that the future of the country would be bright. Coming to an educational institution reminds me of my parents who were teachers themselves. Education is a great leveller. I can see these kids being trained for the 21st century challenges.
You met the CM and the Governor besides businessmen. What were the discussions about?
The main focus of my talks was to understand the priorities of our work here. We are here to learn about the possibilities that exist here. We will try to explore business opportunities for the US and look at ways to increase trade and more opportunities for the youths, among other things.
Will the US invest in Orissa?
Many commercial interactions are already going on. We are primarily trying to help the private sector. That is where the real opportunities will arise. We are now cooperating in more areas than before.
What is the state of US-India relations today?
It is at an all-time high time now. Relations between the countries were cordial in 2015. The US and India are the best foreign partners. In the days to come, I see better relations between them. Both countries now partner in science, clean energy, education and other sectors. At present we are trying to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion from the existing $100 billion.
Why has the US hiked the fee for H1B visas for techies?
n The move was not aimed at affecting any nation in particular. The cost was increased from $2,000 to $4,000 so as to generate funds for the victims of 9/11. Every year, India receives the lion’s share of H1B visas, that is about 70 per cent. This was a congressional provision. Conversations have been going on with the US Congress members on the subject.
A US court recently acquitted the cop who assaulted an Indian in Alabama. Such racist incidents are occurring regularly. Won’t they affect bilateral relations?
Rule of law takes precedence in both the countries. In this case also fearless investigations were done. I have faith in the justice systems of both countries. The US is home to a diverse population of people from different countries and we stand by their rights. There is a huge number of people from India who come to the US for study and travel and we have had a positive experience with them. PNN