Background of Indian Diaspora

7/28/2019 Background of Indian Diaspora

1/5

Background of Indian Diaspora Southeast Asia :

The Indian Diaspora today constitutes an important, and in some respects unique force in world

culture. The term Diaspora is used to refer to any people or ethnic population forced or induce to

leave their traditional ethnic homeland; being dispersed throughout other parts of the world, and the

ensuing developments in their dispersal and culture. The original meaning was cutoff from the

present meaning when the Old Testament was translated to Greek. The word Diaspora was used to

refer specifically to the populations of Jews from Judea in 686 BC by the Babylonians and Jerusalem

in 136 AD by the Roman Empire. The origins of the modern Indian Diaspora lie mainly in the

subjugation of India by the British and its incorporation in the British empire.

The Indian classical texts describe about language, journeys that saints and monks undertook for the

spread of knowledge, peace and love. The archeological evidences establish the fact that Indians

during ancient period did travel to other countries for trade. Indians were taken over as

indentured labor to far-flung parts of the empire in the nineteenth century, a circumstance to which

the modern Indian populations of Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad, Surinam, Malaysia, South

Africa, Sri Lanka and other places attest in their own peculiar ways. Indias cultural relations with

Southeast Asia are of the most fascinating fields of history. There is probably no other example in

the history of mankind of such cross fertilization between different cultures, societies and people for

over two millennia without any involvement of military force. Initially the mineral wealth of

Southeast Asia appear to have been a major attraction for Indians. India is trying its best to be major

power in the region with its Look East policy. Free from ideological rhetoric and the bogey of the

cold war, India moved closer towards Southeast Asian countries. India adopted two-pronged strategy

to have closer contact with Southeast Asia. The tiger economy of the Asia Pacific Rim was taken


2/5

into consideration. Indias perception was that of the volume of trade would increase and investment

opportunities would increase by becoming closer to ASEAN.

Though Indians lived under conditions of appalling poverty in many places of the world where they

were first taken as indentured labor, a number of remarkable transformations were effected over two

or three generations. Through sheer perseverance, labor and thrift and most significantly by a

calculated withdrawal into their culture, in which they found forces of sustenance, these Indians

successfully labored to give their children and grand-children between economic futures, and they in

time came to capture the trade and commerce of their new homelands.

I want to do research deeply about the problems related to ethnic and to find a way to get out from

these problems for those Indian Origins staying across the border with other identity without original

identity for an indefinite time with a hope to return to their homeland & to generate brotherhood

among them all.

Contemporary Issues :

Interlok is a 1971 Bahasa Malaysian novel written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain.

The novel was included in the syllabus for the Malay Literature subject as compulsory

reading for students in Form 5 (Secondary 5) in schools throughout Malaysia. Interlok

caused a controversy when detractors claim that the novel contained derogatory words to

describe Malaysian Indians, such as pariah and black people. The MIC has demanded

that the novel be removed from the school syllabus.

On 25th

November2007, a rally led by the Hindu Rights Action Force(HINDRAF) was held

in Kuala Lumpur to protest over alleged discriminatory policies favouring ethnic Malays.

The government and police tried to prevent the gatherings from taking place. Five

HINDRAF leaders were placed under preventive detention under the ISA and released only


3/5

after being incarcerated for more than two years. On 16 October 2008, HINDRAF was

banned when the government labeled the organization as a threat to national security.

Discrimination against Hindus can be further highlighted by the demolition of Hindu

temples. The demolition of these temples and houses of worship of the Hindus angered the

Indian population, hence a majority of the Indians voted for the opposition parties and only a

handful number of Indians (mainly from opposition parties) were successful at federal and

state levels.

The first and foremost expectation of those who have stayed back in Myanmar is that the

Government of India would intercede on their behalf with the Myanmar Government to sort

out some problems being faced by them, like the grant of citizenship, compensation for

nationalized businesses, etc.. There is a sense of anxiety among those sections of the

community who have not been granted local citizenship, particularly because it affects their

ability to own property, have higher education, get government jobs, etc.. There has been

practically no compensation for the land holdings nationalized in 1948, most of which

belonged Chettiyars from South Indian, as well as the private businesses nationalized in

1962. The Embassy and the Government of India have been taking up these issues with the

Government of Myanmar.

Objectives:

To understand the ethnicization of Indian Diaspora in respective country.

To understand the Indian Diaspora in Southeast Asia and their role in culture and economy

in host country and in bilateral relations with India.

Methodology:

Both quantitative and qualitative research methods based on secondary sources will be used.


4/5

Reference :

Barth,Fredrik(1969) Introduction. In F.Barth,ed., Ethnic Groups and Boundaries, pp.9-38.

Oslo : Norwegian University Eidheim, Harald (1969) When Ethnic Identity Becomes a

Social Stigma. In F.Barth, ed., Ethnic Groups and Boundaries, pp.38-57. Oslo: Norwegian

University Press

Eriksen, Thomas H. (1991a, in press) The Cultural Contexts of Ethnic Differences. Man, vol.

26(1)

Eriksen, Thomas H. (1991b, in press) Ethnicity versus Nationalism. Journal of Peace

Research, vol. 28(3)

Chisti, Muzaffar. 2007. The Rise in Remittances to India : A Closer Look. Washington D.C:

Migration Policy Institute.

Mishra, Patit Paban (2001) Trans-National Migration : Study of Indian Culture in Transit.

Jain, Ravindra K.1993. Indian Communities Abroad : Themes and Literature. New Delhi:

Manohar Publishers & Distributors.

Khadria, Binod. 2002. Skilled Labor Migration from Developing Countries: Study on India.

International Migration Papers 49. Geneva : International Labor Office.

High-Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora 2002. Report on the Indian Diaspora .

New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.


5/5

Research Proposal

on

Indian Diaspora in Southeast Asia :

A Study of Ethnic Identity Formation

By

Kedar Nath

Documents

Background of Indian Diaspora