Preservation of Indian Heritage in Girmitiya Communities Abroad

The Girmitiya that comes from the term 'agreement' referring to the indenture contracts signed by Indian Indentured labourers who were taken to work in the plantation fields of sugarcane and coffee by the British in their colonies such as Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname. After the abolition of slavery, there was an urgent need of labour to work in the plantations, so the British devised a way to bring Indians to work in different parts of the world.

This Girmitiya diaspora today forms a major portion of the Indian community present globally. These are referred to by as Person of Indian Origin (PIO) who might be a fourth or fifth generation Indian born in their host country but have their ancestors from India. The story of this Girmitiya is not just about their migration but it is also about their resilience, their efforts of cultural preservation and their continuous engagement in creating this Indian identity among the next generations.

These Indians who left from the ports of Calcutta and Madras on ships were thousands of men and women who not only left behind their homes but their families and villages as well. Though their travel was full of hardships and uncertainty, this also marked the beginning of new communities, bonds and families in foreign land. Girmitiya not only took their physical labour with them but they also carried their languages, their ancient texts, their culture and traditions with them. Bhojpuri is prominently spoken in Mauritius and Suriname today. Ramleela is performed by the Indian indenture labour community actively in these countries. Thus, they carried their faith, rituals and festivals with them. It was this way of remembrance and transmission that gave meaning to their lives and gave them hope to preserve their identity.

The Girmitiya descendants have carried forward the legacy of their ancestors in their respective countries. They have carried their Indian identity but they are also proud citizens of their host countries- South Africans, Mauritians, Fijians, thus making it clear that loyalty to their nation must not be compromised. Besides, their political contributions have been immense and we can see the heads of state in many of these countries are Persons of Indian Origin (PIO).

Today, as we talk about the Girmitiya diaspora we must remember that they have played a very important role in the preservation of Indian languages and heritage. Honoring the contribution of this Girmitiya diaspora, the Centre for African Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in collaboration with Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives (ODI) organised a symposium on "Girmitiya Community in Indian Diaspora: Preservation Efforts for Indian Language and Heritage" on 2nd September, 2025.

Dr. Sarita Boodhoo, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardee 2025 gave the Keynote Address and highlighted the efforts of the Indian indentured community in preservation of Indian languages and their heritage. It was through their efforts that Geet-Gawai, pre-wedding folk songs of Bhojpuri speaking people of Indian descent was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. There were others speakers also who talked about Girmitiya community's efforts for preservation of their culture in countries like Fiji, Uganda, Kenya, Suriname and Mauritius. Apart from Prof. Ajay Dubey and Dr. Sushmita Rajwar from Centre for African Studies, JNU other speakers included Prof. Bashabi Gupta, Miranda House, DU; Dr. Bijay Pratihari, Jamia Millia Islamia; Dr. Amit Singh, National Security Studies, JNU; Dr. Rajneesh Gupta, CAS, JNU and Dr. Aarshi Dua, Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.

These deliberations come at a time when the Government of India is focused on engaging more intensely with the Girmitiya diaspora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas this year in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa highlighted the contributions of the Girmitiya diaspora in their host countries. He said that more research needs to be done on their efforts on preservation of culture and heritage in these foreign lands, where the Indian culture is so intact even today. During the past the government has made number of efforts to connect with the Girmitiya diaspora by launching programmes like tracing your roots and Know India Programmes for connecting with the youth. These programmes are being run successfully by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Now, it is the responsibility of researchers to focus on the efforts of the Girmitiya community. We need to acknowledge their legacy, their sacrifices and their achievements. These efforts have ensured the preservation of Indian languages, customs and traditions thousands of miles away from their home country. By engaging in such research one can honour not just a chapter of Indian history but a chapter of global history.

Dr. Sushmita Rajwar is currently working as Associate Professor, Centre for African Studies, SIS, JNU. She has formerly worked as Associate Professor, Department of Politics & Governance, Central University of Kashmir and as Assistant Professor at Department of Political Science, Maharaja Agrasen College, University of Delhi. She has completed her Ph.D from Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her research interests include- India-Africa relations, Indian Diaspora in Africa, Maritime Security, China in Africa and Border disputes in African countries. Dr. Rajwar has published articles in SCOPUS indexed journals on topics covering Indian Diaspora in Africa, India-Mozambique Relations, Indian Diaspora in Mozambique, Disputed boundary between South Africa and Namibia, India-China in Africa, Challenges facing China in Zambia and many more.