Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
Government of India

Guidelines for ‘Tracing the Roots’ Programme

1. It is a programme designed by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, hereinafter called ‘Ministry’; to assist Persons of Indians origin in tracing their roots. For this purpose, the Ministry has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with "Indiroots, a non-governmental organization”, whose contact details are as below:

   Address: E-663/9 West Vinod Nagar, Delhi-110092.
   Tel: (0091) 9868464738,
   E-mail: indiroots[at]yahoo[dot]com, sst11_in[at]yahoo[dot]com

2. Persons of Indians origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would be required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with this High Commission along with a fee of Indian Rupees (INR) 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) in equivalent Sri Lankan Rupees in the form of a crossed cheque or Demand Draft in favour of “High Commission of India, Colombo”. Cash payment will also be accepted. The exact amount in Sri Lankan Rupees may be ascertained from Mr. R.R. Iyer, Attache (Administration) on the date of payment – (Tel:011-2439277). Any other useful information/document that could be helpful in tracing the roots may also be submitted with the application.

3. The Ministry would forward the application with all supporting documents to “Indiroots”

4. The details of the roots in India (where traceable) i.e. name of close surviving relatives, details of the place of origin of their forefathers (paternal and maternal side) and a possible family tree will be prepared by “Indiroots” and submitted to the Ministry approximately within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the application by it.

5. The information received from “Indiroots” including family tree prepared by it, would then be sent to the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the earliest for onward transmission to the applicant.

6. In case of any doubt about the genuineness of the ‘roots’, the decision of the Ministry, taken in consultation with the applicant and ‘Indiroots’ will be final and binding on ‘Indiroots’.

7. In case of a successful attempt, the balance of Rs 14,000/- (Rupees fourteen thousand) will be released by the Ministry to “Indiroots”. In case the attempt is not successful a further amount of only Rs 4,000/- (Rupees four thousand) will be released to “Indiroots’ and the Indian Mission/Post would be authorized to refund foreign currency equivalent to Rs 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) to the applicant at the official rate of exchange, as determined by the Government of India, applicable on the date of the refund.

N. B. The programme provides for gathering of the information of the ancestors of the applicant and does not have any provision or arrangement for the visit of the applicant to his/her ancestral place(s). In case the applicant wishes to visit these places, the Ministry/Indiroots would facilitate such visits but the applicant would have to bear all related expenditure.

MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Government of India

Application for Tracing the Roots

A. Personal details of the applicant

1. Name of the Applicant

2. Contact particulars
   (a) Complete postal address
   (b) Telephone No.
   (c) Fax No.
   (d) E-mail

3. Profession

B. Particulars of the Ancestor with whom the link is to be established

1. Name

2. Year when he/she migrated

3. Approximate age at the time of migration

4. Caste

5. Profession at the time of migration

6. Name of the Village

7. Name of the Police Station

8. Name of the Pargana/Tehsil

9. Name of the Post Office

10. Name of the Zila (District)

11. Name of the State

12. Names of the Neighbouring Villages

13. Details of property owned by the migrant

14. Name of the Parents and immediate family members of the Migrant with nick names, if any
    (a) Father
    (b) Mother
    (c) Brothers
    (d) Sisters
    (e) Wife
    (f) Sons
    (g) Daughters
    (h) Paternal uncles/aunts
    (i) Maternal uncles/aunts
    (j) Others, please specify

C. Details of Migration

1. Name of the ship

2. Particulars of the Agent

3. Port of embarkation

4. Date of embarkation

5. Date when reached destination

6. Port of disembarkation

D. Particulars of other ancestors of the applicant

1. Name of the Parents with nick names, if any
   (a) Father
   (b) Mother

2. Name of the Grandparents with nicknames, if any
   (a) Grandfather
   (b) Grandmother

3. Name of the Great Grandparents with nick names, if any
   (a) Great Grandfather
   (b) Great Grandmother

E. General

1. Do you have copy of correspondence exchanged
   by the Migrant with his relations or others in India?
   If yes – give details and enclose copies

2. Has the applicant heard any stories or:
   details with regard to his Ancestors who migranted
   from India? If yes, give details

F. Documents attached