Hinduism in Cyprus
Encyclopedia
The Indian community in Cyprus
, which numbered around two hundred a few years ago now stands at around 2,000.
("MNC") named Amdocs
and TSYS
with their offices in Cyprus.
The other MNCs employing Indians include those dealing in merchant shipping, tobacco
industry, market research
bodies, etc., besides software development.
There are around four to five hundred Indian students in different private colleges. Most of the students are doing hotel management, tourism, information technology and business administration courses.
There is also a fluctuating group of semi-skilled domestic servants, itinerant farm labourers and some management and technical professionals. The Indian community reflects the image of an India making important strides in the frontier areas of technological change in the new millennium.
and Cyprus
have been traditionally very close and friendly. Archbishop Makarios had the highest respect for Mahatma Gandhi
and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and was deeply appreciative of the support rendered by India to the struggle of Cyprus against British colonial rule. India has strongly supported the cause of safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
The Cypriot Government and the House of Representatives have repeatedly expressed warm appreciation of India’s role in this regard. There have been several gestures marking their special regard for and gratitude to India. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed near the Parliament House in July 1972 on the occasion of the visit of President V.V. Giri.
The avenue on which the House of Representatives is located was named after Jawaharlal Nehru during the visit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1983. The road on which the High Commission premises are located is also named after Indira Gandhi.
Over the years, Indo-Cypriot political relations have been maintained and strengthened through a series of high level visits. All the Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus, viz., Archbishop Makarios, Spyros Kyprianou
, George Vassiliou and Glafcos Clerides, paid State visit
s to India. From India, President V.V. Giri, President R. Venkataraman
and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
visited Cyprus. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
visited Cyprus from October 7-9, 2002. Cyprus publicly endorsed India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the expanded Security Council of the United Nations
. India reiterated its deep commitment to the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, which numbered around two hundred a few years ago now stands at around 2,000.
Composition of the Community
While the number of permanent residents is very small, the major chunk of the community consists of professional software programmers and their families. They are employed in some of the offshore companies operating in Cyprus. Few multi-national companiesMultinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
("MNC") named Amdocs
Amdocs
Amdocs Limited is a provider of software and services for billing, customer relationship management , operations support systems...
and TSYS
TSYS
Total System Services, Inc. is the largest processor of merchant acquirers and bank credit card issuers. Creators of TS2 and TS1. TSYS is located in Columbus, Georgia, United States. TSYS acquired a leading prepaid card processor, Clarity Payment Solutions, Inc...
with their offices in Cyprus.
The other MNCs employing Indians include those dealing in merchant shipping, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
industry, market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
bodies, etc., besides software development.
There are around four to five hundred Indian students in different private colleges. Most of the students are doing hotel management, tourism, information technology and business administration courses.
There is also a fluctuating group of semi-skilled domestic servants, itinerant farm labourers and some management and technical professionals. The Indian community reflects the image of an India making important strides in the frontier areas of technological change in the new millennium.
Cypriot-Indian Relations
Relations between IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
have been traditionally very close and friendly. Archbishop Makarios had the highest respect for Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and was deeply appreciative of the support rendered by India to the struggle of Cyprus against British colonial rule. India has strongly supported the cause of safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Cyprus.
The Cypriot Government and the House of Representatives have repeatedly expressed warm appreciation of India’s role in this regard. There have been several gestures marking their special regard for and gratitude to India. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was installed near the Parliament House in July 1972 on the occasion of the visit of President V.V. Giri.
The avenue on which the House of Representatives is located was named after Jawaharlal Nehru during the visit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1983. The road on which the High Commission premises are located is also named after Indira Gandhi.
Over the years, Indo-Cypriot political relations have been maintained and strengthened through a series of high level visits. All the Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus, viz., Archbishop Makarios, Spyros Kyprianou
Spyros Kyprianou
Spyros Achilleos Kyprianou was one of the most prominent politicians of modern Cyprus. He served as the second President of the Republic of Cyprus from 1977 to 1988....
, George Vassiliou and Glafcos Clerides, paid State visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
s to India. From India, President V.V. Giri, President R. Venkataraman
R. Venkataraman
Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union minister and as the eighth President of India....
and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
visited Cyprus. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
visited Cyprus from October 7-9, 2002. Cyprus publicly endorsed India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the expanded Security Council of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. India reiterated its deep commitment to the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Cyprus.