New Delhi, Aug 01: When he became the first non-resident Indian (NRI) MP two years ago he was driven by a mission - to help impoverished farmers who were on the verge of suicide in his Andhra Pradesh constituency. Today, Madhu Goud Yaskhi of the ruling Congress is happy to have partially succeeded in doing so after his widely telecast interview to CNN.

Apart from distributing money from his own pocket to debt-ridden farmers in his Nizamabad constituency, Yaskhi, 46, has managed to muster donations from the US, where he owns a law firm in New York - he divides his time between the US and India - to assist the families of farmers who ended their lives unable to handle their mounting debts.

In an interview to CNN in March, Yaskhi had talked about the plight of farmers. His comments were so touching that it made a US-based music composer, Joseph Curiale, offer help for the families of farmers who had committed suicide.

The debts of around 10 farmers have been cleared by the Madhu Yaskhi Foundation, which collected donations from the US.

The interview by CNN, telecast ahead of US President George W. Bush's visit to India, was interspersed with heart-rending stories of debt-burdened farmers of Andhra Pradesh.

After watching the interview, Curiale contacted Yaskhi, who has been working with the troubled farmers for the last three years, and expressed his desire to help some of the families.

"He came down all the way from US in April to visit the farmers in Isaipeta village. He had collected donations amounting to Rs.300,000 from the US. He met the families of those farmers who had committed suicide," Yaskhi told IANS.

"He also distributed saris and biscuits to the families in the village," Yaskhi said.

Curiale went back with a promise to bring more help for the Indian farmers. "He said he would collect more funds from his friends in the US, Singapore, Malaysia and other parts of the world."

Yaskhi's foundation has cleared individual debts ranging between Rs.38,000-50,000. "When some of the farmers' widows arrived at the village and asked for financial assistance, the foundation gave them some more financial assistance," he said.

For Yaskhi, whose law firm in New York is now run by his partner, Curiale's gesture was just a beginning. "I am confident that there would be more Curiales in the US," Yaskhi said.

The MP had sold off a restaurant in New Jersey before fighting the Lok Sabha elections. Later, he has sold off his house inn New York and surrendered hi US Green Card to become a full-time Indian citizen. His wife, an endocrinologist who gave up a flourishing career in the US, and two small daughters have also come back. They stay in Hyderabad. Yaskhi keeps visiting his New York office at least once in three months.

He is among a rare breed of MPs who uses his own money, in addition to the official funds, to nourish his constituency. He has carried out some developmental works, including constructing toilets and more rooms in a hostel for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students in his constituency.