Mr Bijin, his wife Princy Zacharias and children Moria (5 months) and Miya Bijin (5) have since adjusted well to life in the city, enjoying its compact layout and good facilities.
''It's good for the family and good for the children - everything is reachable,'' he said.
And these days, when they take a holiday back at their former home - Zozhikode, a port city of 600,000 people in South India - they find the year-round 30degC temperature more challenging than before.
Yesterday, the couple were among 37 people who became New Zealand citizens in a ceremony at the Dunedin Municipal Chambers.
After first coming to New Zealand in 2011, they worked initially in Palmerston North before moving to Dunedin, where Mr Bijin works as a taxi driver, and Mrs Princy is a registered nurse with the Southern District Health Board.
Mr Bijin said they found Dunedin friendly and welcoming, and they were well supported by their employers as they adjusted to life in their new home.
Others who became New Zealand citizens yesterday were: Naitingikeili Jr Amato (Tonga), Larissa Rachel Barbosa Van Hessing (Brazil), Robert Arthur Blackford (Australia), Dennis Lynn Bowers (United States), Peter Jonathan Burke (Britain), Denys Arnold Searls (Britain), Solveig Janet Cyphers (United States), Michael Phillip Diment (Britain), Sophie Louise French (Britain), Alexander Jane Fusco (Britain), Lewis George Green (Australia), Amanda Jane Phipps-Green (Australia), Anirban Amulya Ratan Ghosh (India), Werner Johnannes Hamman (South Africa), Linda Elizabeth Holman (South Africa), Yu-Ko Huang (Taiwan), Christopher Lloyd Jones (Australia), Jacob Pazhuvakalam Jose (India), Berly Jacob (India), Lolomani Talitongia Kalauta (Tonga), Jee Eun Kim (Korea), Chi Kwan Law (Britain/overseas national), Jee Eun Kim (Korea), Chi Kwan Law (Britain/overseas national), Georgina Faith Luby (United States), Jekope Ramala Maiono, Litia Liza Maiono, Atunasia Tikovulagai Maiono (Fiji), Max Nauma, Nofo Nauma (Samoa), Karin Paola Simonne Ongena, Stijn De Ridder (Belgium), Matthew Bruce Richardson (Britain), Maria Fernanda Schaumann (Uruguay), Zaa-id Jain Shah (Fiji), Divya Sivadas (India), Dharshini Selvamalar Thurairajah (Malaysia).
