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Of potluck and cultural bonding
Dominated by Gujarati settlers, many of whom have even taken local citizenship, Indians are one of the most trusted communities in Sudan, a country that is becoming one of India's top investment destinations.
Dominated by Gujarati settlers, many of whom have even taken local citizenship, Indians are one of the most trusted communities in Sudan, a country that is becoming one of India's top investment destinations.
Lured by the opportunities opening up in this north African country on the threshold of peace after decades of civil war, an increasing number of Indians have started arriving here.
They are mostly involved in service and project contracts in the wake of India's exploration major Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) acquiring stakes in three blocks through its overseas subsidiary.
"The Indian community is one of the most trusted by the Sudanese. In fact, marriages between second generation Indians and locals is not uncommon," said Deepak Gupta, general manager of GAPCO (Sudan) Ltd, one of the companies owned by a non-resident Indian.
Born and educated in Bangalore, Gupta has since settled down in Tanzania and is one of the close-knit Indian groups found in African countries.
"We are a close-knit community where every festival, be it Diwali, Eid or Onam, is celebrated with great gusto in the traditional manner with everyone participating," said Gupta, who is currently based in Khartoum with his family.
"We frequently organise potluck dinners and have lots of fun playing bingo or arranging gatherings to celebrate various occasions. We even organise musical and film show evenings," Gupta told a visiting IANS correspondent.
Currently there are around 1,200-1,500 people of Indian origin, mostly Gujaratis, residing here. Around 800 are settled in Omdurman, around 250 in Kasala and about 300 in Port Sudan.
"In addition, around 500-700 expatriates are working here. Every year around 100-150 sugar professionals come here to work in Kenana Sugar Factory, one of the world's largest integrated sugar units," said Ashok Kumar, Indian ambassador to Sudan.
Situated at the point where the Blue and the White Nile merge, Khartoum is a city under transformation with small old buildings making way for high-rise structures, villas and shopping malls.
The Afra Mall with its sprawling department store, branded outlets, bowling alley, five theatres and several other facilities is a favourite hangout for not just the affluent locals but also Indians.
As Sudan takes a cue from the shopping haven in Dubai, a large number of retail outlets are coming up along with around 50 gold jewellery outlets.
Companies from countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Korea, Malaysia and China have either established themselves here or are in the process of doing so to grab a larger slice of industrial, infrastructure, construction and trading activities.
