New Delhi, Feb. 2 -- Rhyming words have promoted many dubious ideas. Like 'brain drain.' Not long ago, everyone was talking about it, as though those of us who stayed behind in India had no brain at all.

Yet, we enthusiastically debated the issue. The debate wasn't over whether brain drain existed, but whether the government should stop it. Now, for some reason, I don't hear anyone use that expression, though occasionally people do mention that our "brightest" go to the US.

The reason for its disappearance isn't that society felt our feelings needed to be protected. I think what has happened is that nobody truly believes brain drain is real-or at least not in the way it was once imagined.

To most Indians, the brain is still an organ th...