Indian diaspora in search of roots Nilesh Bhattacharya, TNN, Sep 29, 2010, 03.35am IST
NEW DELHI: As the Games Village is abuzz with the arrival of athletes from across the globe, it's like a homecoming of different kind for many.
For the Canadian men's hockey captain Ken Pereira, the CWG will be a double whammy since there will be "excitement" of playing in the birth place of his parents as well as the "honour" of carrying the flag of his country during the opening ceremony.
"I'm not at all concerned about talks of security and health hazards. Instead I am expecting a lot of my family members to come and cheer us," the Toronto-born Ken, who has his roots in Goa, said.
The 37-year-old veteran should have similar sentiment echoed by his much younger teammate who incidentally carries the same surname. For teenager Keegan Pereira, it's his second visit to the capital since he was a member of the Canadian team at the World Cup as well.
"It's good to be back here," Keegan, who studied in Mumbai before migrating to Canada, said.
For Kenyan rifle-shooter Farook Kassamali Omar, it's also a homecoming of sorts but he admitted that he had little knowledge of the country before coming here. "My grandparents were born here but I don't know their birth place," the 42-year-old, who will take part in the small-bore rifle event, said.
Farook is joined by another Indian-origin shooter in the Kenyan contingent, Satinder Singh Sehmi.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/commonwealth-games-2010/news/Indian-diaspora-in-search-of-roots/articleshow/6648196.cms
