Hinduism in Mexico
Introduction
There are about 800 Indian families in Mexico, constituting a total number of about 900 NRIs. Most of them are recent arrivals in the country. There is a big presence of recently arrived Indians working for Tata Consultancy Services in Guadalajara, Querétaro and Mexico City. Mexico has a non-discriminatory policy with regard to the grant of its citizenship. The spouse of a Mexican national would generally not face any problem in acquiring local citizenship. But although quite a few NRIs have married Mexicans, they have retained their Indian citizenship.
Status of Indians in Mexico
The Indians in this country are mainly businessmen or professionals. Many of them work with one or other international organisation or a multinational corporation. There are also some academicians and scientists among them. They have helped to bring about greater mutual understanding between India and their host country. At present, Dr Sanjay Rajaram (a distinguished Indian scientist and Padma Shri award recipient) is also in Mexico, working at CIMMYT. Some of the Indians work for ISPAT Mexicana. This company is part of the Laxmi Mittal group, well known in this region for having turned around a sinking steel company in Trinidad. The Indian presence in Mexico has been greatly appreciated as fifty other business ventures have invested around US$1.58 billion in this country during the period 1994-2000. Most members of the diaspora speak Spanish and have adapted themselves admirably to their foreign environment.
Indian Organisation in Mexico
The Indian community in Mexico has no divisive factions in it, although its constituents come from different parts of India. It has jointly established an organisation called Sangam, under whose auspices it celebrates important festivals and cultural programmes.
Temples in Mexico
A Sai Baba temple and a Vaishnav temple have been constructed in Mexico City by the Sangam Organisation.
Hare Krishnas
ISKCON has 8 centres in Mexico.
It has the following 8 Centres in Mexico
- Centre 1- Guadalajara, Pedro Moreno No. 1791, Sector Juarez, Jalisco
- Centre 2- Mexico City, Tiburcio Montiel 45, Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, D.F, 11850
- Centre 3- Monterrey, Av. Luis Elizondo No. 400, local 12, Col. Alta Vista
- Centre 4- Saltillo, Blvd. Saltillo No. 520, Col. Buenos Aires
- Centre 5- Tulancingo, (mail:) Apartado 252, Hildago
- Centre 7- Rural Community at Veracruz
- Centre 8- Additional Restaurant at Veracruz, Restaurante Radhe, Sur 5 No. 50, Orizaba, Ver.
Sai Organisation
There are now 29 Sai centers in Mexico.
There are two Sai Schools in Mexico, one in Chihuahua and other in Cuernavaca. There are about 100 children in each school