Source: Edmonton Journal

Ramneek Dhillon, on the phone from his office at DARPAN Magazine, is filling in as a willing and able historian, chronicling the travels of South Asian hockey players.

It is not a long list.

But when the Edmonton Oilers selected lanky forward Jujhar Khaira in the third round of last week's NHL entry draft at Pittsburgh, it marked another milestone in the South Asian community.

The Buffalo Sabres took centre Kevin Sundher in the third round in 2010, and the Vancouver Canucks selected Prab Ria in 2008.

Now the attention is on Khaira, who like Sundher and Ria, hails from Surrey B.C.

"I guess it is significant in terms of media attention because there haven't been a lot of South Asians (drafted)," Khaira said after Friday's on-ice session at the Oilers' development camp, "and there is a big South Asian community around here. I can see how many people from (Edmonton) who are following me on Twitter and congratulating me. They're so happy for me and they've never even met me.

"I don't mind. It's nice to have the support and it's welcoming to come into Edmonton knowing there are people behind you."

The six-foot-three, 202-pound winger, who is bound for Michigan Tech in the fall after two seasons with the British Columbia Hockey League's Prince George Spruce Kings, has been the focal point for several media outlets since he was drafted. He's been interviewed by OMNI News Punjabi National Edition, Sher-E Punjab Radio 1550 AM in Vancouver, and DARPAN, which will feature the prospect in its July-August edition.

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