INDIAN FOOD, BOLLYWOOD AND FESTIVALS VOTED TOP THREE LOVES CONNECTING OVERSEAS INDIANS WITH INDIA SAYS WESTERN UNION

Indians by birth and descent unison in their top loves reveals International Western Union Nielsen survey

Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Nov. 8, 2012 – The top three iconic characteristics connecting overseas Indians most to their roots are, perhaps not surprisingly,  Indian food, Bollywood and festivals reveals an international survey released today by Western Union (NYSE: WU), a leader in global payment services.

The Western Union “Great loves that binds overseas Indians back home” survey conducted by Nielsen asked Indians by birth or descent across major regions of the world with large Indian diaspora, the top three things that connected them most to India.

Over a fifth (21%) said it was Indian cuisine, 15 percent named Bollywood films and music and seven percent said traditional festivals such as Diwali.  Rounding out the top five were the sporting game of Cricket at 6 percent and Ayurveda herbal healing at five percent.

The Ministry of Overseas Indians estimates that over 25 million Indians lives overseas in 194 countries based on documented statistics representing Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian origin.  Western Union in 2011 remitted money from 196 countries into India via its network of more than 110,000 Agent locations located in 6000 towns, 497 cities across all 28 states in India as of 30 September 2012.

The ranking of the top three “Great Loves” was similar for respondents originally from India and those with Indian descent. However, those with Indian descent were more enthusiastic over Bollywood and Festivals, versus those emigrants from India who favoured Indian cuisine and Ayurveda more.

“As a company moving money for overseas Indian for more than 19 years from nearly every corner of the globe, we are familiar with their adaptation as global citizens. The Western Union survey unsurprisingly proves that the spirit of India has transcended global borders and is alive and kicking just as it is within the Indian nation,” said Kiran Shetty, regional vice president and managing director, India, Western Union.

The 12-country survey conducted by Nielsen covered over 600 respondents. Thirty percent were overseas born and those born in India had a median length of stay of nine years.

StarBuzz, Toronto-