‘Anything is possible in India’

Although his life is spread over continents, he is rooted to India. Award-winning author MG Vassanji refuses to be pigeonholed into any particular nationality. He vehemently protests, “It is like different parts of me are spread over different continents. I am very comfortable in Africa which is my birthplace. Life is a lot more convenient in Canada, but it is India that is essentially a part of me.”

It was only a little more than a decade earlier that 58-year-old Vassanji made his maiden trip to India to discover his roots, (the author’s grandparents who belonged to the Khoja community of Gujarat left Indian shores for Africa). He says, “The spirit of the country never ceases to surprise me. Despite the very disturbing trends prevalent in the country, the fact that it is so diverse in cultures makes the country flexible and horrifying at the same time.”

Also a nuclear physicist, Vassanji prefers to interpret India in terms of its historical connect which he says is the source of most of the conflicts that the country is grappling with at present. He explains, “History fills you with a sense of wonder when you look at the country. People look at each other through the historical lens. People in India take history too seriously and that chalks out the course of the country’s future”

Though the diversity of the country has had him returning to his roots over the years, he echoes sentiments shared by many, “There have been times when I have cancelled trips to India out of fear of international conflict. Uncertainty about the country’s status with neighbouring states is always on the mind of the Indian diaspora.”