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St. Petersburg is home for many Indians, but skinheads are menace: Asian Age
St. Petersburg, Jun 02: It is ironical that for a city whose founder sought to locate a direct route to India almost three centuries ago, St. Petersburg is home to just about 1,000 Indians.
St. Petersburg, Jun 02: It is ironical that for a city whose founder sought to locate a direct route to India almost three centuries ago, St. Petersburg is home to just about 1,000 Indians.
And although members of the community say they are deeply in love with the former Russian capital, they are wary of the increasing aggression of neo-Fascists contemptuously referred to as “skinheads.” The overwhelming number of 800 Indians here is that of young students studying medicine. Many have spent up to seven long years, and speak Russian like natives, and occasionally flaunt Russian girlfriends. The remaining Indians are engaged in petty trade, dealing in a variety of goods, including leather products and pharmaceuticals, while a handful are employed by multinational companies.
St. Petersburg is home to one Indian grocery store and two popular Indian restaurants, one of which, Tandoor, counts Russian President Vladimir Putin as a loyal client. The other, Swagat, is located not far from a street where Mr Putin’s mother lives. The city also boasts of nearly half-a-dozen temples, including one run by the Brahmakumari sect, a Krishna shrine affiliated to Iskcon, and one that is devoted to Satya Sai Baba.
“It is a very good city, it is a city of museums and canals, it is the Venice of the East,” said Sushant Chadha, a 25-year-old student of medicine who is enrolled at the St Petersburg Medical Institute.
Chadha, whose parents are doctors in New Delhi and who came here seven years ago, says St Petersburg reminds him of the Indian capital which he says he loves. “St Petersburg is like Delhi, everyone here is good. Moscow, on the other hand, is just concrete, like our Mumbai,” he added. Many young Indians like Mr Chadha live in hostels, but some live in apartments. Some end up bagging part-time jobs since it can cost up to $2,600 a year to finance their education. (IANS)
And although members of the community say they are deeply in love with the former Russian capital, they are wary of the increasing aggression of neo-Fascists contemptuously referred to as “skinheads.” The overwhelming number of 800 Indians here is that of young students studying medicine. Many have spent up to seven long years, and speak Russian like natives, and occasionally flaunt Russian girlfriends. The remaining Indians are engaged in petty trade, dealing in a variety of goods, including leather products and pharmaceuticals, while a handful are employed by multinational companies.
St. Petersburg is home to one Indian grocery store and two popular Indian restaurants, one of which, Tandoor, counts Russian President Vladimir Putin as a loyal client. The other, Swagat, is located not far from a street where Mr Putin’s mother lives. The city also boasts of nearly half-a-dozen temples, including one run by the Brahmakumari sect, a Krishna shrine affiliated to Iskcon, and one that is devoted to Satya Sai Baba.
“It is a very good city, it is a city of museums and canals, it is the Venice of the East,” said Sushant Chadha, a 25-year-old student of medicine who is enrolled at the St Petersburg Medical Institute.
Chadha, whose parents are doctors in New Delhi and who came here seven years ago, says St Petersburg reminds him of the Indian capital which he says he loves. “St Petersburg is like Delhi, everyone here is good. Moscow, on the other hand, is just concrete, like our Mumbai,” he added. Many young Indians like Mr Chadha live in hostels, but some live in apartments. Some end up bagging part-time jobs since it can cost up to $2,600 a year to finance their education. (IANS)