Giving New York an Indian touch

Neelam Deo rings the NASDAQ Closing Bell on the eve of Indian Independence Day

Indian Consul General to New York, Neelam Deo retired from the Government this month. Deo, who took charge of the Indian Consulate in New York on Oct 10, 2005, has given it a new meaning in these three years.

The Consulate has played a pivotal role in promoting the growing ties between India and US. Under Deo's watch, US foreign direct investment grew by 179.5% on a net basis during the 2006-07 financial year. The trend has continued through the current financial year with US FDI grossing at $11.2 billion in the first six months. The total bilateral trade between India and the US during her tenure increased from $26.8 billion in 2005 to $41.6 billion in 2007. It has continued to increase in 2008 to $42.8 billion.

The Consulate has also emerged as a center of Indian cultural activities in the city. Well known performers like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Gundecha Brothers, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Usha Uthup, etc., have performed there. It has also come forward in promoting local talents including dancers, painters and writers.

Deo, 60, has been a career diplomat of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), with over three decades in the Indian diplomatic corps. She has been India's ambassador to Denmark and Ivory Coast, with concurrent accreditation to Sierra Leone, Niger & Guinea. Before her posting in New York, she led the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. She has also worked in India's diplomatic missions in Washington, Bangkok and Rome.

Deo is married to Pramod Deo, chairman of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission.

SATimes: Almost three years in New York. How has this time been for you? Any reflections?

Deo: It's been a very exciting period. The global economy is growing, the US economy is growing, and the Indian economy has been growing at more than nine percent. We did many things including setting up an interaction between the finance minister and the investor community on the same day as the Indian Budget. There were a number of other events including monthly and sometimes bimonthly interactions with the community in different fields. The Indo-US relations were growing rapidly, again giving impetus to economic exchanges.
It was very interesting to come to New York. This is quite a unique city in terms of the financial and banking sector and then of course it is a cultural hub too. We have tried to join the flow and organized many cultural events at the Consulate. I hope we are able to raise the profile of Indian culture in New York.

SATimes: How do you think you have been able to contribute to the Indo-US relations in your capacity as an ambassador to the country?

Deo: A relationship has to be judged by the number and the level of exchanges. Certainly, we have had some very high level exchanges. President Bush visited India, and there were many cabinet level exchanges as well. We now cooperate in many areas from space to energy to agriculture and education. By maintaining the tempo of activities including economic, commercial, cultural, and exchanges with the universities here, we were able to contribute to the momentum of this relationship.

SATimes: There has been a real thrust from you on trade and economy. What made you focus on these issues?

Deo: When you live in New York, you are going to be involved in trade and finance. We took the opportunities that were available to us. We understand that economic and commercial exchanges are not only exchanges of goods and services but also exchanges between people -- between Americans and Indians, and between Indian-Americans and Indians. My personal motivation has been to take advantage of what one can do and do it to the best of our ability. We had a very receptive audience as well. The interest in the Indian economy was high. And naturally, then the interest in everything Indian becomes high.

SATimes: During your tenure, the consulate has also become the cultural hub of Indian activities. Why such a push for Indian culture?

Deo: We have a rich culture and it is worth sharing. Also, the Indian-American community is very active in this field. So we worked with institutions to host cultural events. I also believe that for two countries to have good relations, it is very important that they empathize with each other's culture.

SATimes: What measures did you take to help the community in the times of need?

Deo: The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has tried to assist women who have been abandoned by their spouses or who are being abused. We try to work with existing organizations for women to help them. I would not say that we have achieved great success, but we're trying to see how we can be more effective. Also, the Consulate is open on all the holidays and weekends to provide emergency consular assistance to anyone in need. In case of a tragedy, like somebody getting killed, we try to facilitate the body being sent to India.

SATimes: What are your views of your successor Prabhu Dayal? You have upped the ante, will he be able to match it up?

Deo: By making so many friends in the community we have probably made it easy for him to continue to work at a high pitch. He is a very well regarded diplomat and I am sure he will come with his own ideas. I hope he will do even better.

SATimes: What is your vision for the Indian Consulate?

Deo: My vision for the Consulate is to do more of what we have been doing. In cultural events, it would be nice to have some painters from India. It would also be nice to get some writers from India -- that is one of the things the have talked about but haven't been able to work upon. We wanted to do a writers workshop. In commerce, I hope we can continue with the numerous sectoral interactions. We should also build up stronger relations with the university system here. That is one area that we have not been able to work upon.

SATimes: When you first joined in 2005, did you think it was going to be this challenging?

Deo: Everyone knows that New York is a busy place. I would not say it was difficult. It has been high pressure, busy and sometimes too busy, but always very rewarding. It is for everyone else to judge the quality of my work. I'm retiring quite happily.

SATimes: What can the Indian American community do to grow better?

Deo: I think the community is doing some very good work. They organize the Diwali mela and a lot of cultural events. If we can do more such events together it would be great. Activities like creation of Chairs in the university's, contributing to the India Studies Center that are coming up in many university's would be very good. Getting more active with the intellectual institutions like the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Asia Society or the Carnegie Foundation would be fruitful too.

SATimes: Any emotional connection to New York?

Deo: Many. My daughter just finished her PhD from Yale University and she is starting to teach at Lehigh in Pennsylvania. I will certainly be visiting New York to see her. I have made many close friends here and I hope to keep in touch with them. I live next door to the Central Park and used to take my dog for a walk everyday. I really loved walking around in New York City and appreciate its wonderful architecture. New York has a very rich scene in terms of films and I got a chance to see many foreign films that I enjoyed thoroughly. I feel very emotional about leaving New York.

SATimes: What has been your most memorable assignment in the Indian Government?

Deo: When you are on an assignment you're totally engrossed in the work. Today I'm involved in work in New York but when I was in Ivory Coast, Africa, I was just as involved. I got a chance to read so many African writers there, it was a totally different world. When I was in Bangkok, I enjoyed that. In Washington I really enjoyed working on strategic issues. Denmark was my first opportunity as an ambassador and that was wonderful. I cannot say what was better than others, each one was very different, each one had its own reward, and each one had its own challenges.

By Juhi Jhunjhunwala Dhingra