Kiwis and the language connect

KV Prasad

OCEANS may separate India and New Zealand, but the countries remain connected for more than two obvious choices —cricket and the Commonwealth. It may surprise many to know what binds the two is English and Hindi. Yes, Hindi is the fourth most commonly spoken language in New Zealand as about four per cent of the country’s population is of Indian descent. 

“Today four per cent of NZ’s population, or around 1,85,000 people, are of Indian origin and we are proud of the important contribution this community makes to our political, business, cultural and sporting life,” says High Commissioner Joanna Kempkers, pointing out: “In 2015-16, India (at 16 per cent) was the second biggest contributor in terms of permanent migrants to New Zealand.”

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Here since early this year to take forward the “very positive trajectory”  of India-New Zealand relations, Kempkers says the growth has been across trade, education and tourism, with bilateral trade rising by over 10 per cent last year to cross NZ $ 2.5 billion.

Beside an Indo-Kiwi sustainable dairy firm near Delhi providing nutritious fresh milk to consumers, experts from New Zealand are working with apple  farmers in Himachal Pradesh to improve the fruit productivity, she says.

New Zealand attracted over 28,000 students from India last year. “Besides a strong interest in business, IT and engineering courses, there has been an increased interest in fashion designing, cyber security, aviation, sports management, energy conservation and sustainability,” the High Commissioner says. 

Another people-to-people connect is in the form of tourists with some 58,000 Indians travelling to Down Under, recording a 17 per cent rise. Film star Sidharth Malhotra working as Brand Ambassador with Tourism New Zealand delivered strong results with New Zealand  becoming the most searched travel destination in India. And  it is not a one-way affair. By the end of September this year, nearly 70,000 people from New Zealand had travelled to India. 

Over the last few months Kempkers, her husband Dr Timothy Markwell and their three children have been exploring India. “My most recent holiday was in Shimla, a city that surprised and delighted’’. Their visit to Chandigarh was only transitory. “In less than a year since my arrival, I have already experienced more than my fair share of the warmth and generosity India and its people are renowned for. 

“I have attended Indian weddings (which always make me feel as if I am part of a glorious Bollywood set), relished delicious Indian food, including gulab jamun and jalebi (which I can’t seem to resist), got plastered with colours on Holi and celebrated Diwali with beautiful floral rangolis. I wasn’t so skilled at kite-flying for Independence Day, but my husband was pleased he managed to down two kites (woh kaata),” the High Commissioner smiles. Having served in Fiji, with a strong Indian diaspora and influence, Kempkers has had a strong exposure to Indian culure and her wardrobe of salwar suits and saris is expanding steadily.