Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi advises Indian college students in US to be “watchful”.

New York:

Amid a string of tragic and regarding incidents involving Indian college students within the US, former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi has suggested them to be “watchful”, respect native legal guidelines and urged them to not interact in medicine or extreme ingesting to make sure their security and safety on this nation.

Ms Nooyi, thought of among the many strongest and influential enterprise executives globally, issued an over 10-minute lengthy video advising Indian college students coming to the US to remain secure and alert and to keep away from actions that may land them in hassle. The video was posted on X by the Consulate Normal of India in New York on Thursday.

“The rationale I am recording this video is to speak to all of you, all you younger individuals who need to come to america or are right here already pursuing your research, as a result of I have been studying and listening to all of the information about a number of examples of Indian college students discovering themselves in unlucky conditions,” Ms Nooyi, 68, mentioned within the video.

“It is as much as you to be sure to do what it takes to stay secure…keep throughout the regulation, don’t enterprise out into darkish locations alone at night time, don’t interact in medicine or extreme ingesting please. All of those are simply formulae for catastrophe,” she mentioned.

Ms Nooyi pleaded with the scholars coming to the US to “select your college and course fastidiously”. She added that coming to the US to pursue greater training generally is a “cultural sea change” for a lot of as a result of they’re away from the comforts of their households, communities and ecosystems.

For Indian college students finding out/planning to review in america of America 🇺🇸 : a really helpful video message by Ms. @Indra_Noooyi, former Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo @DrSJaishankar@MEAIndia@EduMinOfIndia@binaysrikant76@IndianEmbassyUS@CGI_Atlanta@cgihou… pic.twitter.com/EWTrdKd4tg

— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) March 22, 2024

“So if you come to america, be very watchful within the preliminary months of your touchdown right here, by way of who you choose as mates, the brand new habits you develop and the way you deal with cultural adjustments as a result of it is very straightforward to get caught up with all of the freedoms you’ve and assume that it’s best to experiment with all the things. Be very, very cautious.” She famous that whereas Indian college students are identified for his or her exhausting work and success, there are additionally incidents of some kids experimenting with and finally getting hooked on medicine corresponding to Fentanyl.

“That is deadly. Let me repeat, that is deadly,” she mentioned, including that these are extraordinarily dangerous medicine impacting psychological and bodily well being and can “positively be detrimental to your profession prospects right here”.

“Please don’t verge into this entire space of experimenting with harmful stuff. Most significantly, don’t partake in illegal actions, perceive the regulation and keep throughout the regulation,” she mentioned.

Ms Nooyi added that many worldwide college students will not be accustomed to the legal guidelines and rules of the host nation. “You will need to know the results of your actions and therefore it’s important to keep alert on a regular basis,” she mentioned.

“That you must know your visa standing and its permissibility in the direction of part-time employment. Don’t violate the regulation,” she mentioned, including that the scholars should know the “boundaries of what you are able to do as a overseas scholar in america”.

Ms Nooyi additionally urged college students to pay attention to the “secure areas” within the metropolis by which they’re residing or travelling. “Please keep away from shady neighbourhoods. Don’t enterprise out late into the night time alone or don’t enterprise out very late within the night time in any respect,” she mentioned, advising the scholars to exit in teams and with mates.

Ms Nooyi’s message comes amid a string of troubling instances pertaining to the protection and safety of Indian college students within the US. Because the starting of this 12 months, a number of instances of deaths amongst Indian and Indian-origin college students have precipitated alarm and concern among the many neighborhood.

This week, the Consulate mentioned it’s working with native regulation enforcement authorities to find 25-year-old Indian scholar Mohammad Abdul Arfath, who has been lacking for the reason that starting of this month, in Cleveland.

Indian-American Sameer Kamath, 23, a scholar at Purdue College who was discovered lifeless in a nature protect in Indiana in February, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the top, based on authorities.

In January, 18-year-old Akul Dhawan, a College of Illinois scholar, was discovered unresponsive outdoors a campus constructing. Investigations revealed that he died as a consequence of hypothermia, with authorities ruling that acute alcohol intoxication and extended publicity to extraordinarily chilly temperatures considerably contributed to his demise. In one other tragedy that month, 25-year-old Indian scholar Vivek Saini was hammered to demise by a homeless drug addict in Georgia.

Ms Nooyi underscored that the US presents phenomenal instructional alternatives, and is multicultural and welcoming. She, nevertheless, added that finding out within the US is “by no means low-cost, it is very costly and wouldn’t essentially safe a job for you right here at present”.

“It isn’t assured. Nor ought to it’s your goal on this globalised world, the place India itself is providing big numbers of alternatives for educated individuals,” she mentioned.

Ms Nooyi urged the scholars to be “very conscious” of the assets obtainable to them of their universities and native communities, “strongly” suggesting that college students interact with the college help system, the native Indian consulates and native Indian Individuals to study from their experiences and search their help when wanted.

She additionally appealed to the scholars to watch out for scams, together with on social media, which will dupe them of their cash and assets. She burdened the necessity for college students to maintain their psychological well being and properly being, keep related with mates, households and help teams.
 

(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)