In love

By Bridget Brady
LIFE’S sweet in Casey for Jasmeet Sehgal.
Like many other Indians, Mr Sehgal packed up his life in India and now calls Casey home.
Mr Sehgal, 29, arrived in Australia as a student and recently moved to Lynbrook with his family. He said the decision to leave India in 2002 was not an easy one, as there were expectations for him to take over a family business.
“It was the biggest decision I ever made because I’m the only child of my parents. I came over to see where I’d end up,” he said.
And Mr Sehgal said he ended up in a friendly, family orientated area when he moved to Casey in 2004.
“I was looking to buy my own house, and I wanted to have a quiet area with families around.”
He said the affordability of the area was another reason that prompted his move to Casey.
Mr Sehgal, who is a member of the Lynbrook Residents Association, said one of the best things about Casey was the multiculturalism that existed in the municipality. Five different nationalities were represented in his street alone, he said.
“It’s very young and fresh.”
From 2005 to 2009, India topped the list of countries from which people settled in Casey, with 2672. Second on the list was Sri Lanka with 1467 people.
Sri Lankan born Gamini Fonseka, who broadcasts for the Sri Lankan community on the Lakhanda radio station, said a better educational prospect for his children was the main reason his family moved to Australia.
Mr Foneska said while it was important for migrants to maintain their identities it was just as imperative that they integrated into the Australian community.
The five-year immigration trend in Casey indicates a slide in the number of overseas arrivals.
Indian settlers dropped from 641 in 2005 to just 308 last year. Sri Lankan immigrants fell from 331 in 2005 to 243 last year.
Arrivals from Sudan fell dramatically over the five-year period.
The 125 Sundaese settlers who arrived in Casey in 2005 dropped to just 12 last year.
Pakistan was the only nation in the top 10 to see an increase in arrivals.
The number of Pakistanis settling in Casey jumped from 29 in 2005 to 55 last year.