The Hindu
Mangalore, Jun 18: P S M. Ameer Ali, a 55-year-old surgeon, has become the first person to receive the OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) passport in Mangalore. Since 1973, Dr Ali had been renewing his residential permit every year through a cumbersome procedure.
Dr Ali's grandfather migrated to Sri Lanka and was managing a family business. Members of his family visited Mangalore frequently. Dr Ali decided to study medicine in India and joined the J J Medical College, Davangere. He completed postgraduation at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Dr Ali thanks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for making the OCI passport available to overseas Indians.
He says they had to secure permissions and clearances every time they left the country and returned. They were required to register their names 90 days in advance for extension of stay and submit four sets of applications. Now, they can produce the OCI passport at the immigration checkpoint and do not have to register with the police special branch or take an exit permit, he says.
Dr Ali says he loves Sri Lanka where he was born and brought up. But there are more opportunities in India, he adds.
He holds a Sri Lankan passport and can secure Indian citizenship in five years.