UK Singh (left) and AK Nayak honour Blair Parks Hall Jr (centre) at the American Corner in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, May 12: The Indo-US relationship is a pet topic of US diplomats visiting the state.

The topic came to the forefront today as Blair Parks Hall Jr, minister-counsellor for economic, environment, science and technology affairs at the US embassy, New Delhi, took the stage in the auditorium of American Corner of Indian Institute of Business Management (IIBM).

The diplomat won everyone’s hearts present with just one statement: “Bihar is the future of India.” As one of the students asked him about US plans for investment in Bihar, Blair said: “If 10 years ago, I was in the same job as today and put up an idea to invest in Bihar, my fellow employees would have thought I was crazy. They would have advised me against it. Now, however, the people in America know that Bihar is undergoing changes and they want to be familiarised with it.”

Blair added: “Several industries want to venture into Bihar. But right now they are in a stage of understanding the state and its laws. We are in the initial stages of getting to know each other.” He said it was first important to assess if the environment is conducive to set up any business, adding that the American government is at present working on projects related to road, sanitation and health in the state.

The diplomat felt it was the right time now to come to Bihar with new ventures. He told the students present: “I share your excitement for Bihar. After meeting several students here in the past couple of weeks, I could feel that the people here are very eager to make a difference in different fields.”

However, President Obama’s take on outsourcing was on the mind of the students present at the American Corner. Blair said President Obama’s decision to eliminate outsourcing is only aimed at creating more job opportunities in America. “We have to find a way that can work in favour of both countries. American companies venturing into India is obviously generating employment in the country and that is a good solution. If we continue our collaboration in research and investment, it would definitely benefit us,” said Blair.

He stressed that the Indo-US relationship is no longer of a donor-recipient relationship but mutual co-operation. “Today, we take inspiration from each other’s work, not only in our own countries but also in other nations of the world. Today, we look at India more as a partner,” said Blair.

Students and IIBM teachers were happy with the way the diplomat carried himself at the event, as Blair often left the dais to interact with everybody present.

Vaibhav Vandhan, a postgraduate diploma in management student of IIBM, said: “He was already in our good books when he said Bihar is the future of India. It is good to see that people outside Bihar are realising the state’s potential.”

Chetna Priti, a senior faculty member in the marketing management department of IIBM, said: “He came across as a learned person. The way he came down from the dais to interact with us gave us a glimpse of the culture he comes from. I found all the people, who came to visit American Corner from the embassy, very friendly.”

A.K. Nayak, the director of IIBM, U.K. Singh, the director-general of IIBM and Dr Zakir Husain Group of Institutions, Rohit Singh, the executive director of IIBM and Dr Zakir Husain Group of Institutions, and Shweta Gour, the co-ordinator of American Corner, were also present at the talk.