<B>Rajiv Agnihotri, Managing director, ?Opinion Express? </B>

I have been living in Mauritius for 13 years now. I was so agreeably surprised when I arrived here: to work in a country where, contrarily to India, office closes at 4 p.m., where people say ?pardon?, where the climate is so good too! As managing director of Opinion Express, a magazine intended for People of Indian Origin (PIO), I can tell that Mauritius means both for local people and for Indians plenty of opportunities. Whereas in India, you have to work a lot to achieve something, here if you do your job properly, you can still enjoy quite a good life. Crucial in my opinion is the mindset and how you face problems that may arise! One has to think positive and work for the benefit of the country in general. You have to believe in what you do. But if you look for shortcuts in life, it may not work.

It was in my native India that I started my career in the media, notably working for Kalchakra Video News Magazine. Then I joined Opinion Express in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It was there that I met my future wife, who is now teaching dance at Mahatma Gandhi Institute. When I left Lucknow for Mauritius, I felt my fate was here and that it was my responsibility to do something in Mauritius, where I was founding a family. So I did not stop my activities for the PIO. At first, bringing that magazine made people smile. But it eventually worked, and led to the publication of a local Opinion Express. I believe in truth, devotion. Bridging the gap is possible for whoever is really motivated. I think that people should not be so pessimistic about their lives here. Be dedicated towards your personal goals but also towards others. Develop your public relations is important.

Mauritius is so gifted. There are actually 20 million PIO on the globe. This also means contacts and business, for example, between PIO from Durban and PIO from Mauritius. One can also develop links with one?s ancestral land. The knowledge of your roots is essential. Indian missions can help PIO interested in tracing their roots in India, provided they produce their emigration pass.