Kazan, Oct 15 (PTI) Perched gracefully at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers, Kazan is a city that quietly asserts its own identity. It is neither Russian nor entirely Asian, its heart beats to its own rhythm, thrumming ever so softly to the sounds of India’s cultural and economic connect.

The capital of Tatarstan in western Russia is where mosques and cathedrals share the skyline and where Tatar heritage intertwines with Russian sensibilities. It is also where you can catch a local humming an old Dev Anand song, people watching Hindi films – and yes some cricket of course.

A friendly T20 cricket match between Indian students and local Tatar students last week summed up this new spirit perfectly. Cricket is not a Russian sport. Yet, on that mild afternoon, the small stadium w

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