Remarkable Hope In A World Rediscovering Its Light
By Melwyn Williams, Editor-in-Chief, The WFY Magazine
As borders blur and certainties fade, the Indian spirit shines again, rooted in memory, guided by purpose, and alive with compassion.
October brings reflection and renewal. Across continents, Indians are rediscovering what it means to belong, to build, and to believe. In an era of disruption and division, hope remains our quiet revolution, and light, our lasting inheritance.
From the Editor’s Desk
Dear Readers,
October has always been a month of reflection for India and her scattered children around the world. It carries the fragrance of renewal, the scent of fresh beginnings after the rains, of diyas waiting to be lit, of warm gatherings that bridge distance. For those of us who live and breathe across borders, it is the month that reminds us who we are.
As I write this foreword, sitting thousands of miles away from the land where I was born, I feel the pulse of countless others who share that same sense of belonging stretched across continents. There are today over 35 million people of Indian origin living outside India, a figure that makes ours the largest diaspora on the planet. Among them, nearly 18 million are Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and the rest Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs). Collectively, we form an invisible nation, connected not by geography but by shared memory, ambition, and culture.
The strength of this global family is evident in hard numbers too. In the financial year 2024–25, India received a record USD 135.46 billion in remittances, nearly one-fourth of all money sent home by migrants across the world. That means every hour, millions of Indians abroad are silently funding not just households but hospitals, education, and livelihoods across our motherland. No other nation can match that scale of emotional and financial commitment.
But beyond these numbers lies a deeper question, what defines us now as a global Indian community? This October, as we unveil the latest edition of WFY – World For You, we seek to answer that question through stories that illuminate our collective identity, achievements, and anxieties.
The Brilliance That Never Faded
Our Cover Story, titled “One of the Best Stars from the Indian Sky Revisited”, celebrates the extraordinary life and mind of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the Nobel Laureate who changed the course of astrophysics. His discovery of the Chandrasekhar Limit defined how stars live and die, and by extension, how universes evolve.
Yet, his story is not just about equations or telescopes. It is about dignity. About an Indian scientist in a colonial world who faced racial prejudice and intellectual isolation, yet chose to persevere with quiet brilliance. His legacy is a reminder that genius often grows in silence, and that the Indian spirit, when nurtured, can illuminate even the darkest corners of the universe.
For the diaspora, Chandrasekhar’s life mirrors our own struggles and triumphs. He left India in pursuit of learning, faced rejection, but ultimately became the pride of two nations. His journey tells us that identity is not a passport; it is perseverance.
New Borders, New Challenges
This month’s World Politics section turns its gaze towards changing policies that affect Indians overseas.
In the United Kingdom, new immigration and permanent residency rules have sparked anxiety within the Indian community. Proposed revisions to the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) scheme could tighten eligibility and extend waiting periods. For the nearly 2 million Indians living in Britain, these developments raise uncomfortable questions about belonging and contribution.
At the same time, Britain and India recently concluded a landmark trade deal projected to add nearly £4.8 billion to both economies by 2040, especially in sectors like textiles, IT, and jewellery. This duality, partnership in trade but uncertainty in migration, reflects the complex modern relationship between nations and their Diasporas.
In the Gulf, where over 8.5 million Indians live and work, economies are rapidly transforming under new localisation policies. In Canada and Australia, changes in visa and citizenship pathways are reshaping the professional migration landscape. Even in the United States, where the Indian-origin population now exceeds 5.4 million, debates around skilled immigration continue to ebb and flow with electoral tides.
We are a people who have built the hospitals of Dubai, designed the software of Silicon Valley, and led the classrooms of London. Yet, we must remain vigilant that the narrative of migration does not slip from gratitude to grievance.
This edition carries two powerful pieces, “New Limits and Heights of the Indian Diaspora Power” by Sunita Krishnan and “The UK’s ILR Proposal: Are Indians in Britain Targeted Now?” by Selvan Durairaj. Both unpack the shifting ground beneath our feet and the resilience required to stand firm upon it.
The Return to Non-Violence
Every October brings Gandhi back to our collective conscience. This year, his philosophy seems more relevant than ever. Across the world, intolerance and polarisation are rising, even among once-liberal societies. Social media divides, political violence, and culture wars have begun to infect public discourse.
Our writers Ridhima Kapoor and Krishnakumar T. N. take a brave step into this space with “The Relevance of Non-Violence Now, in the Age of Intolerance” and “Gandhi’s Principles: Why This Is a Better Blueprint for Today.” These are not nostalgic pieces, they are warnings and invitations.
They remind us that the Gandhian idea of non-violence is not weakness. It is moral intelligence. It is restraint in an age of rage. For Indians abroad, these lessons are vital. As representatives of one of the world’s oldest civilisations, we have a duty to carry this ethical wisdom into every country we inhabit.
Health Beyond Hospitals
In the modern diaspora, the pursuit of success often comes at the cost of well-being. Data shows that Indians abroad now face some of the highest rates of metabolic disorders, including diabetes, fatty liver, and hypertension. In the Gulf, nearly one in three Indian expatriates suffers from lifestyle-related illness. Among Indian-Americans, obesity and cardiac risk are climbing faster than the national average.
Our Health and Wellness section delves into these realities. The articles “Living Longer But Not Feeling Healthy?” and “Better Health in the Indian Diaspora” explore not just disease but disconnection. They ask: what does it mean to live well when one’s heart is in two homes?
Health, as we discover through these pages, is not only about diet or discipline. It is about community, about shared kitchens, laughter, time outdoors, and the ability to switch off. In this sense, diaspora health is also diaspora happiness.
Culture, Confidence, and the Everyday Soul
Culture is what keeps a people alive long after their borders blur. The Lifestyle and Art & Culture sections this month celebrate that in full colour.
We travel from the introspection of “The Secret Rules of Power” by Ridhima Kapoor to the gentle wisdom of “Know the Hidden Signs That Your Body Speaks” by Wynona M. And then, there is Sudha Mukhopadhyay’s delightful chronicle “The Great Bengali Wedding”, a celebration of ritual, community, and the joy of continuity.
In the Art & Culture pages, Rema Pisharody’s “Chronicles of Smile” and Sindhu Gatha’s “When the Lone Tree Burns” remind us how art remains the purest form of resistance. Kavya Patel’s “The Remarkable World of Indian Classical Music” is both a tribute and a bridge, showing how ragas now echo in global concert halls from New York to Nairobi.
For the diaspora, culture is not just a memory. It is a currency of identity. It tells our children where they came from, and it reminds the world what India still stands for.
The Sacred Meets the Digital
Our Spirituality feature, “The World of Digital Spirituality – Faith Now Meets the Algorithm,” ventures into a fascinating new territory. Across the world, faith has gone online. Virtual pilgrimages, meditation apps, and live-streamed rituals are shaping the spiritual habits of a generation raised on devices.
When a young Indian professional in Vancouver joins an evening aarti live from Varanasi through his phone, geography dissolves. It is as if the sacred has learned to travel. The question is no longer whether this digital devotion is authentic, but how it is redefining faith for the diaspora.
This is where our traditions prove their adaptability, faith may change form, but it does not lose essence.
From Royal Kitchens to Global Tables
Our Featured section takes readers into the kitchens of nostalgia. The story of Mysore Pak, that soft, golden sweet born in the royal kitchens of Mysore , captures the essence of festive October. Its recipe may seem simple, but behind the perfect texture lies an art that requires patience and precision.
Today, Mysore Pak has travelled the world. From Indian stores in London to dessert counters in Dubai, its aroma connects people to home. We also explore where the diaspora is recreating it, Toronto, Singapore, Melbourne, and beyond. Because food, in many ways, is the most accessible form of heritage.
The Need for a Global Indian Voice
At WFY, we often remind ourselves that we are not merely publishing a magazine. We are documenting a civilisation in motion. Every edition is an effort to make the scattered voices of the Indian diaspora heard, in boardrooms, parliaments, universities, and cultural spaces.
Our readership has grown steadily since 2022. Today, The WFY Magazine reaches readers in over 18 countries, with a growing base across the Gulf, North America, the UK, and the Asia-Pacific region. Our digital readership crossed half a million views this year, a figure we achieved organically through trust and consistency.
But this success is also fragile. To sustain this work, we need community support. Quality journalism costs time, resources, and conviction. So I appeal to our readers and well-wishers, especially those in the business and CSR sectors, to join us as partners.
Support independent diaspora journalism. Sponsor a page, a section, or a story. Help us train young writers, fund correspondents, and expand our coverage to new countries. Every rupee and every hour of your involvement will help us grow a platform that truly represents our global Indian spirit.
October’s Lamp
As Diwali draws near, let us remember that a lamp’s purpose is not merely to burn bright, it is to show direction.
The world today is loud, hurried, and often cynical. Yet the diaspora stands as living proof that coexistence, enterprise, and empathy can thrive together. We are the sum of many journeys, from Kerala to Kuwait, from Punjab to Perth, from Chennai to Chicago, and each of these journeys carries both the ache of distance and the warmth of purpose.
Let us use that light wisely. Let us build institutions, foster bridges, and keep faith with the values that once made us the world’s storytellers and seekers.
This October issue is a celebration of that spirit, of stars like Chandrasekhar who taught us humility, of Gandhi who taught us grace, of every Indian abroad who continues to teach the world what resilience truly means.
Thank you for reading, for sharing, for caring. The WFY exists because of you, and for you.
Warm regards,
Melwyn Williams
Editor-in-Chief, The WFY Magazine
