Mountaineer, Missionary, Researcher

India hasn't allowed dual citizenship in the past. But recently - especially since the South Asian diaspora is a significant source of investment 'back home' - many schemes have been devised to give us outsourced Indians a sense that we still belong. First there was the PIO card - Person of Indian Origin. But now we have an Overseas Citizenship scheme. I'm certainly applying, at the very least it gives someone of Indian origin visa-free entry for life, and no need to register at a police station for any length of stay. Even with the PIO card I would have needed to register at a police station near my residence if I stayed for longer than 6 months. So, full steam ahead. But in reviewing various FAQs about the scheme, I ran into a strange tidbit. Apparently, with the OCI card in hand I can do anything I want in India - except "mountaineering, missionary and research work". What strange bedfellows. More from the Home Ministries website. And on a practical note, for those like myself confused about the different schemes, this chart (PDF) describes some of the differences between NRI/PIO and OCI rights, privileges and requirements. Btw, the motto above under our 4-lion symbol reads 'satyamev jayate' or "truth will always win". On the Internet, I've seen it mis-used on lopsided sites that are a thin cover for a grotesque anti-muslim bigotry - a far cry from the truth of our motto.