From the Sunday(April 8th) edition of the NIE:
Roma gypsies who claim to be the direct descendants of Lord Rama, the 'sons of Ram', and has migrated from India more than 700 years ago to various parts of the world, are in the capital in search of their lost roots.

A 30 member delegation of Romas from various countries including France, the Czech republic, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Belgium and mainly Romania, are orgnasing a two-day international conference here tomorrow coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the formation of the international conference here tomorrow coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the formation of the international Roma organisation representing about 50 million Romas all over the world.

The two-day conference will deliberate on Roma culture and heritage, Roma people and human rights, Romany language and literature, journey to roots and Roma religion etc.

DRIVEN OUT: The Romas whose forefathers were driven out of their homeland by raiders centuries ago, say they have clung to their culture and heritage all these years.

They claim to have evidence that Lord Rama and Lord Krishna were historical personalities and not mythological figures.

Roma scholar Dr.Vania de Gila Kochanawski says he has researched and can prove that Rama and Krishna were their ancestors and made of flesh and bone. They were not myhtological figures, he asserts.

Mr. Nicolae Gheorghe, advisor on Roma and Sinti issues, who is from Poland, said he had named his teenaged daughter Romiyana (very close to Ramayana). He said he had studied the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

ROMANY LANGUAGE: The Romas speak a language called Romany which is very much similar to Hindi, Punjabi and some other Indian languages. Another Roma scholar, Mrs. Agnes (Belgium) has worked among Indian Banjaras and feels that Romas have direct links with the Banjaras, Jats and some pastoral and nomadic communities of India.

Introducing the delegation members at a press conference here today, Dr.B.K.Modi, noted industrialist and president of the 'Hindu Heritage Pratishthan', a charitable trust which is organising the two-day Roma international conference, said Indian history needed to be re-written and presented in its right perspective in the light of the researches done by the Romas.

TO IDENTIFY WITH INDIA: Dr. Emill Scuka, from the Czech republic, who is leading the 30-member delegation, said that while in India, they would meet minister for culture and tourism, Anant Kumar, and discuss ways and means so that Romas living in any part of the world can increasingly identify with India.