South Asia's Generation Next on parade

By SUNIL RAO
It was South Asia's Generation Next out in full force on the GTA stage last weekend, strutting their stuff at the 18th NetIP conference, which underlined the community's dynamic and latent potential as its makes its way in the North American mainstream and into increasing public consciousness.

Close to 1,000 delegates took over the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Downtown Toronto for the three-day conference, as the brightest and most promising upwardly mobile cohort of youngsters highlighted their achievements, networked furiously with each other, discussed, debated and argued the way aheadâ?¦ and along the way found time for a few quick rounds of speed dating as well.

"We had more than 900 registered participants," said Vijay Setlur, a conference organizer.

The hordes comprised in large part delegates from south of the border: upwards of 60 per cent of the participants were from the United States, Setlur estimated.

"They've come from cities all around the US," he added.

The sprinkling of Canadian politicians at the event was overwhelmed by the sheer raw talent and dynamic entrepreneurial energy on display.

"I feel like I've come in just before the heavyweight boxing champ makes his way to the arena - always a hard act to do," said former Ontario Premier and sitting Toronto Centre MP Bob Rae, himself no lightweight on the public stage.

Rae was appearing just before CNN Chief Business Correspondent and Toronto son Ali Velshi took the stage.

The event also featured 28-year-old entrepreneur and America's 'most eligible' Gurbaksh 'G' Chahal, net worth a cool $100 million at least, complete with retinue in tow; marketing maven and business author Rohit Bhargava; New York-based fashion designer Alia Khan; and Dr Vijay Mehta, everyone's favourite 'uncle'.

There were also several Canadian members of Generation Next, more than holding their own against their Southern cousins in the arc-lights: Sanjay Singhal of online rental Simply Audiobooks; online health and beauty store Well.ca chief Ali Asaria; popular 905-area MPs Dr Ruby Dhalla and Navdeep Singh Bains; T-shirt magnate Jas Brar of Entripy Custom Clothing, who discovered a wealth of opportunities in printing T-shirts; and Yog Pranayam proponent Uma Bhalla.
Also conducting operations before- and behind-the-scenes were such familiar Canadian names as MyBindi chief Syerah Virani, Anokhi publisher Raj Girn, CBC journalist Steven D'Souza, and ex-attorney general advisor Ajay Chopra.
Delegates agreed the South Asians' North American immigrant dream is alive and kicking.
'We are entrepreneurial'
"I'm not surprised," DC-based visitor Neil told Focus, when asked to comment on one estimate that had 40 per cent of all new businesses in the US being started by entrepreneurs of South Asian origin. "South Asians are entrepreneurial in nature."
South Asians comprise less than 1.5 per cent of the US population. Indo-Americans are the largest sub-group here, but still add up to less than 1 per cent of the population.
That South Asians are innately entrepreneurial in nature seemed to be the consensus opinion.

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Comments:
Eventaually, the south asians showing is a manifestation of how Canada is multi-cultured in so many ways.That's good , good example to the whole world.