Bengaluru, Jun 20: Representatives of Non-Resident Kannadiga (NRK) organisations from around the world have urged the Karnataka government to expedite the creation of a dedicated ministry for overseas Kannadigas and appoint Legislative Council member Dr Arathi Krishna to lead the initiative.

The demand was raised at a press conference in Bengaluru on Saturday, where office-bearers of Kannada associations representing 43 organisations across 30 countries welcomed the state government’s decision to establish a separate secretariat for Non-Resident Kannadigas.

Among those present were entrepreneur and community leader Dr Ronald Colaco, Zakaria Jokatte, Hidayath Addoor, Mohammed Mansoor, Abdullah Monu, Dr Rashmi Nandakishore, Hema Gowda, Ajith Kumar, Raj Kumar, James Mendonsa, Satish Bajal and Bhargav Sharma.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, entrepreneur and community leader Dr Ronald Colaco said the proposed ministry would serve as a crucial bridge between Karnataka and millions of Kannadigas living abroad. He argued that Dr Arthi Krishna was well placed to take up the responsibility due to her long association with NRI welfare initiatives and her experience in handling issues concerning overseas Indians.

According to the delegation, Arathi Krishna’s previous assignments included working with Indian diplomatic and governmental institutions dealing with the Indian diaspora. Her familiarity with the concerns of expatriate communities, they said, would help shape policies that address the needs of Kannadigas living and working outside India.

The representatives noted that the global Kannada community spans continents, with sizeable populations in North America, Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Gulf region. They pointed out that overseas Kannadigas include business leaders, technology professionals, doctors, academics and investors, as well as thousands of workers employed in service, healthcare, construction and domestic sectors.

The delegation said a dedicated ministry could help strengthen links between Karnataka and its diaspora, facilitate welfare measures for Kannadigas abroad, improve grievance redressal mechanisms and encourage greater participation by overseas professionals in the state’s development.

Members of the delegation also highlighted the potential economic benefits of closer engagement with the diaspora, including investments, industrial partnerships, educational collaborations, innovation initiatives and support for agriculture and entrepreneurship.

They expressed confidence that a specialised ministry focused on Non-Resident Kannadigas would enable the government to better utilise the expertise, resources and global networks of Kannadigas settled overseas while ensuring that their concerns receive focused attention.

Several representatives from overseas Kannada organisations, including community leaders from the Gulf, North America and Europe, were present at the press conference.

Earlier in the day a memorandum outlining their demands was submitted to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar during a meeting with a global Kannada delegation.