Dear Editor,
I WRITE to compliment the writer for the well-written brief profile on Dr Vishnu Bisram (Sep 3). I suppose that because of space issues, only a tip of his activities and achievements are made known to the public. I would like to add a few notes.

I have known Dr Bisram as a well-known academician, political analyst, writer, and activist, not only in Guyana, but internationally. His activism and his experience in academia in different fields, writing voluminously and delivering lectures in several universities around the globe is unparalleled.

In his academic achievements, as I learn, he enrolled in 1977 at age 17 in City College of City University in New York, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Pre-Medical Studies and also completed the major in Political Science. He holds several master degrees and PhDs in diverse fields from different universities such as CUNY, Indira Gandhi, NYU, Jabalpur, and others in several subjects including Political Science, International Relations, History, Education Administration, Sociology, and Economics. During his studies, he was elected as a student government representative for four years, each at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including as a vice-president and as president. During his scholastic achievements, he worked part-time and led movements for restoring democracy in Guyana and in New York when Guyana was suffering from dictatorship from 1966 thru 1992. As a true Guyanese, he involved himself in political activism and fought as a fighter for all.

Also, he was involved in activism, rallies, marches, and protests in NY to show support for India by opposing military aid to Pakistan in the late 1970s. He feared that military aid to Pakistan would be used against India.

Dr Bisram reported and published countless reports on the Guyanese, Caribbean, and Indian diasporas. His writings are well known in Guyana. He reported on events in community newspapers including News India, Asia on Line, India Post, India Abroad, West Indian News, Indo Caribbean, Caribbean New Indonesia Yorker, etc.

His quiddity as a revolutionist for Guyana, a citizen of Guyana and the Guyanese diaspora presents versatility in his roles as a freedom fighter, activist, journalist, writer, educator, community advocacy, cultural promoter, an unofficial lobbyist in Washington, and so on. His tireless efforts to build better livelihoods for Guyanese individuals in New York and Guyana and for his ancestral villages in India have won him accolades.

Dr Bisram is considered a renowned scholar and an intellectual by colleagues, family and friends. His extraordinary contribution to academia staged him on international platforms, universities and conferences, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (India), and Indira Gandhi National Open University. (IGNOU), Delhi University, BHU, Jabalpur Uni., Jaipur Uni., Lucknow Uni., Ayodhya Uni., Lucknow Law College, and several others in Indian regions and Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and the USA. Throughout his interaction with the intellectual communities, he strongly discussed and shared his knowledge and experience of Indian and Guyanese diasporas. His research has been concerned with a wide spectrum of the lives of Guyanese and Indians in diasporic regions. He showed his courage through his writings and discussion on untouched and sensitive areas that several scholars never try to deal with, especially on ethnic issues and corruption. His works and efforts enlightened readers, policymakers, and scholars.
In the 1970s and 1980s, his colleagues and he coined the terms  “Little Guyana” in New York, “Guyanese diaspora,” “Indian diaspora,” “Trinidadian diaspora” and “Caribbean diaspora” that represent the communities to institutionalize the concept of diaspora. These terms are now in vogue.

Having the nature, courage and enthusiasm, he played a significant role in the Indian Trinidadian community in the USA, as well as in Trinidad by organizing academic events, and conferences, celebrating the commemorative days of the 175th anniversaries and 150th anniversaries on the island, as well as the centennial of the abolition of Indentureship. His experience in organizing academic conferences relating to Indians in Guyana and the diaspora gave him the experience and confidence to do same for Trinidad, other countries in the Caribbean, and India.

Since the 1970s, Dr Bisram has served as an adviser to political parties and politicians in general in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Grenada, St. Lucia, Fiji, Mauritius, India and several other countries and was involved in community and political affairs in the USA. And because of his lectures, writings, and activism, he has become well known in certain academic circles and among some politicians in India.

Dr Bisram is also known for his election analytical skills in Guyana, USA, and the Caribbean. In addition, he has kept his feet on the politics in the Indian sub-continent. He has written on India affairs. His trips to India and through his work with Indian diaspora organizations, he helps to keep the roots intact of Indian and Guyanese people, especially to whom have the metaphorical navel string buried in India and in Guyana whose ancestors migrated from their homeland to foreign lands. However, he never limits his area of research to Guyanese or Indian diaspora; he has documented and contributed to Guyanese in the American land, and he believes that their contribution should be included and taught in American history similar to the history of other nationalities such asJewish, Irish, Italian, Chinese and Jamaican among others on their migration journey and being a diaspora throughout the world.

Dr Bisram is an institution onto himself who represents proud Guyanese and people of Indian origin. His siblings and wife Parbatie and her constant support let him achieve his dreams, vision,  and never-ending journey of struggles, support and handiwork.

Yours truly,
Dr Sarita Nandmehar
Assistant professor, School of Liberal Arts, Amity University, Gurugram, India.