Chethnaa reesaul

Mahatma Gandhi Senior Secondary School: The inaugural World Yogasana Championships in Ahmedabad turned into a journey of cultural rediscovery for several young athletes from Mauritius, many of whom travelled to India for the first time and found themselves reconnecting with ancestral roots stretching back generations.

For 19-year-old Mauritian athlete Chethnaa Reesaul, the championships were about much more than competing on the world stage. Like many members of the Indian diaspora in Mauritius, she grew up hearing stories about India from her grandparents but had never visited the country before.

“I know that my family has roots in Bihar, but I don’t know exactly which part of the state my ancestors came from. My grandmother told me about our Indian connection, but I never really looked into it because I was focused on my studies and sports,” Chethnaa told Sports Authority of India.