The Non Resident Keralites Affairs abbreviated as NORKA is a department of the Government of Kerala formed on 6 December 1996 to redress the grievances of Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) It is the first of its kind formed in any Indian state. The department was formed in an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the NRks and the Government of Kerala and to institutionalise the administrative framework. The field agency of NORKA is known as the NORKA Roots, which was set up in 2002 to act as an interface between the NRKs and the Kerala Government. It also acts as a forum for addressing the NRKs problem, safeguarding their rights and rehabilitating the returnees.
He has actively participated as a representative of Hong Kong in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, organized by the Government of India, every year since 2002, and has been one of the panelists on many occasions. During the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Mumbai from 7–9 January 2005, Arunachalam was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award, recognizing his contribution in promoting the honour and prestige of India and in fostering the interests of overseas Indians and promoting India-China trade. The award was presented to Arunaachalam by Dr. Abdul Kalam, the president of India.
M. Arunaachalam has been continuously promoting Indian culture in Hong Kong by organizing performances of artists from India, and has contributed to various organizations in India. Arunaachalam is recognized for enhancing the image and understanding of India in Hong Kong and the adjoining regions.
Early on in his career as a banker, Arunaachalam worked with the Indian Overseas Bank in India.[1] After moving to Hong Kong in 1977, he established a company in the early 1980s for trading with Indonesia and India, which expanded over the years to become a conglomerate of companies dealing with international trade and manufacturing, as well as the handling of diverse products such as textiles, leather garments, food grains, steel, newsprint and paper, plastic products, construction and loading equipment, and software.
