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India’s Internal Diasporas
Context:
India’s internal linguistic diasporas, highlighting their scale, cultural impact, and socio-economic significance, with reference to a recent study in Sociological Bulletin.
Definition and Scope of Diaspora
- The term diaspora generally refers to people living away from their homeland, either internally or internationally.
- In India, pravasi and videshi are used both for international migration and long-distance internal migration.
India’s International Diaspora
- Estimated at 20 million in 2001–02 and over 30 million at present.
- Over 2,000 studies exist on international diaspora, highlighting its significance for remittances, soft power, and cultural spread.
India’s Internal Diasporas
- Less studied but larger in scale — internal diaspora population is over 100 million.
- Linguistic groups with significant dispersion across India (2010 Census estimates):
- Punjabi diaspora:3 million (12.4% of speakers dispersed)
- Malayalam diaspora:6 million (12.2%)
- Tamil diaspora:4 million (11.5%)
- Telugu diaspora:9 million (9.7%)
- Gujarati diaspora:9 million (8.7%)
- Hindi diaspora:9 million (7.5%)
Key Observations
- Malayalam and Tamil have large internal diasporas but smaller international presence.
- Hindi diaspora is numerically largest but less dispersed compared to other groups.
- Internal diasporas often result from labour migrations, weaver/trader settlements, and business linkages.
- Diasporic identities are reinforced through cultural associations such as Durga Pujas, Ganapati festivals, and Samaj bodies.
Significance
- Internal diasporas shape urban demography, language retention, economic networks, and cultural spread.
- Migration patterns influence regional politics, integration challenges, and sub-national identities.
- Diasporas within India are crucial for understanding linguistic diversity, federalism, and migration history.
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