Indian diaspora in the world is making their presence felt through positive contributions in the economies of the host countries. Their ability to adopt to the local culture and customs is appreciated everywhere. It is particularly because of this reputation that they are welcomed everywhere and their number is increasing steadily. As of December 2018, the number of people of the Indian diaspora in the world has reached close to 31 million.
The maximum number of Indians are in the USA (4.5 million), UAE (3.1 million), Malaysia (2.9 million), Saudi Arabia (2.8 million), Myanmar (2 million) followed by the UK with an impressive number of 1.8 million Indians or people of Indian origin settled here. While some of the countries have Indians working as blue collar workers, especially in Gulf region, USA and other western countries have our fellow brothers and sisters working in white collar jobs in growing numbers.
Many of them have settled overseas for decades while others go as professional workers for a specific number of years. Whatever places they have made their home, “Indian-ness" is retained in their family, with a flavour of the local customs. Although later generations might adopt more of newer practices then the earlier ones in a gradual process, it is observed that fascination for India’s rich culture and heritage has not vanished from the successive generations. Their knowledge about India’s history and personal association with the country might be limited. But it is bound to happen with anyone, unless a conscious effort is made otherwise.
Indians in the UK who are settled here for over three generations, have retained the customs and cultures of the time when they had first left India. This persistent preservation of the positive practices in diaspora works like a conservatory of culture of the time they last belonged to. In that sense, Indians in Mauritius might have preserved influence of two hundred years old India in their succesive memory. Their Indian language and vocabulary might not have undergone the same transformation as has happened in India.
There are individual stories of those shifting, settling, struggling and ultimately achieving prosperity among the diaspora. Every individual who goes on years of struggle does not necessarily end up winning a kingdom. But his/her own satisfaction and achievement in life is worth narrating. Someone who sailed from India to Africa and then migrated to UK. Someone who had to do two jobs a day to feed the family, in the initial years of struggle and now feels happy to see the young generation growing in prosperity. These are the tales of times that need to be shared. Let us know at : [email protected].
