Part II
TII Interview of the Author

TII interviewed the author who admits what was finally most rewarding about his book was when someone met him and remarked, "We now have two cultures - South American and Sikh/Punjabi and we feel richer now."
TII: What inspired you to research and write about the Sikh Diaspora?
Before the 20th century ended, I had moved to Chandigarh (Punjab) after about four decades of living in Kolkata and Mumbai, and prior to that in USA and Bihar. Both my wife Livleen and I are avid global travellers - I am presently on my 23rd passport - and soon it was becoming a bit of "I have seen it before". So, the travel had to be anchored with a purpose. Working with the British multinational ICI meant frequent overseas travel. On these trips, I often met Sikh migrants; we did not interact much but their "images" lingered in my mind. I wondered what motivated them to move to strange locales especially with turbans which made them stand out as strangers. They were in some ways heroes for me. I had to know more about them. A hobby-interest started developing and in early 2000, I ventured on a round-the-world trip to meet scholars and people researching Sikh immigrants. It was easy to cover Sikh immigrants in Canada, USA, and UK. I had to do something different and original. Sikhs, like many other communities, claim they are present everywhere. I decided to prove these claims.
TII: Why Latin American countries first?
In line with the spirit of some migrants - 'The Farther the Better', I decided to start with Argentina, a country farthest away from Punjab and in the wrong (upside down) hemisphere. I had read about Giani Zail Singh, President of India's, visit to Argentina and some mention of Sikhs in Mexico. The downside was that hardly any information was available. I was looking for a challenge - here it was. So, like an adventurous Sikh, I just jumped in.
TII: Tell us about some memorable meetings.
As I was wearing a turban, unlike many of the second or third generation Sikh immigrants, it was very exciting for them to meet me. Their love and affection were very heart warming.
Some encounters stand out: Satguru Singh with his 'patka'-wearing sons, in an area where there are no other Sikhs, several hundred miles from Mexico City. The entry of Sham Kaur in my hotel in La Paz. Donned in her white regalia including turban with a 'khanda' emblem on the forehead, I captioned her interview 'An Angel Walks In'. Others are in the book.