IN PICS: 1860 Legacy Centre hosts workshops for tracing Indian ancestry and OCI eligibility
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)
IT WAS a packed house at the 1860 Legacy Centre last night, with many people learning how to trace their indentured roots and getting guidance on applying for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
Image: FACEBOOK
IT WAS a packed house at the 1860 Legacy Centre last night, with many people learning how to trace their indentured roots and getting guidance on applying for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
Selvan Naidoo, of the 1860 Heritage Centre in Derby Street, in the Durban CBD, said they were to the new Consul General of India to Durban, Niteen Subhash Yeola, for his commitment in connecting the citizens of South Africa to India.
Workshops will be rolled out throughout the country to help more people in tracing their indentured roots and applying for the OCI, Naidoo said.
He said this project was aimed at reconnecting the Indian diaspora in South Africa with their roots.
Selvan Naidoo, left with new Consul General of India to Durban, Niteen Subhash Yeola (third from right) with guests who attended the workshop on how to trace their indentured roots and getting guidance on applying for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
Image: FACEBOOK
Last year, the Indian government announced an extension of OCI eligibility where descendants of Indian origin residing in South Africa could now apply for OCI status up to the seventh generation, an increase from the previous limit of four generations.
"From colonialism through to apartheid, people of indentured ancestry living in South Africa were not able to trace their roots. Since the late 1990s, these descendants have been fortunate to have their ancestral records digitally available through the pioneering academic work of Professor Joy Brain and Professor Surendra Bhana," said Naidoo.
IT WAS a packed house at the 1860 Legacy Centre last night, with many people learning how to trace their indentured roots and getting guidance on applying for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
Image: FACEBOOK
"The 1860 Heritage Centre has embarked on a journey of assisting descendants in searching for their roots listed in the 384 ship lists archived at the Archives Repository in Durban (De Mazenod Road). 152 184 Indian indentured workers came to South Africa between 1860 and 1911. Passenger number 1, listed as Davaram, who arrived on board the SS Truro in 1860, was the first passenger. The last passenger, Mr PN Murugasam, no. 152 184, came on board the Umlazi in 1911. This indentured number, sometimes called the colonial number, is used to trace one’s ancestral roots."
The OCI card allows South African citizens of Indian origin to enjoy lifelong, multi-purpose, multi-entry visa-free travel to India. It enables them to live, work, and study in India indefinitely, own non-agricultural property, and access services with parity to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).