Sikh refugee from Afghanistan finds peace and solace in India
May 18, 2019
Amritsar (Punjab), May 18: Some two decades ago, Surbhir Singh, who was born and raised in Afghanistan, fled his worn-torn nation for greener pastures and settled in Amritsar town in India’s northwestern state of Punjab. From his early days in India, where he had to start his life from scratch, today Surbhir is an established local entrepreneur who runs his own shop of tyres. Recounting the incidents of horror when minorities were meted out violence, Surbhir says he is grateful to the people and the government of India for never making him feel like an alien. He didn’t face any roadblock while consolidating his business. He doesn’t feel like a refugee anymore and says that India is his home. He’s also hopeful of getting a permanent citizenship from India. Surbhir is happy that the relationship between India and Afghanistan is constantly moving north with both sides engaging and cooperating at multiple fronts. India is home to more than 14,000 refugees from Afghanistan who fled their home to find a new life. At a time when immigrants and refugees have become centre of media and social scrutiny across the word, India has embraced people from Afghanistan with a warm heart.
