Jeddah: Expatriates from Telangana state comprise the second largest block of Indians in the Gulf countries – most of them being blue collar workers.
K Kavita, president of Telangana Jagruti who is also an MP representing Nizamabad, the Lok Sabha constituency that houses highest number of Gulf NRIs in the state, is currently visiting the region to meet members of the NRI community.
The daughter of chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, she is considered the cultural envoy of Telangana. The 37-year-old MP who has spent some time in USA is keenly involved in promoting Telangana culture in abroad.
Diverse linguistic and cultural strands dominate the state of Telangana, and that is commonly referred to as the Ganga Jamuna Tahzeeb. Whether it is Urdu or Telugu, each language has evolved into a uniquely Deccan style with distinctive features. Telangana Jagruti is working to promote this among its large communities settled abroad. Kavita said she plans to visit Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia to meet NRIs of her state.
She said: “Telangana NRIs of any ethnic background, anywhere in the world love to sustain their culture and traditions in every walk of the life. It is this cultural strength of the Telangana state that kept its dream for separate statehood alive for six decades.”
She called the Gulf region “an extended Telangana” because of its vast number of people working in the region.
Kavita rued the lack of adequate employment opportunities in Telangana which prompts frequent immigration to the Middle East and expressed her willingness to work on the issue back home.
Kavita added that her organization, Telangana Jagruti, would begin job skills enhancement programmes for Gulf NRIs.
She also expressed keenness to offer continuing distance education to dropouts working in the Gulf region.
During her visit, Kavita visited labour camps where she formally inaugurated a health camp and also ate lunch with workers.
Kavita was chief guest in the first anniversary celebrations of the formation of Telangana state in Kuwait and Bahrain, both organized by Telangana Jagruti local chapters. Both functions were presided over by prominent Telangana community leader Hariprasad Ch. and attended by a large number of NRIs from the state and some from the neighbouring Saudi Arabia as well.
Hundreds of NRIs of the state gave a rousing reception to Kavita on her arrival to the venue in Isa Town where she addressed large crowds.
source: The Times of India