NEW DELHI: Mahyendrah Utchanah, former minister of Mauritius revealed to India Post that he heads the rival GOPIO International. He said it is now an 18 yr old organization and working in close collaboration with GOPIO of USA.

The job of GOPIO is to unite all the PIOs wherever they might be living, he said. GOPIO now has its chapters in various Francophone countries of Africa. He said, "We now have a dynamic chief of GOPIO in South Africa Prof Dashrath Chetti who is the Pro VC of Natal University. Also it has been decided to hold the 10th GOPIO convention in 2010 in South Africa which is also the 150th year of Indians in South Africa.

As we all know Indians have played a major role in assisting and lending support to the cause of ANC and Nelson Mandela. He felt the GOPIO convention finally did take place but was a very low key affair.

"The attendance was poor as Swami Vellu, the Malaysian minister of Indian origin, also chose not to attend leading to many other Indians especially those close to him, staying away. He feels there is an urgent need for good leadership in Malaysia for the PIOs living there. He also mentioned how of the 300 medical college seats, not one is being given to a PIO.

Dr V P Nair, President GOPIO, Singapore and Vice President GOPIO International, said that all PIOs and NRIs must unite in spirit and have a common front to upgrade the financial, health and societal standards of all Indians. "If anything there are personal egos coming in the way of the larger unity of GOPIO worldwide."

Dr Nair is a Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at the Mt Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore. He said Singapore enjoyed a major contribution by PIOs. Over the last 35 years, Deve Nayar and the current Sellapan Rama Nathan. In fact the cabinet always has PIOs. Besides, PIOs have major representation in all professions be it law, medicine, education and engineering. Of the 4.5 million population in Singapore there are approximately 8 percent PIOs, 78 percent Chinese origin, 15 percent Malays and 2-3 percent others.