Katrina Kaif on being a Global Indian

By Tanya Banon

The Indian Diaspora is a growing and thriving group, estimated at over 30 million people, representing the largest international migrant population in the world. Internal research shows Global Indians stay connected with their home country and strongly support it, by remaining the biggest remitters of money back to India (over USD 80 billion annually).

HSBC currently banks over 520k Global Indian customers, and therefore, to increase its market share it launched the ‘Global Indian Pulse’ report, that delves into the emotional and financial connections this diaspora has with their maternal country, at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai in November.

Katrina Kaif being a Global Indian and a youth icon was on the panel alongside Raghu Narula, Taylan Turan. In an interview, Kaif and HSBC discuss what it truly means to be a Global Indian.

The Indian community has made inroads across the world, but they still hold dear to their culture and traditions, what do you think?

Kaif: According to me, what stands out the most about our country and its people are their emotions of brotherhood and fellowship, whichever part of the world they’re in. Something that’s aptly captured in the Global Indian Pulse by HSBC. It’s clear from the findings that India has an impressive soft power through sport, food, culture and few diasporas have such a supply of culture that binds different ethnic communities all over the world.

Financially too, Indians send financial support back home to their families or to their communities, is this because we cannot escape our sense of belonging no matter which part of the world we are in?

Kaif: A sense of belonging to India is definitely something felt by Global Indians. The Report by HSBC found that Global Indians maintain strong connections back to their homeland regardless of whether they are first, second or third generation. More than three quarters said they felt a strong connection with India, and 80 percent are very interested in the future success of India.

Does being a global Indian mean you embrace the another culture but stay true to your own, or does it mean that a new tribe of Indians with their own culture, own thinking and own goals?

Kaif: According to me, being a global Indian is staying true to your own roots and culture regardless of which part of the globe you live in. Something majority of the Indians I believe can vouch for through their own ways of Indian music, food or cinema to name a few.

Along with being an actor you’re also an entrepreneur, how do you pick your investments, do you go with your gut or are you more of a numbers person and go with projections?

Kaif: There’s no one way according to me and just like everything else balance is key. Numbers, projections and expert advice is something I always value and keep into consideration but follow it up with my gut feeling. And yes, following your true passion, nothing motivates you more than your love and passion for what you do and in my experience that’s how I made my way through being an entrepreneur.

Cinemas have reopened, are you excited about this?

Kaif: The audience and I have long waited for the day cinemas reopen and what an opening I must say! It brings me so much joy to see the love people have for films and as an actor it is so encouraging.