Tracing the Roots

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

Government of India

Guidelines for ‘Tracing the Roots’ Programme

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. Persons of Indians origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would b e required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with the concerned Indian Mission/Post located in the country of their residence along with a fee of Rs 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) in equivalent US dollar, Euro or any other foreign currency accepted to the Indian Mission/Post. Any other useful information/document that could b e helpful in tracing the roots may also be submitted with the application. The Ministry would forward the application with all supporting documents to “Indiroots” with whom it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for this purpose. An amount of Rs 6,000/- (Rupees six thousand) as advance will also b e paid to “Indiroots” as soon as possible. Contact details of Indiroots are as under:

Address:
E-663/9 West Vinod Nagar,
Delhi – 110092
Phone : (0091) 9868464738,
E-mail : indiroots@yahoo.com

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 b e prepared b y “Indiroots” and submitted to the Ministry approximately within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the application b y it. The information received from “Indiroots” including family tree prepared b y it, would then b e sent to the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the earliest for onward transmission to the applicant. 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 b e final and binding on ‘Indiroots’. In case of a successful attempt, the balance of Rs 14,000/- (Rupees fourteen thousand) will b e released b y the Ministry to “Indiroots”. In case the attempt is not successful a further amount of only Rs 4,000/- (Rupees four thousand) will b e released to “Indiroots’ and the Indian Mission/Post would b e authorized to refund foreign currency equivalent to Rs 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) to the applicant at the official rate of exchange, as determined b y the Government of India, applicable on the date of the refund. N. B. The program 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 b ear all related expenditure.

Click here to download the application form Indiroots