Indians in Zambia
Encyclopedia
There is a small community of Indians in Zambia. Unlike the better-known Indian communities
of East Africa
, they were little-studied by historians until the 2000s.
(later part of Northern Rhodesia
and then Zambia
) in 1905 via Bulawayo
, Southern Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe
) or the British Central Africa Protectorate (later Nyasaland
, now Malawi
). Unlike the population of Indians in South Africa, the proportion of indentured labourers
among them was quite small; most instead were skilled artisans or businesspeople. Initial settlers were Muslims
, but they were soon followed by Hindu traders. Indians always formed a much smaller portion of the population than Europeans, but their numbers continued to increase until the 1950s; in 1930, the ratio of Europeans to Indians was 300:1, but by 1951 the proportion had shifted to just 10:1. One main driver for this was the expansion in Northern Rhodesia's mining industry in the late 1940s, which attracted demobilised white British servicemen as well as Indians. Immigration again accelerated around 1953, for fears that the new federal government of Northern Rhodesia would place restrictions on Indian migration.
The India Office
had repeatedly expressed interest in sending a representative to British Central Africa to look after the interests of Indian emigrants, but permission was refused for fear that the presence of such a representative could stir up ethnic tensions between Indians and Europeans. Following Indian independence in 1948, the British High Commissioner to India proposed that one seat on Lusaka's legislative council be allocated to an Indian, but this suggestion was ignored and not further pursued. The Indian High Commissioner for British East and Central Africa was specifically warned "not to be the spokesman of Indians permanently resident". The Indian government, when it did voice complaint about issues of Indians in Africa, tended to focus on those in East Africa rather than Central Africa.
After Zambia achieved independence
in 1964, the government started looking to India for material and moral support, and since then the Indian community has played a meaningful role in the Zambian economy
. , India's Ministry of External Affairs
estimated there were 13,000 Indians in Zambia, representing slight growth over their 2000 estimate of 12,000. Most held Zambian or British citizenship. Many are in professions like banking, farming and mining. Recent arrivals include medical and educational professionals. The Levy Mwanawasa
government was friendly towards the Indian community; the functions hosted by the Indian community, such as Diwali
, were attended by a number of cabinet ministers of the Mwanawasa government.
Indian diaspora in East Africa
The Indian diaspora in Africa refers to people of Indian origin living in Africa. Most Indians in Africa arrived in the 19th century as British indentured labourers, many of them to work on the Kenya-Uganda railway, while others had arrived earlier by sea as traders....
of East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, they were little-studied by historians until the 2000s.
Migration history
Indians from Gujarat arrived in what was then the British territory of North-Eastern RhodesiaNorth-Eastern Rhodesia
North-Eastern Rhodesia in south central Africa was formed by and administered by the British South Africa Company as the other half, with North-Western Rhodesia, of the huge territory lying mainly north of the Zambezi River into which it expanded its charter in 1891...
(later part of Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
and then Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
) in 1905 via Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
(now Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
) or the British Central Africa Protectorate (later Nyasaland
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
, now Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
). Unlike the population of Indians in South Africa, the proportion of indentured labourers
Indian indenture system
The Indian indenture system was an ongoing system of indenture by which thousands of Indians were transported to various colonies of European powers to provide labour for the plantations...
among them was quite small; most instead were skilled artisans or businesspeople. Initial settlers were Muslims
Islam in India
Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....
, but they were soon followed by Hindu traders. Indians always formed a much smaller portion of the population than Europeans, but their numbers continued to increase until the 1950s; in 1930, the ratio of Europeans to Indians was 300:1, but by 1951 the proportion had shifted to just 10:1. One main driver for this was the expansion in Northern Rhodesia's mining industry in the late 1940s, which attracted demobilised white British servicemen as well as Indians. Immigration again accelerated around 1953, for fears that the new federal government of Northern Rhodesia would place restrictions on Indian migration.
The India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
had repeatedly expressed interest in sending a representative to British Central Africa to look after the interests of Indian emigrants, but permission was refused for fear that the presence of such a representative could stir up ethnic tensions between Indians and Europeans. Following Indian independence in 1948, the British High Commissioner to India proposed that one seat on Lusaka's legislative council be allocated to an Indian, but this suggestion was ignored and not further pursued. The Indian High Commissioner for British East and Central Africa was specifically warned "not to be the spokesman of Indians permanently resident". The Indian government, when it did voice complaint about issues of Indians in Africa, tended to focus on those in East Africa rather than Central Africa.
After Zambia achieved independence
Zambia Independence Act 1964
The Zambia Independence Act 1964 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which granted independence to Zambia with effect from 24 October 1964...
in 1964, the government started looking to India for material and moral support, and since then the Indian community has played a meaningful role in the Zambian economy
Economy of Zambia
Zambia is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly urbanized countries. About one-half of the country's 11.5 million people are concentrated in a few urban zones strung along the major transportation corridors, while rural areas are under-populated. Unemployment and underemployment are serious...
. , India's Ministry of External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs (India)
The Ministry of External Affairs is the foreign ministry of India. It is the Indian government agency responsible for the foreign relations of India. The Minister of External Affairs holds cabinet rank as a member of the Council of Ministers. The current minister is S M Krishna...
estimated there were 13,000 Indians in Zambia, representing slight growth over their 2000 estimate of 12,000. Most held Zambian or British citizenship. Many are in professions like banking, farming and mining. Recent arrivals include medical and educational professionals. The Levy Mwanawasa
Levy Mwanawasa
Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was the third President of Zambia. He ruled the country from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. He is credited for having initiated a campaign to rid the country of corruption...
government was friendly towards the Indian community; the functions hosted by the Indian community, such as Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
, were attended by a number of cabinet ministers of the Mwanawasa government.
Notable people
- Yusuf Badat, Deputy Health MinisterMinistry of Health (Zambia)The Ministry of Health is a Zambian government ministry. Head offices are located in Lusaka. -Operations:Subsidiary organizations include the Central Board of Health and the National Malaria Control Centre....
until 2001, and then Minister of Commerce and Industry - Suresh Desai, Minister for Agriculture under the ChilubaFrederick ChilubaFrederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was a Zambian politician who was the second President of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as the candidate of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy , defeating long-time President...
government - Ali Hamir, Attorney General of Zambia (also a cabinet rank position)
- Hamid Hamir, Late MP of Serenje, First Hamir involved in Parliament.
- Nasim-ul-Gani Hamir, late Lands Deputy Minister, member of parliament for SerenjeSerenjeSerenje is a district in Zambia. There is also the town of Serenje lying just off the Great North Road and TAZARA Railway. The British, during the time that Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate, designated Serenje as a BOMA . To this day, the locals refer to Serenje Town as the BOMA....
, and the nephew of Ali Hamir - Parbhu Nana, former cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er with the East African cricket teamEast African cricket teamThe East African cricket team was a cricket team representing Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. Their first game was against a South African Non-European team in 1958. East Africa appeared in the 1975 World Cup- represented by players from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia; and the 1979, 1982... - Dipak PatelDipak Patel (politician)Dipak K. A. Patel is a Zambian politician, who served long tenures both as a legislator and as the Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Industry.-Career:...
, Minister of Commerce and Industry under the Chiluba and Mwanawasa governments - Alimuddin ZumlaAlimuddin ZumlaAlimuddin Zumla is a Zambian professor of infectious diseases and international health at University College London Medical School. He specialises in infectious and tropical diseases, clinical immunology, and internal medicine, with a special interest in HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, and...
, London-based pathologist