The India connect

On board the Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Johannesburg, which is delayed by over 90 minutes because the co-pilot has suddenly taken ill, and a substitute, the pilot tells us, has been woken up – its 2 a.m.- and “is in the shower”, I turn my attention to fellow passengers around. The search is of course for South Africans; I am bound for Mahatma's land of Durban where the country's biggest tourism meet INDABA is being held, and India is certainly a market no tourism authority can ignore.

Mahmood and Rookeya Samrad are sitting closeby, and are deeply in love with the Mahatma's land in India – Gujarat. Their family came from Gujarat to Johannesburg in 1908, and “if you consider the fact that I now have grandchildren, this is our fifth generation in South Africa,” says Rookeya.

The obviously well-heeled couple adore India, bought an apartment in Surat two years ago, have fully furnished it and come to live in it at “every opportunity”, says Samrad, who manages a security company in Johannesburg. This is their third visit in 10 months.

Indians and Africa have a huge connect, and more so Gandhiji's South Africa and within a couple of hours of landing into Durban one gets a taste of it… from our hotel Oyster Box the closest mall is Gateway; and a store inside is called Gateway of India! Indians have done very well in the country, and Samrad, talking of Jo'burg, is all praise for them for having brought “a different culture and vibrancy to the city. Some years ago, this city would go to sleep at 8 p.m. but now thanks to Indians having brought in so many restaurants, street food joints, music, we have a buzzing night life!”

Rookeya, earlier a teacher but who now runs a business of garments, handicrafts, linen, etc, which she accesses mainly from India and Vietnam, says that Indians are successful because they went into the black areas where local whites feared to tread. “They began small by setting up shops and stores, when the purchasing power in those localities was small. Today, they are doing very well, also because they are both enterprising and very hardworking, and often, their success is being resented by the local blacks. But that is only natural.”

A social outcome of this is Indians have started marrying “local black girls. Don't be surprised if you find a black South African man speaking Hindi in Johannesburg,” smiles Samrad. But adding the woman's perspective his wife says: “Many of them do that either to get their entry legalised, some out of loneliness, and then after a few years, desert their wives and children and return home, where often they already have families.”

But the couple soon veers the conversation back to India. Rookeya is in love with Indian writers; on every visit to India she stocks up on their books. I'm amused to find her raving about Chetan Bhagat, for onboard reading she has brought his ‘The three mistakes of my life'; but she soon redeems herself by her admiration for The White Tiger! They both talk in awe about “India, the rising superpower”, how they find “Surat more exciting than Mumbai, and are amazed to find it developing so fast.”

Yusuf Amin, dressed in a flowing white robe and sporting a long beard, works as a marketing manager for an oil company in Johannesburg. He had come home to Ahmedabad and is returning to his wife and children back in Johannesburg. He has come here 12 years ago and wants to settle down; “my family is here”, he says, rather defensively.

His company uses the services of Samrad's security agency; he too marvels at Gujarat's development, “the roads and other infrastructure have come up beautifully.”

What about Muslims benefitting from this development?

“They are doing okay I suppose, but there is not much change when it comes to their remaining uneducated and poor, and part of the fault lies with the community. Jo mazdoori kartey the, who abhi bhi mazdoori kartey hei (those who were labourers continue to be labourers).”

He has no plans to return to India; “I am doing very well, my wife works as a teacher, my children are getting good education, so why should I come back,” he says.

As we say goodbye and walk through the Customs area, I notice that Amin has been whisked away for detailed inspection, while the Muslim couple and most of the passengers walk out.