Indians second largest student community in American universities

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore once wrote, "The highest education is that which does not merely give us information, but makes our life in harmony with all existence."

My colleagues in the US Consulate General in Mumbai and I could not agree more, which is one of the reasons we all work very hard to promote international education. Through people-to-people exchanges in the enduring quest for knowledge, we see study abroad as a way to bring India and the US closer.

Apparently more than 1 lakh Indian students agree. The recently released US Open Doors report shows that during the 2013-2014 academic year, 1,02,673 Indians were studying in the US. This is a 6.1% increase over the year before. We are very pleased that Indian students represent the second-largest
international student population in the US.

We are happy to host Indian students in our universities, colleges, community colleges, and other academic institutions and make every effort to facilitate their studies in the US. Throughout the year, Consulate representatives criss-cross our Consular district —which includes Chhattisgarh, Goa,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra — to promote the benefits of a US education. So far this month, we have met students, their families, and their teachers in Aurangabad, Bardoli, Mumbai, Raipur, and Surat.

The Open Doors report also discusses the "return on investment" of US education. The world-class facilities, top-notch professors, and renowned research centres available on US campuses provide students a competitive edge in the job market, whether overseas or back at home in India. We hope, and expect, the alumni of US universities to go on to do great things with their education.

Just look no further than the example of Bharat Ratna-awardee Dr Ambedkar, who himself was once a student in the US.

Every Indian student in the US is an ambassador of his or her community. Indian students enrich the diversity on our campuses and elevate the quality of academic discussions. In pursuing their dreams, Indian students in the US help their fellow researchers, scholars, classmates, and friends to reach their own aspirations.

Just as India is a big, diverse country, so too is the US. There are almost endless possibilities for students looking to study there. In fact, there are nearly 9,000 institutions in the US certified to host international students. I am confident that whatever an Indian student hopes to achieve something academically or professionally, there is a US programme to help her or him get there.

As you think about your education plans, I would encourage you to consider the US. Our friends at the United States-India Educational Foundation and all of us at the US Consulate in Mumbai stand ready to assist you, or your family member, in taking this important decision. I believe the future of the US-India relationship will be shaped largely by individuals, savvy about both Indian and American cultures, who will help broker business deals, collaborate on ground-breaking research, and discover new pathways for innovation.

To build upon a theme that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Obama used just recently: Seekhein saath saath! (Together we learn)

The author is the US Consul General in Mumbai