<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Indians, S'poreans bond over Bollywood and food
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lee Siew Hua
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A glimpse of Bollywood and street food can connect Indian Singaporeans and newer arrivals from India.
This was Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan's observation yesterday when he attended the Colours of India musical festival, amid an ongoing national drive to integrate the diverse people of Singapore.
The grounds of the Singapore Indian Association were transformed into vivid slices of India yesterday evening.
Indian Idol Rahul Vaidya performed on stage, as did the Kannada Sangha Kids dance troupe, which is a mix of local and expatriate Indian children.
Stalls peddled Bollywood tours, chaat or Mumbai street food, crafts and more.
The mingling of more than 3,000 guests took place on a Balestier field where Singaporean and expatriate Indians already bond over cricket games.
The next step in integration is to invite non-Indians to such fun events, said Dr Balaji, Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) and new executive committee president of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda).
'If we can have this kind of cultural understanding across cultures, Singapore will be stronger,' he said.
But integration does not mean 'homogenisation'. Instead, it involves reaching out to one another and enjoying other cultures - while each group preserves its 'uniqueness'.
Singapore's global population is a 'great plus' for the nation. Integration forms desirable social capital in a competitive world, added Dr Balaji, who was dressed in a blue kurta that he said was chosen by his wife, Dr Ma Swan Hoo, from Little India.
He noted that Singapore has an active socio-cultural calendar of events that link various groups.
In the same vein, Mr V.P. Jothi, the association's first vice-president, felt that it was not a tough challenge to integrate Indians.
'It's like neighbours waiting for each other to make the first move,' he commented.
In the crowd were a scientist couple from Bangalore, Mr Venks Gaddemane and his wife, Sri. Both are 30.
Fitting in here has been smooth, she said, pointing out that great diversity is also a fact of life in India. Its mega-cities and villages are very different, she explained.
At one table, friends from a classical singing group were delighted with life in Singapore.
Mrs Sudha Dev, 50, a special-needs teacher and an American citizen, said she has wonderful Singaporean friends.
She placed the integration issue in perspective, saying: 'Honestly, if you have your own niche of friends, you make very little attempt to step out.'
The association has 1,200 members. Some 10 per cent to 15 per cent are newer arrivals, and they are the fastest-growing group.
Other groups behind Colours of India include the Bengali Association, Tagore Society and Society of Indian Scholars.
Singapore's drive to integrate new immigrants is gaining momentum. Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan now chairs a National Integration Council. Last year, 20,513 foreigners became citizens while 79,167 took up permanent residency.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lee Siew Hua
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A glimpse of Bollywood and street food can connect Indian Singaporeans and newer arrivals from India.
This was Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan's observation yesterday when he attended the Colours of India musical festival, amid an ongoing national drive to integrate the diverse people of Singapore.
The grounds of the Singapore Indian Association were transformed into vivid slices of India yesterday evening.
Indian Idol Rahul Vaidya performed on stage, as did the Kannada Sangha Kids dance troupe, which is a mix of local and expatriate Indian children.
Stalls peddled Bollywood tours, chaat or Mumbai street food, crafts and more.
The mingling of more than 3,000 guests took place on a Balestier field where Singaporean and expatriate Indians already bond over cricket games.
The next step in integration is to invite non-Indians to such fun events, said Dr Balaji, Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) and new executive committee president of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda).
'If we can have this kind of cultural understanding across cultures, Singapore will be stronger,' he said.
But integration does not mean 'homogenisation'. Instead, it involves reaching out to one another and enjoying other cultures - while each group preserves its 'uniqueness'.
Singapore's global population is a 'great plus' for the nation. Integration forms desirable social capital in a competitive world, added Dr Balaji, who was dressed in a blue kurta that he said was chosen by his wife, Dr Ma Swan Hoo, from Little India.
He noted that Singapore has an active socio-cultural calendar of events that link various groups.
In the same vein, Mr V.P. Jothi, the association's first vice-president, felt that it was not a tough challenge to integrate Indians.
'It's like neighbours waiting for each other to make the first move,' he commented.
In the crowd were a scientist couple from Bangalore, Mr Venks Gaddemane and his wife, Sri. Both are 30.
Fitting in here has been smooth, she said, pointing out that great diversity is also a fact of life in India. Its mega-cities and villages are very different, she explained.
At one table, friends from a classical singing group were delighted with life in Singapore.
Mrs Sudha Dev, 50, a special-needs teacher and an American citizen, said she has wonderful Singaporean friends.
She placed the integration issue in perspective, saying: 'Honestly, if you have your own niche of friends, you make very little attempt to step out.'
The association has 1,200 members. Some 10 per cent to 15 per cent are newer arrivals, and they are the fastest-growing group.
Other groups behind Colours of India include the Bengali Association, Tagore Society and Society of Indian Scholars.
Singapore's drive to integrate new immigrants is gaining momentum. Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan now chairs a National Integration Council. Last year, 20,513 foreigners became citizens while 79,167 took up permanent residency.
