NRI Club

An NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) savings account is where you can maintain and manage your income earned in India such as rent, dividends, pension, etc. An NRO account can be opened in the form of a savings, current or fixed deposit account. Repatriation of funds from NRO accounts is permitted by RBI, subject to certain limits. Procedure for opening an NRO account is as follows: 1.       Options The non-resident Indian can convert his/her existing resident account in India to the NRO account or open a new NRO account. Documentary proof that the account holder is a non-resident as defined in Indian tax laws is a prerequisite for NRI accounts. 2.       Difference between NRO & NRE Account Unlike NRE accounts, interest earned on this account is taxed at the rate of 30% (plus surcharge) and other applicable taxes in India according to the ITA. In order to take the benefit of lower rates of tax as per double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) entered in by India, NRIs need

The Shekhawati UtsavMomasar is held in Momasar, a picturesque village town in the Shekhawati region, Rajasthan. Each year the village around the time of Diwali hosts the extraordinary music and arts festival, attracting thousands of people who crowd the streets, milling between the open-air stages and Havelis. This festival brings together over 200 folk artists and artisans from across seven cultural regions in Rajasthan. The objective of the festival is to conserve the indigenous music and craft forms of Rajasthan and give the artists national& global exposure and opportunities for sustained em ployment and income generation for them.  The concerts, congregations, and exhibitions are organized at unpretentious venues – a haveli (traditional mansion), an old temple of village deity and an open field next to a johad (traditional water harvesting structure). Celebrations flow through the streets and narrow by-lanes of the entire town. The festival is so structured that visitors mi

Jashn-e-Rekhta is a three-day celebration of Urdu language, literature & cultural heritage , held annually in New Delhi to celebrate the multi-faceted nature of Urdu– its beauty and versatility. The slogan of the festival is “Celebrating Urdu” and it is attended by a huge number of Urdu lovers, especially the youth. The festival showcases not only Urdu poetry, but also Urdu literature, calligraphy workshop, performances like Ghazal,  Dastangoi , Sufi music, panel discussions & debates, Celebrity conversations, film screenings and a lot more. It also provides a platform to Urdu lovers and enthusiasts to share their poetry and stories in various open forums. Rekhta bazaar showcases artifacts, merchandise, and a book fair. Another highlight of the festival is “Aiwan-i-Zaiqa”, a curated food fiesta that offers various Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines food stalls and the Rekhta Bazaar for goods and artworks. Organized by the Rekhta Foundation, the three-day-long celebration asp

If you’re an NRI looking for investing in India but don’t know the best options, considering the returns here the following investment options for you: 1.       Fixed Deposit There are three types of FD for NRI. NRE FD, NRO FD, and FCNR FD. NRE FD is maintained in Indian rupees. No tax is applicable to NRE FD. The principal and interest earned are fully repatriable. The interest rate applicable to NRO FD is similar to FD taken by Indian residents. Tax is applicable on NRO FD. In the case of NRO FD, only interest amount can be repatriated. NRO FD can be opened for 7 days to 10 years. FCNR FD is a foreign currency FD. This type of FD can be opened by depositing income earned overseas. 2.       Real Estate NRIs can invest in both residential and commercial properties with no restrictions on the amount or size of the property. However, NRIs are not permitted to buy agricultural lands, farmhouse or plantations. However, selling of property comes with some restrictions by FEMA (Fo

The Chennai Corporation, along with UNESCO Creative Cities Network, launched a collective that will curate and present unique collaborative performances in parks across the city. Chennai made it to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) for its rich musical tradition in 2017. According to UNESCO, the goal of UCCN is to foster international cooperation among member cities committed to investing in culture and creativity for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy. The Greater Chennai corporation earlier this year in July launched the ‘concerts at the park’ initiative at Anna Tower Park. The civic body has planned to host music concerts in which both professional and amateur artists (singers and dancers) will perform every weekend. About 42 such big parks in the city have been identified that have an open amphitheater to take music closer to the residentsand as a way of encouraging Chennai’s unique art and culture in public spaces. More people will be en

The Dharamshala International Film Festival or DIFF is held annually at Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts Kangra, in McLeod Ganj, a town with no cinemas that is best known as the exile home of the Dalai Lama. Focusing on showcasing the best of independent films from India and around the world, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic and adventurous programming, its beautiful mountain setting, and its intimate and cinema-literate atmosphere. DIFF attracts the finest indie filmmakers, film critics and film lovers from across the country and from abroad. This year, about 25 contemporary features and documentaries, and a selection of shorts, animation films and experimental films, meticulously curated from the best of Indian and international independent cinema will be screened over. So, film lovers, what are you waiting for? Be ready to hold Momos in one hand, cappuccinos in the other, while finding your way to screenings, Q&A’s with filmmakers, panel discussions

After Chennai and Bengaluru had introduced a smart restaurant with robots’ machines, now it is Odisha's smart city Bhubaneswar that has opened the first Robo Chef Restaurant in Odisha. The Robo Chef restaurant in Chandrasekharpur area of Bhubaneswar has opened its doors to customers claiming to be the first eatery in eastern India where two indigenously developed robots will serve customers. Named Champa and   Chameli , the two humanoid robots rolled on the floor, serving food to the waiting customers. The robots use SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology that does not need any guided path or environment modification. The robots have 17 kinds of censors that sense the environment, heat, even smoke, identify persons, greet and welcome people. Though the robots can take orders from the customers, the restaurant owner would engage their own staff for it as it needs a human touch. The two humanoid robots costing around Rs 5.5 lakh each can work up to 8 hours once fu

We've all heard about adventurous activities like paragliding, skydiving, and scuba diving, but how about eating while flying? Seems impossible? Not at all! Last year in November, India got its first “fly dining” restaurant in Bangalore. The same elevating experience is now available for diners in the NCR! Fly Dining opened its NCR branch earlier this month at Noida’s Gardens Galleria Mall. The elevated diner has usual chairs and tables replaced with a make-believe dining table structure that can accommodate about 22-24 people. Four servers are present to attend to your needs at all times and you also get to enjoy the panoramic views of the city from the top. At mealtime, guests are carefully buckled up on the open deck of the restaurant, which is lifted to a height of 160 feet by a crane. Then, dinner is served. Both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines are listed on the menu for people to try out. You can enjoy this experience for about 30 minutes to an hour with prices st

The Chennai Corporation, along with UNESCO Creative Cities Network, launched a collective that will curate and present unique collaborative performances in parks across the city. Chennai made it to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) for its rich musical tradition in 2017. According to UNESCO, the goal of UCCN is to foster international cooperation among member cities committed to investing in culture and creativity for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy. The Greater Chennai corporation earlier this year in July launched the ‘concerts at the park’ initiative at Anna Tower Park. The civic body has planned to host music concerts in which both professional and amateur artists (singers and dancers) will perform every weekend. About 42 such big parks in the city have been identified that have an open amphitheater to take music closer to the residentsand as a way of encouraging Chennai’s unique art and culture in public spaces. More people will be

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation awards were announced at a ceremony held in Penang, Malaysia. I n this year’s awards, 16 projects from 5 countries namely– India, Bhutan, China, New Zealand, and Australia have been recognized by an international jury of conservation experts.  The four winners from India includes one from Ahmedabad— Award of Distinction for Vikram Sarabhai Library, Indian Institute of Management (IIM); and three from Mumbai— Award of Merit for Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue and Our Lady of Glory Church; while Honorable Mention for Flora Fountain. The UNESCO award highlights the spirit and efforts of private organizations or individuals that have successfully restored and conserved structures of heritage value in their regions. These awards aim to encourage and support other people and organizations to take action for conservation within their communities, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships .

The PhoolWalonkiSair is a festival that is celebrated in the capital city of Delhi in India. It is a festival or a colorful procession of the flower sellers in Mehrauli in south Delhi. The Festival is being celebrated since the Mughal period in the early nineteenth century! It is a week-long festival where  huge  pankhas made of palm leaves decorated with shiny flecks and  floral chaadar—are offered at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar 'Kaaki' in Mehrauli and at the ancient temple of Devi Yogmaya, also, in Mehrauli.  On the occasion of this grand festival, performances by Kathak dancers and Quawali singer also take place. Fire dancers lead a large procession across the streets carrying flower pankhas.

Some festivals and events are culturally augmented, colorful, and lively and give an opportunity for families to get together and make merry. While there are also some festivals who satisfy the adrenaline junkie in everyone and  Hot Air Balloon Festival of Karnataka is one such adventurous festival.  The festival is a four-day event that takes place at the end of December and may extend to January and is organized by Karnataka Tourism Department. It is held in three cities of Karnataka simultaneously–Bidar and Mysore, and Hampi.  T his delightful hot air balloon ride not only gives  a bird’s eye view of heritage structures of Mysore as well as the historically significant village of Hampi but also sails through the jungles of Karnataka, amidst the rich natural beauty with the backdrop of the vermillion setting sun.  The event also includes demonstrations, competitions and other activities like paragliding, flying fix, bungee jumping! The cool weather and pleasant atmosphere make this

Government of India has provided special treatment to NRIs for providing flexibility to invest through different commercial feasible structures under the extant Consolidated FDI Policy of 2017 (“FDI Policy”) and the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017 (“TISPRO Regulations”) issued by the Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”), without losing their status and benefits available as ‘non-residents’.TISPRO Regulations allow NRI investors to invest in India, either on repatriation basis or non-repatriation basis. So, what is repatriation or non-repatriation basisinvestment? 1.        Two Options  of Investments For all investments in mutual funds made through the money remitted from abroad, the redemption proceeds can be remitted back to the originating account (NRE or FCNR) and can be repatriated. Such investments are called  Repatriable investments . On the other hand, investments made in mutual funds secured throug

One of the many vibrant festivals of Gujarat, Tarnetar Fair is the annual festival that takes place in Sundernagar,  Gujarat— a tiny village, about 200 km away from Ahmedabad.  This is inspired by  Draupadi's  swayamvara , and is a celebration of ethnic Gujarat’s folk-dance, music, costumes, and the arts, centered around young tribal men and women seeking marriage partners. Here many kinds of folk dances are performed; by far the most popular is the  raas , in which dancers hold sticks to clack against those of other dancers. As many as one to two hundred women perform  ramadas  in a single circle, to the beats of four drums at a time and the tunes of  jodia pavas  (double flutes). Rabari women of nearby Zalawad perform the famous circular folk dance called  rahado . Their marital status is indicated clearly by their costumes; a black  zimi  (skirt) means she is married. But if a woman is wearing a red  zimi , it means she has not yet tied the knot and probably seeking a husband.

If you are an NRI who has  purchased property in India for rental income , you should know about these four aspects: 1.        Rent Proceeds The rent proceeds can be credited to the NRE or NRO account. Rent proceeds received in these accounts can be freely repatriated. If you do not have an NRE or NRO account, the proceeds can also be directly remitted abroad but you would need an appropriate certificate from a chartered accountant certifying that all taxes have been duly paid. 2.        Tax Implications If you are getting a rental income from the property you have bought in India, you are liable to pay the tax in India, irrespective of which country you reside in currently. There are some deductions you can avail of. In order to ascertain how much of your  rental income is taxable  consider the following deductions in the first place: ·           Standard deduction at the rate of 30 percent on the taxable value ·           Taxes paid to the municipal authority with respe

The Paryatan Parv organized by the Ministry of Tourism kicked off yesterday and will continue till 13th of this month. The Delhi leg of the Parv is to be organized from 2nd to 6th October 2019 at 12.00 pm to 10.00 pmat Rajpath lawns between Rafi Marg and Janpath. This year's event is dedicated to 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The three-day event on Rajpath lawns is to celebrate the culmination of a 21-day “Paryatan Parv”, a nation-wide tourism festival. The idea of Paryatan Parv is to propagate the message of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, with the objective to encourage Indians to visit various tourist destinations of the country and also to spread the message of ‘Tourism for All’. The event will include cultural performances by various local and folk performers and 50 food stalls set up by various states and union territories showcasing their distinctive cuisine including stalls set up by the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) that will bring several stree

If you are an NRI and want to buy health insurance in India then this article is for you! In this article, we will discuss some pointers for NRI’s, who are interested in buying health insurance: 1.        Eligibility NRIs are permitted to utilize health insurance if they complete their treatment procedure during their stay in India. An NRI needs to focus on terms of geographical coverage, underwriting guidelines, etc. while applying for health insurance in India. 2.        Clause on Geographical Restrictions Most of the insurance companies specify in their terms and conditions that the benefits covered under the plan are limited only for treatment in India. For example, an NRI who lives in Singapore cannot avail of any of the benefits covered in a health insurance plan he bought in India. 3.        Individual Covers or Family Floater? Family A floater is a plan that is tailor-made for families and acts as an umbrella of coverage for the entire family. Under the policy, yo

Konark Dance & Music Festival started in the year 1986 is a spectacular extravaganza that brings in many artistes into its cultural family, creating international cultural amity and brotherhood. A joint venture of the Orissa Tourism and the Odissi Research Centre, the Konark Dance Festival flaunts the eminent artistes of national and international repute. The artists perform Odissi, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam and other classical, folk & tribal dances/music of our country on the enchanting stage of the Natyashala in the Sun Temple, Konark- the UNESCO World Heritage Site which is also called the Black Pagoda. A sand art exhibition and a crafts fair are also arranged during the Konark dance festival which serves a wide variety of delicious cuisines, a variety of handicrafts and magnificent handmade sand statues by sand artists. The five-day dance festival held every year is also called the harbinger of the contemporary festivals of Orissa. The Konark

Surajkund International Crafts Mela is held  during the spring season, every year from 1 st  to 17th February. It is a colorful traditional craft festival organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs. The vivid and vibrant festival celebrates Indian folk traditions and cultural heritage. The prime highlight of the Surajkund  Mela  is that one Indian state gets the special honor of being the Theme State of the year last year it was Maharashtra. This way, the Mela provides the Theme State a rare opportunity to showcase its handicrafts, handlooms, architecture, performing arts, cuisine, and its tourist potential to an enormous cross-section of the population in an impressive manner. So much so that the entire look of the entrance and the grounds, and the whole setting of the furniture, colors, decor, and architecture of the fair is based entirely on that particular state. The Mel