The biennial PBD is in January in Kolkata; it will be the 19th PBD. The Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar can make Girmitiyas (descendants of the indentured laborers) feel welcomed and at home in their ancestral homeland by announcing several goodies in addition to the various schemes currently offered to them. Among additional benefits should be a Girmitiya Study and Research Center, an India- Girmitiya Business Council, a Museum, Assistance in tracing roots (ancestral relatives), easier and simpler process of obtaining OCI, and a favorable tourism project especially to visit the areas where the girmitiyas trace their roots. Such goodies will help to strengthen India’s relationship with the descendants of Indian indentured labourers, known as the Girmitiya diaspora.
The 19th PBD theme, “From Roots to Return: Reigniting Diaspora Connect with Bharat,” is particularly meaningful for Girmitiyas. Their ancestors left Indian shores more than a century ago under the indentureship system, travelling from ports such as Calcutta to Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa and other destinations.
They carried little material wealth but preserved something invaluable: their languages, religion, traditions, music, cuisine, traditional clothing, other cultural practices, family values and a deep abiding attachment to India.
Today, their descendants occupy prominent positions in politics, government, business, academia, medicine, law and other professions in their respective countries. Some have become presidents, prime ministers, ministers, parliamentarians and internationally recognised leaders of NGS, international organizations, and business leaders.
Yet many still yearn for a stronger relationship with the land of their ancestors. PBD 2027 should, therefore, be more than another diaspora convention. It should become a defining moment in India’s relationship with the Girmitiya world.
Prime Minister Modi should make them feel that they are not simply overseas people of Indian origin attending an international conference. They are members of an extended Indian family whose ancestors helped carry Indian civilisation and culture (soft power) across oceans, established the Indian diaspora since around 1828, and promote India to the world.
The PM should devote a special segment of his inaugural address on January 8 to recognising their historical journey, sacrifices, and achievements as he did in every diaspora country he visited and interacted with them. He must acknowledge that they are flag bearers of India’s civilizational and cultural values and recognize them as members of the Indian family, as part of India. Such recognition would have enormous emotional significance for the global Girmitiya community, encouraging them to regularly visit and promote India as a tourist destination as well as a place to invest and for their children to study. It will help to make them proud of Bharat.
The PM should consider declaring a special Girmitiya Partnership Initiative and establishing a Girmitiya Study and Research Center, and a virtual museum – all tied to the Ministry of External Affairs (Diaspora Unit). Access to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) facilities is an important issue for descendants of indentured immigrants. The PM and EAM should review eligibility and documentation requirements for the OCI for Girmitiya descendants, particularly those from countries (in the Caribbean) where generations of separation from India and destruction of archival documents have made it difficult to establish ancestry.
The Prime Minister should announce a special Girmitiya ancestry facilitation program to help eligible applicants establish their Indian lineage and navigate OCI procedures. This can be done through a thorough investigation of individuals on potential security threat.
The Girmitiya Initiative should move beyond occasional cultural exchanges and KIP and in providing developmental assistance to governments of countries where girmitiyas are located. (It should be noted that much of the benefits given to countries do not flow to the girmitiyas). The Initiative should establish lasting relationships in: Trade and investment, direct scholarships to girmitiyas rather than to governments that distribute them to non-Indians, Tourism and heritage preservation (various packages and on line courses) to girmitiyas; Religious Training to preserve and promote cultural practices, Assistance in tracing roots, Databased to help girmitiyas to find ancestors, among others. There should be a dedicated Girmitiya desk at the missions abroad and at MEA to address problems facing girmitiyas and to assist with processing OCI, coordinating girmitiya activities, maintaining relationships with girmitiya and their organisations and monitoring implementation of Government of India schemes and commitments to the diaspora.
The above suggestions will cement ties between India and the girmitiya diaspora, resulting in benefits for both sides. The implementation of these ideas will make girmitiyas see India as a structured, long-term partnership.
