The Loka Kerala Sabha should emerge as a vehicle for properly exploring the financial, social, and cultural capital of the Malayali diaspora, non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) who participated in the Loka Kerala Sabha here on Friday opined.
Most of them expressed much angst about the new generation growing up abroad without knowing or experiencing the richness of Malayalam language.
Actor Sobhana said Kerala needed to have a panel of people with experience and a cultural background, including artistes, who could be the State’s cultural ambassadors abroad. Kerala needed to showcase more than just its backwaters and Kathakali, she pointed out.
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Mediaperson Sasikumar spoke about several new generation Keralites abroad who were not familiar with Malayalam but wished to be a part of the culture here. The meet should think about how these expatriates could be given a sense of belonging in the cultural and social space of Kerala, he said.
Businessman P. Mohammed Ali said Kerala needed to formulate a clear policy on solid waste management and that the non-resident Keralites could help the State with any technology it might require. He pointed out that the Kerala brand was not quite popular outside of the Gulf region and that the State government needed to market itself abroad.
Geetha Gopinath, the Chief Minister’s economic adviser, said it was a phenomenal idea to tap into the rich human resource of Malayalis abroad through the Loka Kerala Sabha. She said the participation of women in the labour force seemed to have gone down in Kerala in the past few years and that the sabha should be able to showcase the accomplishments of many more Malayali women abroad.
Nilambur Ayesha and actor Asha Sharat drew the attention of the sabha to the innumerable problems, including physical harassment faced by many women from indigent families who sought employment abroad as household help. Resool Pookkutty described the Loka Kerala Sabha as a historic event which would reduce the distance between the Kerala government and the Malayalis abroad. Writer Benyamin sought the government’s help to to set up a technical committee to give better protection and support to non-resident Malayalis, many of whom were not educated enough to tackle issues relating to their employment or life abroad. Others who spoke included M. Anirudhan, Gokulam Gopalan, Bose Krishnamachari.
