India meets Mexico through the practice of yoga

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March 16, 2024

adult_asanas_balance_beach_body_breathe_calm_concentration-1536889 — Be in the now. Live in the moment. Accept things how they are. The Indian morals of yoga are a wise approach to life in Mexico. (Kaya Kudos)

Yosef Zur grew up on a kibbutz. For him, the day to day of such a lifestyle was rather mundane. Everyone wore, did, and seemed to believe the same thing. Everyone, that is, but him. Yosef felt disconnected from the community and its goals, leading him to think there was something wrong with himself. This nagging doubt resulted in years of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and general self-hate.

“I was always looking for something to bring magic,” Yosef remembers. And then one day, he was given a book about India. He realized that there were other cultures with different ideas about life, more philosophies out there that might help him understand his distorted feelings.

Yosef Zur was looking for more out of life when he discovered yoga, and the rich spirituality of India. (tulum_portraits/Instagram)

At age 32, he decided to move to New York.

Ironically, it was in the United States that his interest in India resurfaced through the yoga practice of Ashtanga. According to website Yogapedia, Ashtanga is:

“…named after the term given in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras for the eightfold path of yoga, or ashtanga, meaning “eight-limbed” in Sanskrit. [The eight-limbed path is a holistic guide towards liberation and self-realization.]

It was Sri K. Pattabhi’s belief that the asana [postural] “limb” of yoga must be practiced before the others could be mastered. The practice was developed in Mysore, India where Sri K. Pattabhi Jois taught and set up the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute.”

Yosef’s life quickly became all about the path of Ashtanga. He committed to the standard six days a week physical practice of postures [asana] and immersed himself in ancient Indian philosophy. The readings and scripts are where he experienced an instant, powerful connection. “It wasn’t until that moment that I actually understood what I was feeling in words. There was a homecoming element to it,” Yosef explains. “Here was a philosophy that came from outside of me, from a different country, yet it connected me to a truth of life and human experience that I had always felt.”

This interest in Indian philosophy led him on a journey of movement, veganism, meditation, and travel to India. He started practicing with an Ashtanga master in New York, with whom he eventually began his career as an instructor. Through practice, Yosef learned a valuable concept that he hadn’t grasped as an insecure, self-deprecating youth — self-love.

After 11 years of teaching in New York, it became apparent to Yosef that it was time to move on. “I quit and didn’t know what to do. I thought about moving to India or Thailand, but then I remembered a yoga student had mentioned his friend’s yoga retreat center in Tulum.”

Because Yosef spent five years as a child living in Nicaragua with his family, he spoke Spanish fluently and felt comfortable with Latin culture. After reaching out to the owner of the retreat center and receiving an invitation to visit, he went to Mexico.

While India was magical, it was Tulum where Yosef really found inner peace. (tulum_portraits/Instagram)

“It’s funny,” says Yosef, “the first time I went to Bangalore to take the train to Mysore, I thought to myself ‘This looks so much like Central America’. And then I get to Mexico and I think ‘this feels so much like India!’” The smell of burning copal in the morning, the traditional languages and costumes of small villages, the artisanship and intricate textiles — these cultural similarities made him feel right at home and ready to start teaching.

Yoself picked up classes fast once arriving in Mexico and just as quickly learned how to adapt. Most notably, he had to let go of the structure of time. “Mexico is showing me to be in the now. It’s teaching me how to live in the moment and accept things as they are.”

Which, by all accounts, is the overarching lesson of yoga.

In other words, Mexico has taught Yosef the true meaning of yoga.

Assimilating into Mexican culture is exactly this. A slowing down, an appreciation for what is, a sense of human connection and above all, humility. It’s interacting with people of all classes and ages, cultivating respect for the wisdom of ancient practices and developing an innate understanding that we’re all here together on this planet, so we might as well laugh and sing while we’ve got the chance.

The essence of Ashtanga yoga is not a religious one. It’s a spiritual one, which is why, according to Yosef, Mexicans connect with it so well. As a relatively conservative Catholic society, “Mexicans are not looking for a religious connection [because they likely already have it]…they’re looking at [yoga] from a spiritual lens, they want the essence.” And it’s easier to connect to the essence of yoga’s teaching when it’s not intellectualized, like it tends to be in countries like the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. It’s a profound acceptance that has to be felt internally.

Be in the now. Live in the moment. Accept things how they are. The morals of yoga are a wise approach to life in Mexico.

Just like the practice of Ashtanga, moving to Mexico requires you to be humble. As Yosef puts it, it means “leaving what you think you know outside. You came here, they didn’t come to you. You came here as a student.” Life in Mexico is a golden opportunity to learn and adapt to a new way of doing things.

The beaches of Quintana Roo have become an increasingly popular spot for yoga in recent years. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

Yosef is dedicated to leading his students through the reality of Ashtanga, the “friction between wanting something, not achieving, but showing up anyway.” Doesn’t that sound a bit like…learning Spanish?

This begs the question — will yoga deepen your connection to Mexico, or will life in Mexico deepen your connection to yoga?

That’s for you to decide.

If you’re in the Tulum area, practice with Yosef between Monday — Friday at Holistika Tulum.

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

The ‘unbelievable’ benefit of learning a new language

By

Gordon Cole-Schmidt

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March 16, 2024

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brooke-cagle-TxSVqNgnjq4-unsplash — New research suggests that learning a second language could be the key to unlocking your brain. (Brooke Cagle/Unsplash)

Ever wanted another reason to dust off your Spanish textbooks, unfold creased vocabulary lists from last summer or restart your daily streak on the language learning app you habitually swipe past? This might just be it.

In 2023, after years of planning, research and independent trials, University of Chicago professor Boaz Keysar sat down to examine the results of his latest psychological experiment. He sought to find out whether thinking in a foreign language affects the quality of our decision-making.

Professor Keysar described his findings as “unbelievable.” (Lisa Yount/Unsplash)

The results were “unbelievable,” according to Keysar.

Making decisions in a foreign language can help our choices become more rational, flexible, open-minded and logical. The data from Keysar’s trials showed that the process of moving from our native tongue to a second language can change the way we think.

The reason is that brain functions related to thinking in a foreign language and the cognitive processes used create a level of emotional distance in what we say and the decisions we make.

Changing our morals for the better?

A high-speed train is barrelling down the tracks below the bridge you’re standing on. You see five people walking on the tracks ahead, who in short order will be hit by the train and killed instantly. The only way to save them is to push the person next to you off the bridge and onto the tracks, thereby bringing the train to a stop and saving the lives of the five further ahead.

Would you sacrifice the life of one person to save five?

Keysar, himself bilingual, wanted to find out whether the way a person would react to this ethical dilemma would vary if they thought about the problem in one’s mother tongue and in a second language.

The utilitarian response — meaning the best outcome for the most people — is to actively push the man in front of the train because you would save four lives. But many decide against it because the idea of actively taking a life fills them with dread and terror and would instead opt to take no action.

Keysar used this problem for his first experiment. Fluent second-language Spanish speakers were asked to consider the decision in Spanish and in their native English. The results showed unequivocally that, those asked in their adopted Spanish, would choose to push the man in front of the train to save the five otherwise certain for death.

According to journalist David Robson, the “effect was so big that Keysar delayed publishing the results” because Keysar simply “couldn’t believe the data.”

Keysar then increased the sample of participants dramatically and later expanded his experiment to include people from the United States, Europe and Asia. The results were equally one-sided. One sample found that participants “were twice as likely to choose the utilitarian option when speaking and thinking in a second language.”

In July 2023, Keysar teamed up with a fellow professor, David Gallo to further examine the benefits of learning another language. Gallo described how “speaking in your native language can lull your brain into being less able to process information objectively.”

“Your emotions start to impede your rationality,” he said. “This speeds up your decision-making, meaning you more prone to mistakes.”

Other benefits of learning a second language include increased memory and reduced likelihood of illness. (Unsplash)

Testing the theory in Oaxaca

After reading Keysar’s research, I wanted to put the theory to the test, but I had reservations about whether thinking in another language would change the decisions I make. I called my Spanish teacher, Barbara, who rather paradoxically, is also one of the most in-demand English teachers in Oaxaca city.

I first heard about her — and her reputation — from Mexican friends. Barbara is originally from Poland, with word-perfect English and fluency in Spanish.

My partner and I became her first and only Spanish students in the spring of 2023, and the way she thoughtfully spoke about teaching English was so impressive.

Speaking about the barriers to language learning, Barbara described how “We all have different needs, fears, and difficulties when it comes to learning. We also have different experiences to relate to.”

Gordon put the theory to the test in Oaxaca city. (Roman López/Unsplash)

The fear and difficulty of language learning is something every learner has felt. It hinders us from taking the next steps to getting better in a new language, which once achieved could be the very thing that enables us to think more rationally.

“We, as adults, learn best by doing, trying, practicing and, also, failing,” Barbara added. “But on top of that, we need to know why we are trying. What is this learning for?”

Barbara’s opinion points to the rationality in learning. Thinking logically is something we aim to do with learning as soon as we formulate patterns in verb endings and sentence structures, and then try to commit them to memory.

And by doing this, we take one step closer to being able to achieve fluency, which would allow us to think in a foreign language if we put our minds to it.

Keysar and Gallo’s research might not seem relevant to everyone. But it’s a fresh perspective on the benefits of language learning traditions which are as old as time. At the very least, it’s another hidden benefit of spending an extra five minutes rewriting your most recent lesson notes, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone to go to a Spanish-speaking hairdresser or restarting this time, life-long streak on Duolingo.

Gordon Cole-Schmidt is a public relations specialist and freelance journalist, advising and writing on companies and issues across multi-national communication programs.

The best of both worlds: How to prepare delicious pescado a la veracruzana

By

Sandra Gancz Kahan

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March 16, 2024

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Pescado a la veracruzana holds a special place in my heart as one of my all-time favorite dishes. The fresh ingredients in this recipe create a Mediterranean-Mexican fusion that is as satisfying as it is delicious. Its versatility shines through as it can be prepared with various types of fish and is suitable for anything from everyday meals to special occasions.

In English, we would probably translate “a la veracruzana” as “Veracruz-style.” The dish itself is the story of two worlds coming together. It is a marriage of the bountiful seafood of the Gulf of Mexico and tomatoes, which are native to the Americas, with Spanish ingredients such as olives, garlic and capers. In this sense, pescado a la veracruzana also reflects the historical legacy of the time when the port of Veracruz was Spain’s gateway into Mexico.

On April 22, 1519, an expedition under the command of Hernán Cortés disembarked in what is today the state of Veracruz, establishing the first Spanish colony in Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons)

In 1521, Hernán Cortés founded the town of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz (Rich Village of the True Cross) in what is today Veracruz. This settlement not only served as a starting point for the Spanish colonization of Mexico but also served as a key logistical center for Cortés’ ambitious campaigns. The port of Veracruz became a crucial point of entry for Spanish ships and supplies, facilitating further exploration and the eventual conquest of Mexico. The strategic significance of Veracruz extended beyond military operations, as it became a hub for trade and cultural exchange between Europe and the Americas.

Legend has it that the origins of pescado a la veracruzana trace back to the Lenten traditions when locals sought satisfying alternatives to red meat during this period of abstinence. Inspired by Biscayne sauce from Spain, this savory medley of sautéed onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, olives, capers, herbs and spices, simmered until thickened, creates a hearty topping for fish filets. Garnished with vibrant cilantro or parsley, the flavorful dish is traditionally served alongside white rice or baby potatoes.

While red snapper is commonly preferred for pescado a la veracruzana, tilapia or sea bass are also excellent choices for this recipe. Veracruzana sauce is renowned for its unique balance of flavors and its mildness — unlike many other Mexican sauces, it doesn’t use any hot peppers. However, those seeking an extra kick usually add a few pickled chiles güeros. When I make this at home, I prefer to forego the chilis and instead opt for a generous dash of spicy paprika.

Pescado a la Veracruzana is cooked in the oven for 20 minutes, making it a quick and simple dish to prepare. (Unsplash)

Now, let’s dive into how you can recreate this culinary masterpiece in your kitchen:

Ingredients:

– 4 filets of white fish (such as red snapper, sea bass or tilapia)

– Olive oil

– 1 onion, sliced

– 4 large cloves of garlic, sliced

– 4 tomatoes, diced

– 1 cup tomato puree

– ½ cup pitted green olives

– ½ cup capers in brine, drained

– ½ tsp dried oregano

– ¼ tsp dried thyme

– 1 bay leaf

– 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

– 3 pickled güero chilis (optional)

Fry the onions in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent. Then add the sliced garlic and fry until slightly brown.
Add the diced tomatoes and sauté until softened.
Add the tomato puree, chiles, olives, capers, oregano, thyme and bay leaf. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid and concentrate the flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir the fresh minced cilantro into the sauce for just a couple of minutes before serving.
To achieve a fish that’s crispy on the outside, you need to get the surface very dry before frying by using paper towels to remove as much moisture from the surface as possible. Then lightly season with salt and pepper and cover with a thin layer of all-purpose flour.
Add oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry both sides of the fish in the pan until cooked through.
Plate each filet, add a heaping scoop of the sauce on top and serve.

The delightful blend of savory and aromatic flavors in this sauce can be creatively incorporated into a variety of dishes beyond fish. Its rich tomato base with herbs and spices lends itself beautifully to enhancing other seafood delicacies like shrimp or scallops. I also love it smeared on a slice of bread or for topping hearty grains like quinoa or couscous.

Veracruzana sauce is a healthy and versatile partner for your culinary creations. Each savory bite not only delights your taste buds but also serves as a delicious connection to centuries of cultural fusion. Whether you’re getting creative in the kitchen or venturing into new flavors, make sure veracruzana sauce is on your menu.

Sandra Gancz is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]

Why so close? The concept of personal space is different in Mexico

By

Sarah DeVries

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March 16, 2024

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personal space in mexico — What's the best way to greet a stranger? How do I say hello to a friend? How much personal space is enough? Find answers to all these questions and more inside.(Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

It’s been 21 years, but a part of me still feels a little flustered giving and getting pecks on the cheek.

It’s not that I agonize over it. It’s just that this perfectly normal way in Mexico of meeting and greeting non-family members and then bidding them adieu will never feel to me, on a cellular level, 100% non-sexual.

To this gal from a country where Puritans were the cultural founders of the current regime, it feels ever-so-slightly mischievous.

If you’ve spent any amount of time in Mexico, you’ve probably noticed it: this population’s sense of personal space is a bit different than ours, “ours” meaning those of us from the countries that currently send the most visitors and immigrants Mexico’s way.

In more formal situations or to greet people you have just met, a good handshake is sufficient. (Andres Manuel López Obrador/X)

So in the spirit of cultural knowledge-sharing, let’s dive right into the spaces between what’s considered familiar and normal in Mexico.

First, a general statement: Mexico is a much more “touchy-feely” country than its north-er North American counterparts, the United States and Canada. While there will always be variety among individuals within a culture, we know for our own on an instinctual level what’s normal and what’s not. For unfamiliar cultures, there’s some learning to be done!

Normal: Standing, walking, and talking very close to you. The short explanation: this is a matter of the physical space available and how many people live and reside within a certain area.

You’ve probably noticed that this is not a country of wide, open spaces… or at least people don’t tend to live in its wide, open spaces, anyway. Lots of things seem smaller, too, because they are: the aisles in the grocery store, the parking spaces, the cars, the bathrooms, the tables and chairs, the streets, the sidewalks, the buses, the metro (oh God, the metro).

When this is the case, you just get used to being a little cozier all around, as eventually people simply stop noticing when they’re closer than they need to be (to the point, sometimes, that you can easily smell people’s breath when they talk). Ick, and you’re allowed to back up or turn to the side if they don’t catch the hint and mindlessly follow you; “This is my good ear,” I might say to be polite. The smaller spaces also mean that most people are oblivious to the fact that you think they have any polite responsibility at all to move over to let you rush past them on the sidewalk. Move where?

Not normal: Standing or sitting right next to you when it’s not necessary to do so. If you’re packed into a metro, chances are you’re going to be standing pretty darn close to others. If you’re on a nearly-empty bus and someone plops down in the seat right next to you, though, you might want to get up and move toward the driver.

In Mexico, it is common to greet acquaintances and friends with a kiss on the cheek in casual situations. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

Especially if you’re a woman, you’ll want to be cautious with distance. If your spidey senses are telling you that some dude is standing way closer behind you in line than he needs to, a full-bodied turn to the side (pro tip: get your butt to a point where it’s not facing him) and a quick “What do you want?” look is totally called for.

Normal: Quick pecks on the cheek to meet, greet, and bid farewell to friends and acquaintances, mostly in casual social situations. Ah, the kiss. If you’re from a place where kisses are mostly reserved for romantic partners and one’s own young children, kissing people who don’t fall into those categories might always feel just a little bit devious to you. It still does to me, and I’ve been here for over two decades. But oh, how I love having a set physical protocol and the bookends that they naturally put on either end of social interactions!

So how’s it done, exactly? First, it’s most typical to go in for it by moving your head slightly to the left. You’ll likely touch cheeks with the other person, but the kiss will mostly be in the air next to them and will not necessarily land on their skin. If you’re just meeting the other person, this might be accompanied by a simultaneous handshake that begins a second or so before, and if you already know them, you might lightly grab their left shoulder as well before pulling apart. If you’re good friends, a full-on hug could happen, too – oh, boy! Women and women kiss, women and men kiss, and men and men usually shake hands and maybe do the shoulder squeeze thing or a hug.

If you really don’t want to kiss-greet someone, just offer your hand for a shake, and use it to keep the distance between your bodies, which should get the message across.

Not Normal: Kisses from random strangers or in professional settings, and slobbery kisses planted firmly on your cheek (or on your mouth – yikes!). Remember, kisses are not required or expected in all social situations: you don’t kiss the clerk at the grocery store or the immigration officer or the person who’s interviewing you for a job.

Hugs are reserved for those closest to you, such as family and friends. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

When I taught high school, I did not greet or say goodbye to my students with kisses – not even the ones I was on a friendly basis with (plus, we’d have never had time for the actual class!). Mexicans tend to be unshy about respecting social hierarchies, and it would be rare to lean in for a kiss toward someone in a position of either authority or subordination in relation to you, or you to them.

When in doubt, a handshake is always polite!

Normal: Hugs from good friends and family members; a light touch on the shoulder or arm from a stranger who needs your attention. It’s interesting to note that in a culture generally more comfortable with physical closeness and touching, hugs seem to be considered more intimate here than those air kisses next to the cheek. But if you think about it, it makes quite a bit of sense: a short moment of facial closeness is a lot less contact than pressing your entire bodies against each other for a few seconds! That’s why hugs are usually reserved for really good friends, family, and romantic partners.

Not normal: Hugs from strangers, or even acquaintances that you’re not close to; a stranger grabbing you or touching you anywhere below your shoulder. If you don’t want to press your body up against someone else’s, by all means, don’t – you’re not obliged! And if a stranger grabs you around your waist, whip around and give a well-deserved “back off” dirty look.

So there you have it! This is an article and not a book, of course, and is therefore not an exhaustive list. But I hope it’s given you at least a somewhat broad idea of what to expect in your personal interactions in Mexico. Go forward and kiss the air next to people’s faces!

Or maybe just a handshake.

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

India and Mexico are rising stars of the global economy: A perspective from our CEO

By

Travis Bembenek

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March 16, 2024

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World map highlighting Mexico and India — India's economy has grown to be the fifth largest in the world, while Mexico is the 12th largest. What will the deglobalization trend bring for them both? (Wikimedia Commons)

People in business media are always on the lookout for the next big geography in globalization trends. Going back to the 1990s, it was NAFTA, then it was all China, China, and more China. Next came the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), evolving to BRICS (adding South Africa), and then BRICS+ (adding Mexico and Indonesia to the list).

In the past three years, three significant global events have left many wondering where we go from here. The first of course was the COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged supply chains and challenged the thinking of centralization of production in any one location.

Next came an increased concern globally on the degree of dependence on China, considering its government policies and lax intellectual property protection.

The third was the war in Ukraine, which changed the world’s perception of Russia (including as a destination for businesses), highlighted vulnerabilities in oil and natural gas supplies, and once again reminded us all of the fragility of peace.

Two significant and still developing business strategies have come out of these global events that I think are defining the next phase of globalization (or deglobalization): “China +1” and “nearshoring.”

China +1

The idea that China alone cannot be a single or primary source of supply for any company. It makes sense for many companies to retain China as a key source of supply, but also add a +1 in another low-cost country

Nearshoring

The idea that both long product supply chains reliant on Asia and also long energy supply chains are increasingly risky is resulting in shifting production closer to customers, and/or to less vulnerable regions.

I think India and Mexico will be the key beneficiaries of both of these shifts, for reasons outlined below.

India has the population and low-cost base to be the most logical “China +1” winner. Of course, other countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand will benefit, but India has by far the most potential to be the biggest beneficiary.

Mexico has the geography, labor force, and cost base to be the most logical nearshoring winner. All of North America will benefit significantly from the nearshoring trend, but Mexico has the most potential.

Both countries have their share of challenges. They currently have polarizing political leaders with outsized influence. They have infrastructure challenges, social issues that must be overcome, and important water scarcity issues. But both also have huge potential if they make sound policy decisions.

This past year, Mexico and India reached an agreement to collaborate on projects across a range of areas, including water management and the production of low-cost vaccines. Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard traveled to New Delhi to join Indian Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh to sign an agreement with India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry (SRE), Ebrard announced that Mexico and India will collaborate on and jointly finance “binational development and innovation projects in several fields,” including ones related to water, lithium, the aerospace industry, biotechnology and vaccines.

Under the new agreement, the SRE statement added, “both countries will identify priority projects for development, among which are water management, development of electro-mobility and production of vaccines at low cost.”

An interesting trend to note is Indian companies accelerating investing in Mexico. Last year, India’s Tata Consulting announced an investment in 2,500 IT consulting jobs in Monterrey, Mexico. Nuevo León’s governor Samuel García also announced a US $200M investment from India’s Vimercati, a leading company in the auto parts sector. And we recently reported on Hinduja Tech’s ambitious expansion plans nationwide.

More investment from other Indian companies is on the way, with Samuel García finishing up a trip to India late last year in which he announced investments from three of India’s largest companies including Tata Group, Infosys and HCL Tech. According to García, these companies will generate at least 7,000 jobs in Mexico.

The world is an increasingly complicated place for multinational companies to navigate. I think both India and Mexico will be clear winners in the next phase of globalization, and it’s fascinating to see how these two countries could collaborate, cooperate, and even complement each other given their unique strengths. I’ll be rooting for both countries in the next round of globalization!

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.

Got 1 min? Woman gives birth mid-flight from Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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Aeromexico plane — The baby entered the world on an Aeroméxico flight, mid-way between Mexico City and Ciudad Juárez. (File photo)

A woman had an eventful flight from Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez on Friday: she gave birth to a healthy baby boy approximately one hour into the journey.

Aeroméxico reported that a passenger went into labor on flight 113 from the capital to the Chihuahua border city.

A doctor happened to be on board and delivered the baby with the assistance of the cabin crew. The mother and baby were taken to hospital upon arrival in Ciudad Juárez.

Another passenger on the flight, Paola Contreras, appeared to be the first person to break the news of the unexpected mid-flight birth.

“A baby was just born on the flight I was on,” she wrote in a post to Instagram.

“We landed with a new passenger. A round of applause for all the flight attendants. Wow, wow, wow @aeromexico.”

A flight attendant holds the baby, whose face is blurred for privacy. (Xime Garmendia/X)

A video posted to social media showed one flight attendant handing over the bundled-up newborn to a passenger, presumably the mother. The doctor who delivered the baby was identified as Leticia Olivares.

There was apparently some speculation that the newborn boy would be able to fly for free for life on Aeroméxico flights as a result of being born on one of the Mexican flag carrier’s aircraft.

But the news outlet ADN 40 reported that there is nothing on the Aeroméxico website to indicate that is the case.

According to a study published in 2020, 74 babies were born on 73 commercial flights between 1929 and 2018. “Seventy-one of the infants survived delivery, two died shortly after delivery and the status of one is unknown,” the study said.

Babies born on flights are called “skyborns,” according to a Condé Nast Traveler report.

While the birth of babies on planes is very rare, the boy born on the flight between Mexico City and Ciudad Juárez on Friday morning is not this month’s first “skyborn.”

Another baby was born on an Air Canada flight from the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia to Toronto last week. “The flight was diverted to Bermuda, but the baby was delivered before landing,” Global News reported.

With reports from Milenio and ADN 40

Could construction of Mexico City’s canceled airport be restarted?

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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Xóchitl Gálvez speaks into a microphone — Presidential candidates Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum traded sharp words over Gálvez's suggestion that she would consider resuming construction on the canceled airport. (Xóchitl Gálvez/X)

Could the new Mexico City International Airport (NAICM), which was partially built by the previous government and canceled by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, be completed?

Presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez believes so, although she stressed on Thursday that she hasn’t yet decided whether a government she leads would seek to reactivate the multi-billion-dollar project.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the ruling Morena party’s presidential candidate and clear favorite to win the June 2 election, ridiculed the idea first aired by Gálvez last week, asserting that any move to resume construction of NAICM would be an “ecological absurdity.”

The construction of an airport on an ancient lakebed in Texcoco east of Mexico City was the signature infrastructure project of former president Enrique Peña Nieto.

López Obrador canceled the project — at significant expense — after a legally-questionable referendum held before he took office in December 2018. He had long argued that the project was corrupt, too expensive and being built on land that was sinking.

His government instead converted an Air Force base north of Mexico City into the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), which opened in March 2022. Passenger numbers have gradually increased at AIFA, but the new airport still hasn’t eased pressure in any significant way on the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), which, according to the federal government, reached saturation point two years ago.

AIFA Tower — The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) opened in March 2022 and is one of President López Obrador’s flagship projects. (Gobierno de México)

Meanwhile, an ecological park on the site of what was to be NAICM is slated to open at the end of April.

What has Gálvez said about the abandoned airport project?

The candidate for a three-party opposition alliance and Sheinbaum’s main rival for the presidency said late last week that if she wins the June 2 election she will consider reviving the NAICM project with 100% private investment, as public money is needed for things such as medicines and schools.

“I believe there could be honest, transparent private participation [in the project]. I don’t know why the [current] government thinks that working with the private sector means corruption,” Gálvez said at a Citibanamex event on March 7.

She said that the cancellation of the airport is “an issue that continues to pain us” and that she was “studying” the possibility of reactivating the project.

“I don’t want to take a decision lightly. Three hundred billion pesos [US $18 billion] was already spent [on the airport]” Gálvez said, adding that the money was effectively “thrown in the trash.”

As president, the former senator said she would also consider the option of expanding the army-built AIFA, as the current government anticipated would occur in future years in order to increase capacity from the current level of 20 million passengers per year to as many as 80 million.

Texcoco Airport design — The Texcoco airport, as seen in this model, would have eventually had the capacity for 125 million passengers annually, one expert said. (Lizette de la Garza/Wikimedia)

“We’ll have to see if six runways fit [at AIFA], we’ll have to see if new terminals fit because it has to be an airport for at least 100 million passengers,” Gálvez said.

Responding to Sheinbaum’s criticism, the PAN-PRI-PRD candidate said Thursday that it is “false that I’ve made a decision” about the NAICM project.

“We’re studying [the issue] because, among other things, Texcoco Lake could be a water storage lake. … We have to study the issue comprehensively,” Gálvez said.

Water supply in Mexico City, and many other parts of the country, is a major concern.

Sheinbaum declares that completing NAICM is out of the question

On the campaign trail in Cuernavaca on Tuesday, the former Mexico City mayor and close ally of López Obrador asserted that there is no possibility of reviving the canceled airport project and that any attempt to do so would be an “ecological absurdity.”

Speaking at an event with scientists from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, Sheinbaum noted that the NAICM site has already been declared a Natural Protected Area and asserted that her rival’s idea had not been well thought out.

“The lakes [on the site] have recovered to a large extent, and diversity has returned to the area in a significant way [since the airport was canceled] and this was achieved through science,” she said.

Sheinbaum acknowledged that the “connectivity” between Mexico City and AIFA needs to improve to encourage more people to use the new airport, and suggested a government she leads would look at additional ways to do that.

Felipe Ángeles International Airport — New roads leading to Felipe Ángeles airport in Mexico City could make it more accessible to prospective passengers. (Gobierno de México)

A rail link between the Buenavista suburban train station in central Mexico City and AIFA — located about 40 kilometers north of the capital’s central square — is scheduled to open in June.

Reviving NAICM project not economically viable, academic says

Salvador Rosas Barrera, an academic in the postgraduate economics program at the National Autonomous University, told the infrastructure news website Obras por Expansión that completing the airport is not an economically viable option, although Gálvez said the money would have to come from the private sector.

“What is the problem? That we would have spent [billions] on the cancellation of the airport [just] to build it again,” he said.

In early 2022, the Federal Auditor’s Office estimated that the cost of canceling the NAICM project was 184.55 billion pesos (US $11 billion at today’s exchange rate).

Gálvez didn’t mention any estimated cost for completing the project, but the figure would presumably be in the billions of dollars.

Rosas said that NAICM would have offered significant “advantages” to Mexico, particularly as a result of its slated size. It was expected to eventually have a capacity to handle 125 million passengers annually.

“It was going to compete with the large airports in Europe,” Rosas said.

Othón Pérez, infrastructure director at construction company Bovis, told Obras por Expansión that it wouldn’t be an easy task to “recover” the structures that were built on the NAICM site and continue the project.

Texcoco park — The federal government created a natural protected area on part of the site of former Lake Texcoco, the site of the canceled Texcoco airport. (Gobierno de México)

What is needed, he said, is to invest in the existing Mexico City airport and build new roads to AIFA.

Considering that Sheinbaum is the hot favorite to become Mexico’s next president, that the NAICM site is now a Natural Protected Area and that a new airport opened in the Mexico City metropolitan area just two years ago, it appears extremely unlikely that planes will one day take off and land in Texcoco.

While Gálvez’s idea to have the private sector complete NAICM may never become a reality, the opposition presidential candidate has succeeded in reigniting a debate about the cancellation of the previous government’s airport project, and what needs to be done in Mexico to ensure that the country’s future aviation needs are met.

With reports from El Economista, Infobae, Proceso, Aristegui Noticias and Obras por Expansión

India vs Mexico in Numbers

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

2

India and Mexico in satellite images — India and Mexico both have diverse populations and topography, as well as burgeoning economies. (NASA/MND)

We have continued our “Global Mexico” series at Mexico News Daily this week, publishing a number of “India in Focus” articles, including a history of bilateral relations and an interview with India’s ambassador to Mexico.

In this article, we’ll take a look at a variety of data on India and Mexico that allows objective comparisons to be made between the two countries in a range of different areas.

Did you know that India and Mexico are the world’s top two recipients of remittances?

Did you know that India’s population is more than 10 times larger than Mexico’s?

Read on to discover many other facts about India and Mexico in this latest addition to our data journalism series “Mexico in Numbers.”

Population and demographics

On April 24, 2023, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) released a policy brief that noted that the latest population estimates and projections indicated that China would soon cede to India “its long-held status as the world’s most populous country.”

“In April 2023, India’s population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 people, matching and then surpassing the population of mainland China,” DESA said.

India’s current population of around 1.43 billion people — equivalent to approximately one-sixth of the global population of 8.1 billion — is more than 11 times the size of Mexico’s population, which was just over 126 million at the time of the last census in 2020 and is now about 129.1 million, according to Worldometer, a real-time statistics website.

India’s population has increased by more than 1 billion people since 1950, growing by more than 300% from 353 million in the middle of last century. Mexico has added more than 100 million people in the same period — 25.8 million to 129 million — and its population growth in percentage terms, at around 400%, is in fact even higher than that of India.

Meanwhile, the median ages of Indians and Mexicans are remarkably similar. In 2023, the median age of Indians was 29.5, according to a CIA World Factbook estimate, while the figure for Mexicans was just over a year higher at 30.6.

Out of 227 countries, India has the 89th youngest population, while Mexico has the 100th youngest, according to the CIA Factbook.

According to the World Health Organization, the life expectancy of Indians at birth was 70.8 years in 2019, up from 62.1 years in 2000. In Mexico, life expectancy is about 6% higher at just over 75.

Area and other geographical data

With an area of 3.28 million square kilometers, India is the seventh largest country in the world.

Mexico’s territory covers 1.96 million square kilometers, making it the 13th largest country in the world.

Therefore, India is around 1.7 times bigger than Mexico.

The entirety of Mexico’s territory could fit into India along with five additional “Chihuahuas” (Chihuahua is Mexico’s largest state by area) and 20 extra “Tlaxcalas” (Tlaxcala is the smallest state by area).

India is divided into 28 states and eight union territories including the National Capital Territory of Delhi, whereas Mexico has 31 states and a 32nd state-like entity in Mexico City, the national capital.

Kangchenjunga peak in India — India’s formidable Kangchenjunga peak is the third highest in the world; nearly 3,000 meters higher than Mexico’s tallest peak, Pico de Orizaba. (Wikimedia Commons)

The third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga, is located in the Himalayas on the India-Nepal border. At 8,586 meters, its summit is almost 3,000 meters higher than that of the 5,636-meter-high Pico de Orizaba, an active stratovolcano on the Veracruz-Puebla border that is Mexico’s highest peak.

Indians in Mexico, Mexicans in India

Mexico’s 2020 census found that 1,825 Indian immigrants were living in Mexico, while the Indian Embassy in Mexico said in late 2023 that the Indian community in Mexico, including non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin, was about 8,000.

According to the embassy, about one-third of that number live in Mexico City, while the remainder of Mexico-based Indians are spread across numerous cities including Guadalajara, Monterrey, Querétaro and Cuernavaca. The IT sector is the largest employer of Indians in Mexico, the embassy said.

According to the Mexican government, just 71 Mexicans lived in India in 2022, down from 182 five years earlier.

Economy

In 2023, India was the world’s fifth largest economy with a GDP of US $3.73 trillion, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Indian economy last year was just over two times bigger than the Mexican economy, where GDP was $1.81 trillion in 2023, according to IMF projections. Mexico is currently the 12th largest economy in the world.

While India’s economy is large and growing, the wealth of its people as measured in per capita GDP is low as a result of its vast population. India’s GDP per capita was just US $2,411 in 2022, according to the World Bank, almost five times lower than that in Mexico, which was $11,496 the same year.

Data shows that the India’s economy is currently growing much faster than Mexico’s. GDP in India is projected to grow 7.7% in fiscal year 2023-24, which ends March 31, while Mexico’s economy expanded 3.2% in annual terms last year.

Wealth and poverty

The World Bank currently classifies India as a lower middle-income economy, while Mexico is classed as an upper middle-income country.

There is significant income inequality in both countries, epitomized by the stark contrast in living standards between the nations’ wealthiest and poorest people.

According to an Oxfam report published in early 2023, India’s richest 1% own more than 40% of the country’s wealth and the top 10% own more than 80%.

According to a 2021 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), “Mexico has one of highest levels of inequality in the OECD (as measured by the Gini index and the share of income going to the richest 10% of people).”

The World Inequality Report 2022 said that the top 10% of income earners in Mexico earn over 30 times more than the bottom 50%.

The report, completed by the World Inequality Lab, said that just over 57% of all income goes to the top 10% of Mexican wage earners, while only 9.2% ends up in the pockets of the bottom 50%.

Two Indians, Mukesh Ambani and Guatam Andani, are among the 20 richest people in the world, according to Forbes, while one Mexican, Carlos Slim, makes the list.

With regard to poverty, a report published this year by an Indian government think tank and reviewed by Deutsche Welle said that the percentage of Indians living in “multidimensional poverty” has declined to 11% from 29% nine years ago.

Skyline of Mumbai — This Mumbai cityscape could easily be mistaken for a Mexican urban center, where stark contrasts between rich and poor are seen in close proximity. (Shutterstock)

“The numbers would appear to show strong progress towards the government’s goal of reducing multidimensional poverty to below 1%, but some economists have raised some serious doubts over the use of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to make these claims, pointing out that the report does not paint the full picture,” DW reported.

In Mexico, data published by the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval) last year showed that 46.8 million Mexicans were living in a “situation of poverty” in 2022, down from 55.7 million in 2020.

The percentage of the population living in poverty in 2022 was 36.3%, down from 43.9% two years earlier, Coneval said.

“In 2022, 36 of every 100 people in Mexico had at least one deprivation of their social rights and had a [monthly] income … that was insufficient to purchase a [basic] food basket and necessary goods and services,” the council said.

Religion

Hinduism and Catholicism are the dominant religions in India and Mexico, respectively.

According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, Hindus make up 79.8% of India’s population, while Muslims account for 14.2%.

“Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains account for most of the remaining 6%,” the U.S.-based think tank said.

The 2020 census in Mexico found that 77.7% of the population identified as Catholics, while 11.2% identified as Protestant or Evangelical. Thus, 88.9% of Mexicans consider themselves Christians. Just over 8% of the population said in 2020 they didn’t have a religion.

Diwali and Day of the Dead celebrations — Mexico and India both have dominant religions practiced by a majority of the population. In Mexico, most identify as Catholics while in India, most identify as Hindu. (MND)

Other religions are practiced in Mexico, including Judaism and Islam, but the number of adherents is low.

Remittances and the Indian and Mexican diasporas

India and Mexico are the world’s two largest recipients of remittances sent home be their nationals working abroad.

The World Bank said in December that “the top five remittance recipient countries in 2023 are India ($125 billion), Mexico ($67 billion), China ($50 billion), the Philippines ($40 billion), and Egypt ($24 billion).”

In February, the Bank of Mexico reported a lower 2023 remittances figure for Mexico, US $63.31 billion, but that amount was still a record high.

There are large numbers of Indians and Mexicans living outside their country of origin.

According to the United Nations, India has the world’s largest diaspora, with 17.9 million Indian-born people living abroad in 2020. Mexico ranks second, with a diaspora of 11.2 million people, the majority of whom live in the United States.

Popularity of leaders

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador frequently boasts at his morning press conferences that he is the second most popular world leader after Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi.

Chart by Visual Capitalist/Morning Consult — Prime Minister Modi and President López Obrador are the winners in the global leader popularity contest. (Visual Capitalist/Morning Consult)

In support of his claim, he presents data from the Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker, an initiative of United States business intelligence company Morning Consult.

The latest data, derived from polls conducted in 25 countries around the world, shows that López Obrador is once again the second most popular of 25 world leaders, with an approval rating of 63%.

Modi, as is invariably the case, is No. 1 with an approval rating of 78%.

López Obrador, who took office in December 2018, will hand over the presidential sash to his successor on Oct. 1. He is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection.

Modi has been prime minister since May 2014 and will seek reelection in a general election to be held later this year. In India, the world’s largest democracy, there are no term limits for prime ministers.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.

Yaxchilán archaeological site reopens after closing due to insecurity

By

MND Staff

-

March 15, 2024

6

An aerial view of the Southern Acropolis, an area in the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone. — An aerial view of Acrópolis Sur, an area in the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone. (INAH)

After being closed since October due to cartel violence in the region, the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone in the southern state of Chiapas reopened this week for tourism.

Local tour guide Silvano López Gómez called it “five months of paralyzing tourist activity,” but said now there is “a great opportunity to visit, learn about, enjoy and contribute to the conservation of the Lacandon Jungle.”

Located near Mexico’s border with Guatemala, Yaxchilán and other archaeological sites in the border region had been cited as risky places to visit by Diego Prieto, director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

“At INAH, we suggest that you don’t go … so you don’t have an unfortunate experience,” Prieto said in Janurary.

In turn, at least three travel agencies from Europe stopped including visits to the Lacandón Jungle — home to several important Maya ruins — on their travel itineraries. Cancellations poured in, refunds had to be issued and tourism in Chiapas came to a virtual standstill.

The reason why: The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the Sinaloa Cartel and local affiliates of those criminal organizations have been engaged in a turf war in the area for over three years. At stake are routes along which narcotics, weapons and migrants are transported north from Guatemala.

The Labyrinth, a complex building in the Gran Plaza area of Yaxchilán. (INAH)

Esquivel Cruz González, commissioner for peace in the border community of Frontera Corozal, was excited about the reopening of Yaxchilán, noting that dozens of families that make a living from tourism have been hurting.

“This will give the region an economic respite,” he said, also noting that security protocols have been deployed to guarantee safe visits.

Cruz said Yaxchilán and the Bonampak Archaeological Zone were closed not only due to cartel violence, but also because locals deemed it necessary to arm themselves in response. The sites were closed “in order to contain and control the actions that were against the town.”

The decision to reopen came during a communal assembly on March 9. In turn, the ecotourism agencies Nueva Alianza and Escudo Jaguar also reopened.

This week, boats with tourists began leaving Frontera Corozal to ply the Usumacinta River and enter Yaxchilán by water. That’s how most tourists reach it; the other way is by flying in on a light aircraft and using a landing strip.

“We are going to rise back up, little by little, but every beginning is difficult,” said María Jiménez, a receptionist at Yaxchilán and a member of the Ch’ol people, who are Indigenous to the region and number about 9,000.

Aurelio Álvaro Jiménez, secretary of the Yaxkin Lacandonia society, said tourists should have no fears. “At the Corozal border, at this time, it is the best place in terms of security, because we have community guards, both at the entrance of the town and on the border with Guatemala,” he assured.

“We have a firm commitment to be able to rise to the occasion,” added Cruz González.

With reports from Proceso and El Financiero

Meet India-born Tarun Sharma, captain of Mexico’s cricket team

By

MND Staff

-

March 15, 2024

2

Tarun Sharma, captain of Mexico's national cricket team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

Cricket is often described as a “religion” in India, a cricket-mad country where millions of children harbor the dream of at least playing for the Indian national team, if not actually captaining it.

Like the vast majority of boys (and increasingly girls) who grow up playing cricket on the streets and sports grounds of India, Tarun Sharma didn’t achieve either of those things, but he did accomplish a somewhat similar feat, albeit one that few, if any, kids in major cricket-playing nations have ever envisioned.

Tarun Sharma playing cricket. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

He became a national-level cricket player and captain in Mexico, of all places, where the top cricketers play for the love of the game rather than the large sums of money that are on offer in some countries, most notably India, which is home to the world’s most lucrative cricket competition, the Indian Premier League or IPL.

Sharma — a talented batsman who started playing cricket on the streets of the northern Indian city of Sonipat as a boy — debuted for the Mexican cricket team at the Central American Cricket Championships in Belize in 2006, and just over a decade later, was appointed national captain by the Mexico Cricket Association committee.

In just his second year as captain in 2018, he led Mexico to victory in the South American Cricket Championship, with the team remaining undefeated throughout the entire tournament in Colombia. The following year, Mexico lost to Argentina in the final of the same championship, but all in all, it was another successful campaign for a team led by a man who had long dreamed of playing cricket — his self-declared “passion” — at a high level.

“They all feel very proud of me,” Tarun told Mexico News Daily this week when I asked him what his family and friends back in India think of his impressive cricket achievements — so far from his original home.

“I myself am very proud, leading this team and playing for Mexico,” he said, adding that his parents and siblings, among others, take a keen interest in his cricketing exploits.

Sharma moved to Mexico for work 20 years ago and is now a dual Indian-Mexican citizen, which allows him to play for the Mexican national team.

During an interview on Monday, he gave me an overview of his unique cricketing story, which began in the most common of ways in India, but took an unexpected turn after he relocated to Mexico.

Tarum Sharma playing cricket in England. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

The journey to becoming Mexican cricket captain — via Maharashtra, Worcester and Milan

Sharma pointed out that field hockey, rather than cricket, is the national sport of India, and explained that the game is particularly popular in his home state of Haryana, which borders the National Capital Territory of Delhi and several states in the republic’s north.

He played hockey at school and didn’t become interested in organized, competitive cricket until India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. Sharma was 11 at the time, and, inspired by Indian players such as cricket legend Kapil Dev, decided to “get serious” about the sport he had previously only played after school with friends “for fun.”

He went on to play organized cricket through his teenage years and represented Sonipat at a district level at the age of 16 before moving to the state of Maharashtra to study engineering at university.

Sharma continued to play cricket, including at a high local level in Maharashtra, where he played with and against outstanding cricketers such as national representative Vinod Kambli. Later in the 1990s, he enjoyed stints playing cricket during summer in Worcester, England, the country where cricket originated more than 400 years ago.

In early 2004, having completed a Master’s degree in International Business in the U.K. and having started working for a Danish rubber production company, Sharma transferred with that firm to Mexico City, where his Mexican cricket adventure began.

Shortly after arriving in the capital, he began playing alongside other Indians in a team called Los Tigres de Bengala, or The Bengal Tigers.

The Mexican national cricket team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

Matches were played at Mexico’s home of cricket, the Reforma Athletic Club in Naucalpan, where cricket has been played since the late 19th century and continues to be played to this day. After a couple of highly successful seasons with the Tigres, and having met the residency-requirement to play for Mexico, Sharma was drafted into the national side for the inaugural Central American Championships in Belize, at which Mexico ending up losing the final to the host nation.

Thus, at the still young but not-so-tender age of 33, the international career of the stylish Indian-born bateador mexicano (Mexican batsman) was underway.

But just as it was getting started, Sharma’s international cricket career was interrupted as his work took him to Italy, where he kept up his skills by turning out for a cricket club in Milan.

However, his stay in Italy wasn’t a particularly long one, and by 2008 he was back living in Mexico.

Sharma returned to the national team soon after, and went on to play matches at home and abroad against countries including Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and Chile, and even teams from the Falkland Islands and one representing the fabled Marylebone Cricket Club in London.

Playing in the Mexican team that won the 2014 South American Cricket Championship in Peru during the country’s inaugural participation in the tournament was a highlight.

Three years later, Sharma captained Mexico at the same tournament for the first time, and would go on to do so again at the 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 editions. At last year’s championship in Argentina, he became, at the age of 51, the oldest ever international captain in T20 cricket, the shortest — and according to many people — most exciting form of the sport.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list of the oldest captains, as displayed on the preeminent cricket website espncricinfo.com, is dominated by representatives of countries considered cricket “minnows” such as Luxembourg, Croatia and Cambodia. Tarun finds it somewhat amusing to find himself at the top of the list.

Having made his debut in international cricket almost two decades ago, and having led the Mexican team on numerous occasions over a period of six years, Sharma decided earlier this year to step down from the captaincy. But despite now being in the sixth decade of life, he is likely to play at least a few more international matches yet.

Tarun with a national teammate — Tarun and Luis Hermida, another member of the Mexican national team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

The mission to grow cricket in Mexico

“We want to see kids born in Mexico playing for the national side. That’s our objective, that’s our vision,” Tarun told MND, noting that most players who have represented the team relocated to Mexico from cricket-playing countries such as India and England, although one Mexican-born player, Australia-based Luis Hermida, has played for Mexico.

Sharma acknowledged that achieving the objective will be a “challenge” and asserted that to overcome it “we have to promote cricket in schools.”

With the support of the Mexico Cricket Association (MCA), cricket has been introduced in a small number of Mexican schools, but there’s still plenty of work to do in a country where football (or soccer) is easily the most popular sport, and cricket is virtually unknown.

Over the years, Sharma has dedicated countless hours of his spare time to coaching children and women, including many Mexicans, helping them hone their techniques and understand the sometimes confusing and complex rules of cricket.

He noted that one product of the junior cricket development program in Mexico, a Mexican 15-year-old boy, will travel to Costa Rica next month as part of the national team that will compete in this year’s Central American Cricket Championship.

Sharma also mentioned that Mexico sent a kids’ team to the Street Child Cricket World Cup in India last year, while junior national teams have participated in other international tournaments in recent years. The Mexican women’s team has also participated in recent international tournaments.

Sharma has also made significant contributions to growing cricket beyond metropolitan Mexico City, including in Querétaro, where he now lives. After becoming Mexican captain, he visited Guadalajara and Monterrey to meet with players and donate equipment provided by the MCA, and he played a key role in establishing an annual national cricket championship, at which teams from different parts of Mexico compete for the right to be known as the country’s best.

“I felt the need to have other regions [of Mexico] involved in the MCA. The idea is to grow cricket in other states,” he said, adding that his fellow Indians and other Mexico-based foreigners have helped to do that in various parts of the country.

Four decades after he first got serious about cricket in Sonipat, Sharma told MND his passion for the sport “is not dying,” explaining with those words words what motivates him to continue working to increase the popularity of cricket in Mexico, and to keep on coaching and mentoring new players while also playing the sport he loves himself, even if it’s just at the local level in Querétaro.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.