With India’s growing ambition to be a major power, NRIs or Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) are becoming an increasingly important part of that strategy. Nothing illustrates that more than the role they played in lobbying for the Indo-US nuclear deal, with some key players getting acknowledgement in this year’s Padma Bhushan awards. Across the Atlantic, a resident with an Indian passport has been regularly listed as the richest man in Britain, and the annual rich list features any number of PIOs.

Did you know:
His pay cut of 12 per cent reduced his basic salary to $1.49 million but his 2009 performance bonus added $2.1 million.

Did you know:
The IIT-Harvard graduate bid $8.2 million for a New York City condominium owned by scam lawyer Marc Dreier.

Did you know:
He was born in a university campus, Santiniketan, and has lived all his life in one campus or another.

Did you know:
Her compensation in 2009 was $14.9 million (Rs 67 crore), making her one of the world’s 25 highest-paid women.

Did you know:
He is writing a sequel to his 1990 book, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, for his youngest son Milan.

Did you know:
Astrology plays a major role in any event they plan.

Did you know:
When Hillary Clinton visits his home, she asks for her favourite desert, rasmalai.

Did you know:
His wife Paula is a top jewellery designer and her creations are worn by stars like Gwyneth Paltrow.

Did you know:
He has been cleared in the Expensegate inquiry, pending which he had stepped down as Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, the first Asian in that post.

Did you know:
He has raised $750 million through Khosla Ventures III to invest in early growth companies and another $250 million in Khosla Seed.