In order to assist foreigners of Indian descent (who are living abroad) to trace their ancestors in India, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) created an “ANCESTRAL SEARCH CENTRE” in January 2007. This is part of the Cultural Network and Resource Centre of the IGNCA,  the mission of which is to reinforce the cultural links between India and Indians belonging to the “Diaspora”, communities of Indians who have been living in other countries, in some cases already for centuries. The Netherlands for example has a large community of people of Indian descent whose ancestors have emigrated in the 19th century, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to Surinam (formerly part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands). Over the years, a number of these “People of Indian Origin” (PIOs) have left Surinam and have established themselves in The Netherlands.

The website of the Ancestral Search Centre contains an “Ancestral Research Form“, which - after completion - can be returned by fax or e-mail to:

Shri P. Jha
Director, Cultural Informatics Laboratory
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
No 5, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi - 110 00
India

Phone: +91 11 23383495 (office), 9868217389 (mobile)
Fax: +91 11 23388280
E-mail:   pjha@ignca.nic.in