Public–Private Partnership Ventures: A Diasporic Initiative in India Through Social Remittances and Philanthropic Work

Diaspora networks across the globe think of their homeland, which makes them continuously assist various projects that have public–private partnership ventures. Many of the members of the Indian diaspora had difficult times during their childhood in their native country. The conditions were not favorable within India prior to Indian Independence for acquiring desired skills in entrepreneurial activities. However, they managed to sail through the rough sea and reach the western coast in great adversity. The journey itself was a training for the early diaspora that resulted in learning the skills needed for setting up their business in the adopted countries. Indian diaspora from various developed countries have learned a great deal about the local culture, new skills in business partnership, consultancy services, research and innovations in technology that helped them to prosper in the adopted land and implement those ideas in their home country as a part of social remittances and giving back to the society. Developed countries have exhibited the feasibility of sustainable development through social entrepreneurship. Compulsory community service that trains people in new skill development also educates them in preserving the environment in which they reside. The public–private partnership model, which is in practice in developed countries, has become the agent of creation of social entrepreneurship with accountability toward the society. Diaspora communities that send social remittances to their home countries not only in the form of money but also ideas, identities and behaviors help set up public– private models of undertakings that would ensure sustainable growth in the long run. Philanthropic work is reckoned in the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model that we see in various parts of India, especially in states like Punjab (Sikh diaspora), Kerala (Malayali diaspora) and Gujarat (Gujarati diaspora). In this background, this chapter tries to examine the Indian diaspora’s schemes in India on the model of public–private partnership that they had either set up or observed in their adopted countries. This chapter also looks into how far diaspora remittances in totality help mitigate the existing problems in Indian villages, create new job opportunities for the local population, manage skill development centers and educate the masses in preserving the environment that would help in sustainable development through social entrepreneurship.