India, April 8 -- By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam

There is a particular kind of madness that grips Indian families when a child announces they have been accepted to a foreign university. It is not the madness of joy, though joy is certainly present. It is the madness of preparation.

Within forty-eight hours, the household transforms into a focused logistics operation. Lists are made. Lists are made of the lists. Relatives who have not been contacted in seven years are suddenly consulted for their expertise on winter jackets, rice cookers and the preferred brand of pressure cooker that fits within airline baggage limits.

The packing itself is a philosophical exercise in optimism versus reality. The mother believes that six months of dal, tama...