<p>The Fourth of July is an occasion that evokes emotion in all of us. For me, it is also a time of reflection. As a first-generation American, I have a dual perspective American and Indian. In trying to look for common ground between different ways of living, I find myself making comparisons.</p><p>One of the questions I ask is: Why is it that many Indians succeed overseas, particularly in the U.S, and not in their home country?</p><p>I move the searchlight over Indian Americans in various walks of life. The most visible, of course, are the professionals who have made Indians a model community in the U.S. These are your doctors, engineers and the IT visa-holders who walk the corridors of innovation.</p><p>Then there are the more than 100,000 Indian-American students in U.S. colleges and universities. Though many are bright, there are a number of standouts. Ritankar Das in May became the youngest person at the University of California, Berkeley to complete a double major in bioengineering and chemical biology in only three years at the ripe old age of 18.</p><p><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/latest-columns/20130703-murli-melwani-why-do-innovators-thrive-in-the-u.s..ece">Keep reading...</a></p>