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A second coming
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For many African students, Hyderabad still is the favoured destination
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Photo: Nagara Gopal
At Home The students have made Hyderabad their second home
Dark Continent – the phrase once used to describe Africa – primarily because map-makers of the 19th century knew very little about the interior geography of the region and hence left it dark. This explains why the continent was called so
and dispels any notions people might have, except through the ties that the generations of Indians have made with Africa as a result of their settlements there. The proliferation of the Africans and their interbreeding with the Indians for centuries now is less known. To this day, we have the Siddis living amongst us, we have had a blend of their music enervating us insidiously, the vibrant colours they introduce in clothing is akin to the Indian style, and with all their subtle existence, we have accepted their varied facets. And needless to say, their ability to integrate with the rest of the herd and adopt the local culture is noteworthy.
With Hyderabad now growing as a popular destination for work and study among foreign interns and students, it calls for a reality check. Francis from Uganda has been in Hyderabad for three years now pursuing B. Sc in Multimedia & Animations. “Unlike Uganda that has a great landscape, Hyderabad looks very artificial with less greenery and more constructions. The education here is world-class giving me the opportunity to work towards two different degrees at one time, helping me gain an edge over others back home.”
“This is my first time outside Tanzania and I know no place could have been better than Hyderabad,” says Adeline. “We don’t play much cricket, but I’m catching the cricket-mania too! I love the food here but each time I go to get food, I say no to spices in my kebabs. Before I came here, I was not even aware of a God called Ganesh. I think there is so much to explore about Hinduism here, and it’s also amazing I can go to the church on Sundays in the same town.”
Abdul Kader from Somalia and Duale Ali from Ethiopia who have obtained their Bachelors in Medical Lab Technology from Shadan College have Hindi songs as caller tunes: “We’ve also got a servant-cum-cook whom we taught how to cook our food. Funny, she makes it too spicy but we’ve got accustomed to it now.”
DIVYATA RAVI PRAKAASH
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