Modi is Hero No. 1 for NRIs, but their ‘long distance nationalism’ is dangerous for India
Prime Minister Modi recently told an audience of mostly expat Indians in Seoul: “Earlier, you felt ashamed of being born Indian. Now you feel proud to represent the country.” NRI crowds loudly cheered the first Indian leader who seemed to understand why they had left India, who even assuaged their perpetual guilt at abandoning the motherland. Once unfairly lampooned as shallow wealth seekers, the NRI feels understood by Modi.
Benedict Anderson coined the term ‘long distance nationalism’ and of the ‘imagined communities’ that migrants create. Today, the internet creates a sense of immediacy to an idealised ‘homeland’ without the benefit of real lived experience. This means Read More
