ON Thursday last week, Robin Kumar became an Australian citizen after a short ceremony in the Two Wells council chambers after moving from India to join his parents in 2014.

Robin told the story of how he made his way to Australia after seven years of living with his Auntie, as his father, a former elite marathon runner, being granted permanent residency following races he ran at the MCG and Gold Coast in 2007.

“Me and my sister used to live with my Auntie in India after my parents moved over here – dad said they had a choice between a few countries from Europe and Asia, but Australia was the best,” he said.

“When we first got here we lived in Port Pirie for a few years, but then last year my dad bought some property in Two Wells and is starting his own agriculture business, which brought us here.”

Mr Kumar, 17, spoke about the culture shock of moving from India to Australia, but said extra English school before he left made the transition relatively smooth.

“Me and my sister went to an English-medium school, so for us it wasn’t very hard – within about three months I got used to it,” he said.

“I’d never been to any other country, so it was quite different, but it has been good and the people have always been really nice.”

Mr Kumar said he plans on becoming a police officer now that he has finished school, but with his affinity for cricket and soccer – having played representative futsal in a tournament in Ballarat – he has an eye on UniSA’s Sport & Recreation Management course.