Swetha Selva Kumar
AR Rahman met with few Indian students to understand their problems during his recent trip to Sydney. Swetha Selva Kumar was part of this group and recounts her experience.
Early in the afternoon, the hush and cozy corner in the main lobby of Hotel Crowne Plaza buzzing with rustles about the massive ‘Free’ concert in the evening was briefly interrupted by an excusatory voice, “Rahman will be here in just about 10mins and has sincerely apologized for the delay.” 16 January 2010 was certainly a day far from the ordinary for the humble assemblage of students patiently waiting to meet India’s international megastar, the legendary Padmashri Dr.A.R.Rahman.
Jamie, the photographer for Sydney Festival requested the gathering including representatives from student organizations such as AISA (All International Students Association) and FISA (Federation of Indian students in Australia) to close-in after handing over a pocket-size scrap book to one of the students to leave her contact details on it.
Consul General Amit Dasgupta arranged for this private meeting of students with A.R.Rahman since the musical genius had expressed an interest to acquire first-hand information straight from students on the ground about the ongoing attacks on Indian students.
The buzzing in the lobby turned into befitting silence when ‘the man of the moment’ A.R.Rahman wearing his infectious smile breezed in exchanging pleasantries with the students, accompanied by his entourage. The 15-minute wait evidently seemed worthwhile for the students, excitedly exchanging glances at one another before settling down on the settee.
“So, I asked for this private meeting to be arranged as I was interested in knowing what is happening to our (Indian) students out here, Is it (Racism) really that serious?” asked Rahman. The titan ensured he gave a patient ear and a fair chance to each student to voice his opinion.
“What do you have to say about it (Student issues)?” he would ask everyone with zeal.
A young journalist from UTS who had previously done a story on Indian students said, “Clearly there is a balance between the number of racially-motivated assaults and opportunistic crime. There is no denying the fact that racism though unfortunate does exist but statistics suggest that such incidents occur primarily during the wee hours in the morning or late at night so one cannot rule out opportunism either.”
Navjot Singh, President of AISA said, “We are unsure whether the attacks against Indians are racially motivated but, more number of Indians specifically getting attacked in Melbourne suggests there is something more to it.”
Singh said that the Victorian Police denied any race element at the very first instance even without getting their facts right.
Singh’s counterpart, a student representative from FISA contradicted this statement saying, “Unfortunately there is a section of students who refuse to blend in and embrace Australian culture, when a foreigner shows no regard for his host country such things are bound to happen. Nonetheless there is no justification for violence.”
Rahman was taken aback when Harry Singh, Co-Founder of AISA narrated a case of police indifference where an Indian student was intimidated and forced out of the station at gunpoint. “The Police must adopt a more pro-active approach to handle issues more effectively. Students have lost faith in the system,” said Harry.
Affected students from fraudulent private institutions such as Sterling College and Sydney Flying School said one of the reasons behind the exploitation of Indian students is the fact that there are a few Indian employers and migration agents who are misleading the students.
Also, “ A lot of students have pre-conceived notions about the system thus prior research and doing your homework before stepping on foreign soil can help in keeping you informed,” said a student from the flying school that was pulled down recently “I have lost a lot of money due to the sudden closure of the flying school and even worse I still am waiting for a placement,” he added.
Rahman was visibly moved by what he had heard and assured his complete support to the students so much so that he took it upon himself to personally forward the letter containing the pleas and issues handed over to him by the students to the Australian authorities.
“I will personally do whatever I can to improve things for you (students) and raise this issue at the highest level,” said Rahman. The optimism, hope and assurances given by him served its purpose considerably and managed to lift the spirits of those students who appeared apprehensive and dejected at the start of the meeting.
A brief yet productive conversation, assurances uttered with keen humility but nonetheless with great determination and believe. Volunteering to do a free concert at the peak of one’s soaring career is indeed a historic and progressive step towards promoting and endorsing humanity, harmony and peace. Hopefully, Rahman’s genuine perseverance and noble intentions to achieve the inconceivable will triumph. JAI HO!
