98-585: Farrukh Dhondy (born 1944) is an Indian-born British Parsi writer, playwright, screenwriter and left-wing activist who resides in the United Kingdom . Dhondy was born in 1944 in Poona , India, where he attended The Bishop's School , and obtained a BSc degree from the University of Poona (1964). He won a scholarship to Pembroke College, Cambridge , where he read Natural Sciences before switching to English, earning
196-672: A BA degree in 1967. After graduating he studied for a master's degree at Leicester University and was later a lecturer at Leicester College of Further Education and Archbishop Temples School, Lambeth , London. In Leicester, Dhondy became involved with the Indian Workers' Association and later, in London, with the British Black Panthers , joining the publication Race Today in 1970, along with his close friend Darcus Howe , and former partner Mala Sen , and discovering his calling as
294-607: A British drama film set in Mumbai starring British Indian actor Dev Patel in the lead role. The latter has won four Golden Globes , seven BAFTA Awards and eight Academy Awards . The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , a British film set in India, was nominated for two Golden Globes and one BAFTA , grossing US$ 31 million at the end of the UK run. Besides British-produced Indian-based films, there are many Bollywood productions which have been filmed in
392-462: A bilateral trip. The key topic of discussions would be May's plan for post-Brexit relations with India . Discussion on a possible free-trade agreement is also in the agenda. According to a MEA (Ministry of External Affairs, India) spokesperson, there is "substantial scope for further strengthening bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors, including science & technology, finance, trade & investment, and defense & security." Following
490-612: A bit of Bengali , Hindi and Tamil . Wolverhampton is home to the second largest Sikh community after Slough - 9.1 percent of the population are Sikhs. Hindu communities can be found; 3.0 percent are Hindus. The most spoken language among Indians in Wolverhampton is Punjabi, followed by Gujarati. The majority of the Indians in the city live in South Wolverhampton but are scattered almost everywhere. There are Indian communities in
588-531: A meeting between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond at the 9th UK-India economic and financial dialogue, Jaitley announced that the two countries had agreed to discuss a bilateral free trade agreement. However, Jaitley stated that a formal dialogue on the agreement would only begin post-Brexit. In September 2017 the High Commission of India in the UK, with
686-518: A million in Greater London, which is the county's single largest non-white ethnic group. Indians have a significant impact on the culture of the British capital. Within London, Southall , Hounslow , Brent , Croydon , Ealing , Barnet , Tooting , Harrow and Wembley , the latter of which is one of the few places outside India where Indians make up the largest ethnic group (almost 4 times larger than
784-534: A nation (along with Irish , Pakistani , Bangladeshi , Chinese , Vietnamese ). India is a diverse nation composed of many ethnic groups. This is reflected in the British Indian community although there are several ethnic groups that number considerably more than others. Gujaratis account for 45 percent of Indians living in the UK while the Indian Punjabi account for another 45 per cent of Indians living in
882-633: A number of worldwide disco hits such as " Kung Fu Fighting ", one of the best-selling singles of all time having sold eleven million records worldwide, and Apache Indian , who also had worldwide hits such as " Boom Shack-A-Lak ". Jay Sean, whose parents immigrated to the United Kingdom from the Punjab region, is the first solo British Asian artist to reach the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with his single " Down " selling more than four million copies in
980-665: A proportion basis, the top ten local authorities were: Leicester (34.30%), Harrow (28.62%), Oadby and Wigston (21.11%), Hounslow (21.11%), Brent (19.47%), Slough (19.06%) Hillingdon (18.74%), Redbridge (16.50%), Wolverhampton (15.95%) and Blackburn with Darwen (15.76%). In Scotland, the highest proportion was in East Renfrewshire at 2.44%; in Wales, the highest concentration was in Cardiff at 2.44%; and in Northern Ireland,
1078-513: A relationship with India “as special as the one with the US.” John Major predicted that “within 25 years India will have firmly established herself as one of the world's economic powers”. Being more eager to build economic relations with India than defend the BBC , the UK foreign minister James Cleverly said: “India is a hugely important partner to the UK and the deeper ties we are forging now, will help to grow
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#17330861057041176-430: A short film called The K File . This film dealt with a fictional take on the judgement of Ajmal Kasab and was directed by Oorvazi Irani . In 2013, Dhondy's play Devdas was premiered in London and was subsequently replayed globally. 2013 also saw the publication of his novel Prophet Of Love (HarperCollins). His collection of Rumi translations was published in 2014 and received a 4.5-star rating on Goodreads . Dhondy
1274-421: A stricter immigration law. This included tighter rules for international students. Students were forced to return to their homeland after earning their degrees. Since the immigration law, there has been a rapid decrease of 25% in the number of first year students from India during the year 2012–2013. Theresa May's action has been criticised by people such as historian Edward Acton . Acton stated that this action
1372-527: A thousand in Northern Ireland, and 1 on the Isle of Man. Their origins were recorded as: In 1932, the Indian National Congress survey of "all Indians outside India" (which included modern Pakistani and Bangladeshi territories) estimated that there were 7,128 Indians living in the United Kingdom, which included students, lascars, and professionals such as doctors. The resident Indian population of Birmingham
1470-437: A writer. Dhondy's literary output is extensive, including books for children, textbooks and biographies, as well as plays for theatre and scripts for film and television. He is also a columnist, a biographer (of C. L. R. James ; 2001), and media executive, having been Commissioning Editor at Channel Four television from 1984 to 1997. During his time with Channel Four, he wrote the comedy series Tandoori Nights (1985–87) for
1568-624: Is "butchering" the Anglo-Indian friendship because it is "treating university students as immigrants." The continuous drop in the number of international students, including Indians, has become controversial. Business leaders such as Sir James Dyson have commented that forcing international students to move back to their homeland can be detrimental to the British economy in the long term. In March 2015, Phillip Hammond stated during an interview with DD News that Theresa May's policy has been cancelled. Starting in 2015, Indian students are able to stay in
1666-471: Is the editor of the 2016 collection of essays The Good Immigrant , which explores the experience of immigrant and ethnic minority life in the United Kingdom from their perspective, including contributions from other British Indians Nish Kumar and Himesh Patel . The Harry Potter series , by British author JK Rowling , also features two notable characters who are presumed to be of Indian Marathi descent - Padma and Parvati Patil. British Artist F. N. Souza
1764-465: Is the fastest-growing major economy." May had previously referred to India as a "key strategic partner" in the aftermath of Britain voting to leave the European Union. She was accompanied by Trade Secretary Liam Fox and a delegation of 33 business leaders aiming to boost trade and investment between India and the United Kingdom. At a dinner held to mark 70 years of Indian independence and 70 years of
1862-547: Is the most spoken Indian language in Birmingham with some Urdu and Bengali speakers. Slough has the largest Sikh community in the UK as a borough, with about 11 percent of the people in Slough being Sikhs. There is also has a large Hindu population, (7 percent) and a significant Muslim population from India. The most common non-English languages in Slough are Punjabi and Polish (with both at 6 percent), followed by Urdu with
1960-547: Is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK, having opened in 1926. Veeraswamy is believed to be the origin of combining a curry and a pint of beer. Seven Indian restaurants have a Michelin Star - six of which are located in London including Veeraswamey, with the only Michelin rated restaurant outside of London based in Birmingham - Opheem . Notable British Indian films include Bend It Like Beckham , whose story revolves around British Indian life, and Slumdog Millionaire ,
2058-563: Is “primarily driven by economic considerations rather than political/normative considerations.” The disappearance of the USSR in the 1990s and the economic reforms carried out in India between 1991 and 1996, had cleared the way for better UK-India ties. India's domestic market and its finances to invest abroad had grown exponentially. British prime ministers began to make a beeline to India beginning with John Major's visit to Delhi in 1997. In 2006, UK's Business and Enterprise Committee aimed at establishing
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#17330861057042156-792: The Anglo-Afghan Wars , the Anglo-Gurkha Wars , the Anglo-Burmese Wars , the First and Second Opium Wars , and both World Wars . The Indian independence movement gained traction following the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . Opposition to British rule increased, where ideology of satyagraha or non-violence was taken to a height by Gandhiji while on another hand, 'self defense' or armed revolution embraced by Nationalists like by Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose , eventually led to
2254-627: The Commonwealth of Nations . King George VI , who as British Monarch had been " Emperor of India ", abandoned this title in 1947, and served as India's ceremonial head of state as 'King of India' (in much the same way, he also served as 'King of Pakistan'). In 1950 India became a republic and the link with the British crown was severed. The Dominion was part of the Sterling Area (the Republic of India finally leaving in 1966). India decided to remain in
2352-640: The Conservative Party -affiliated Conservative Friends of India . The Labour Party was historically the party of choice for many British Indians, but has lost support to the Conservatives in recent elections. Prime Minister Boris Johnson accepted the invitation to India's Republic Day in 2021, however, he later cancelled his itinerary due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom . Boris Johnson had also visited Ahmedabad, Gujarat in India in April 2022. At
2450-877: The Indo-Portuguese or Luso-Asian communities of the subcontinent, including men from Bombay , Goa , Cochin , Madras and the Hugli River in Bengal . Later men from Ratnagiri were hired. Some of them were then unable to obtain passage back due to the price and had no alternative than to settle in London . There were also some ayahs , domestic servants and nannies of wealthy British families, who accompanied their employers back to Britain when their stay in South Asia came to an end. British soldiers would also sometimes marry Indian women and send their children back to Britain, although
2548-635: The International Atomic Energy Agency ’s general conference in 2022, India backed AUKUS although it was opposed by Russia and China, and Indian delegates thwart Chinese related proposal. The UK government commits to support India's permanent membership of United Nations Security Council . India lodged a formal protest with the British High Commission in New Delhi after a so-called Khalistan separatist sympathizer pulled down
2646-615: The Republic of India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . India has a high commission in London and two consulates-general in Birmingham and Edinburgh . The United Kingdom has a high commission in New Delhi and six deputy high commissions in Mumbai , Ahmedabad , Chennai , Bangalore , Hyderabad and Kolkata . Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations . The United Kingdom has an Indian diaspora of over 1.5 million. Former Prime Minister of
2744-551: The Suez Canal led to significantly faster transport between India and the United Kingdom. In 1876, the area, which included modern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, became "the Indian Empire" (often known historically as the "British Raj") with British Monarch Queen Victoria proclaimed as " Empress of India " (a title held by her successors until 1947). The British Indian Army was established and assisted Britain in many wars, including
2842-664: The White British population). There are more Indians in the British capital than in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Portugal combined. The Indian Overseas Congress UK is an organisation of the Indian diaspora in the UK, affiliated to the Indian National Congress (Congress (I)), and formed in 1969. As of 2021, Leicester is now one of the UK's ethnic and religious minority-majority cities and Indians make up by far
2940-877: The World Trade Organization and the Asian Development Bank . After India became a republic, Queen Elizabeth II visited three times, in 1961, 1983 and 1997. Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom paid state visits to India in November 1963, April 1990, and in October 1997. Three Presidents of India have paid state visits to the United Kingdom: Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in June 1963, Ramaswamy Venkataraman in October 1990, and Pratibha Patil in 2009. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited
3038-688: The hookah-bardar (hookah servant/preparer) of James Achilles Kirkpatrick was said to have robbed and cheated Kirkpatrick, making his way to England and stylising himself as the Prince of Sylhet . The man was waited upon by the prime minister of Great Britain William Pitt the Younger , and then dined with the Duke of York before presenting himself in front of the King. One of the most famous early Indian immigrants to Britain
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3136-566: The 1980s and later went onto win the Turner Prize in 2002. Neelam Gill is the first British Indian model to feature as a high fashion model. Supriya Lele is a British Indian fashion designer who blends her heritage into her work. Priya Ahluwalia is a British designer of Nigerian and Indian descent and the founder of menswear brand Ahluwalia and was given the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. In March 2020, Ahluwalia
3234-402: The 2011 census, the cities with the most Indian-born residents are London (262,247), Leicester (37,224), Birmingham (27,206) and Wolverhampton (14,955). Year of arrival (2021 census, England and Wales) In the 2001 UK Census, Indians in the UK were most likely to have responded to code 41 - Indian or Indian British. Indian was one of only five sub categories in the UK census which represents
3332-1139: The 2011 census. 42.9% of people from the Indian ethnic group were born in the UK. 41.9% were born in Southern Asia and 11.1% were born in South and Eastern Africa (for example, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania). Indian people born in South and Eastern Africa were more clustered than those born in the UK or Southern Asia, with 11.0% living in Harrow and 10.6% living in Leicester. Hillingdon - 18.7% Redbridge - 16.5% Ealing - 14.9% Newham - 11.0% Solihull - 5.2% Warwickshire - 4.9% Windsor and Maidenhead - 6.4% Reading - 6.2% Milton Keynes - 3.2% Buckinghamshire - 4.4% Derby - 4.8% Nottingham - 3.6% West Northamptonshire - 2.3% North Northamptonshire - 2.0% Lancashire - 2.0% South Gloucestershire - 1.7% Middlesbrough - 1.9% Darlington - 1.0% Newport - 1.3% Swansea - 0.9% Indians number over half
3430-746: The Commonwealth of Nations after becoming a Republic. Both Britain and India have since pursued quite divergent diplomatic paths. In particular, India became a major force within the Non-Aligned Movement , which initially sought to avoid taking sides during the Cold War . This contrasted with Britain's position as a founding member of NATO , and key ally of the United States. Between 1947 and 1997, UK and India relations were contentious. India's independent ‘non-aligned’ foreign policy and its close ties with
3528-620: The East India Company controlled most of the Indian subcontinent . Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , where Indian sepoys rebelled against their British officers, the East India Company was dissolved the following year. The assets of the British East India Company became so huge that the British government decided to step in. India served as the main base for the British Empire 's expansion across Asia and would remain
3626-664: The Great . Sir Thomas Roe was an envoy to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir . During the 18th century, the East India Company began to gain greater influence in India. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 led to the conquest of Bengal while by 1857, following various treaties and wars with Indian kingdoms (such as the Anglo-Mysore Wars with Tipu Sultan , the Anglo-Maratha Wars and both the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars ),
3724-641: The Indian Journalists' Association on 15 August 2017, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "We in the UK are the beneficiaries of reverse colonialism." He gave as an example the Jaguar car made in Castle Bromwich and exported back to India, as well as the Hawk jets which are made by BAE Systems and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Of the Jaguar, he said the car incarnated "the commercial role reversal" between India and
3822-413: The Indian national flag outside its embassy in London, during the Punjab local police tried to capture a Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh . Various Indian students have gone to the UK to attain higher levels of education. From 2004 to 2009, the number of Indian students studying in the UK doubled from 10,000 to over 20,000. By 2009, India was one of the top ten countries sending students to study in
3920-517: The New York Times. The Indian Painters Collective (IPC) was formed in London in 1963. They created the first artistic body of its kind outside of India and achieve the first group showing of Indian artists in the UK. In 1978 IPC was renamed Indian Artists UK (IAUK) with the desire to establish an Indian Academy of Visual Arts in Britain. Sir Anish Kapoor is a British sculptor who came to prominence in
4018-433: The UK aims to double UK-India trade by 2030. Britain and India have already announced a scheme for young professionals, which will give 3,000 Indians and 3,000 Britons a pathway to live and work in each other's countries for up to two years. This partially addresses the Indian complaint that, while UK wants Indian trade and investment, it rejects Indian immigrants/expatriates. India is the second largest foreign investor in
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4116-407: The UK are the beneficiaries of reverse colonialism." Johnson said the Jaguar car made in Castle Bromwich and exported back to India "in ever growing numbers" incarnated the "commercial role reversal" between India and the UK. The British government has chosen India as one of its most influential trade partners because it is one of the "fastest growing economies in the world." In 2013, Cameron formed
4214-496: The UK economy and boost industries for the future.” He went on to announce that the UK will appoint a ‘Tech Envoy’ to the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on India. Britain has a Tech Envoy for only one other country in the world – the US. After Brexit , EU nationals working in the health and social care sector were replaced by migrants from non-EU countries such as India. About 250,000 people came from India in 2023. Through an FTA,
4312-464: The UK for six months after their graduation. Boris Johnson told Times of India in 2017 that "the number of Indian students in the UK continues to rise. Our most recent figures show a 10% increase in Indian students gaining visas – and 91% of these applications are successful. We want the brightest and best Indian students to attend our great universities; there is no limit to the number of genuine Indian students who can study in Britain," he said in
4410-531: The UK generated over 48 billion pounds. Also, they have employed more than 105,000 people in the UK. Tata Group alone employed over 63,760 people in the UK . This kind of phenomenon, where non-Western countries impact the West, has been commented on by sociologist Anthony Giddens as "reverse colonialism". At a dinner on 15 August 2017, held to mark 70 years of India's independence, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "We in
4508-503: The UK in 2006. After becoming the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Cameron was actively involved in enhancing the Indian-British relationship on various dimensions, such as "business, energy security, climate change, education, research, security and defense, and international relations." His effort could be seen in his political visits in India on 18–20 February 2013 and on 14 November 2013. Following his visit, other politicians such as Former UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and
4606-403: The UK was mainly made by South Indians, Bangladeshi, and Punjabi restaurateurs, where 85 percent of Indian restaurants in the UK are in fact owned by Bangladeshi Sylheti Bengalis . Over 2 million Britons eat at Indian restaurants in the UK every week, with a further 3 million cooking at least one Indian based meal at home during the week. Veeraswamy , located on Regent Street in London ,
4704-418: The UK which was established in 1992. Indian cuisine is extremely popular in the United Kingdom. The first exclusively Indian restaurant was the Hindoostanee Coffee House which opened in 1810. Curry gained popularity in the UK in the 1940s and 1950s. There are around 9,000 Indian restaurants located across the UK, which equates to approximately one per 7,000 people. The popularity of the Indian curry in
4802-411: The UK's overseas territories , such as the communities in Gibraltar , the Cayman Islands , Virgin Islands , Anguilla and Montserrat . The majority of the community in Gibraltar originated in Hyderabad in Sindh, and came as merchants after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1870; many others migrated as workers after the closure of the frontier with Spain in 1969 to replace Spanish ones. Although
4900-447: The UK, based on data for England and Wales . There is a large community of Goans in Swindon , with smaller communities in Hayes , Romford and Cranford . There are significant numbers of British Indians originating from Karnataka , Kerala , Andhra Pradesh and Odisha . The table below shows the distribution of British Indians people in the United Kingdom. The figures for all countries, regions, cities and boroughs are based on
4998-833: The UK, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge , Yaadein , Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Jab Tak Hai Jaan . The following is a partial list of films based on British Indian life, British films shot in India or with an Indian theme or has British Indian actors: Indian influence on British popular music dates back to the development of raga rock by British rock bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones ; several Beatles songs (such as " Within You Without You ") also featured London-based Indian musicians. Today, British Indian musicians exist in almost every field and genre. Notable British Indian Bhangra acts include Panjabi MC , Rishi Rich , Juggy D , Jay Sean , DCS , Bally Sagoo and Sukshinder Shinda . World-famous award-winning singer-songwriter Freddie Mercury (a former member of
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#17330861057045096-416: The UK. At the same dinner the UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that the UK was working "ever more closely" with India to bring peace and stability to the Asia Pacific region, that the UK was increasingly co-operating in intelligence sharing with India and had no hesitation in sharing advanced technologies with India. In 2017 Times of India reported Boris Johnson as saying that in the first half of
5194-413: The UK. Because the number of students grew, the British government and the Indian government agreed to cooperate . During the 2010 UK-India Summit, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and India came into agreement to support education by implementing the India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI). In this summit, Cameron stated that "Education is an area where India and the UK could pool some of
5292-508: The UK. While UK ranks 18th as a trading partner of India and third after Mauritius and Singapore as an investor in India. There are many bilateral trade agreements between the two nations designed to strengthen ties. For example, in 2005, the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) was inaugurated in New Delhi aimed at boosting two-way bilateral investments. The growth of India 's multinational companies contributed greatly to UK's business and economy . As of 2019, Indian companies in
5390-438: The USSR during the Cold War, had irked Britain. Britain opposed the Indian take-over of Goa from the Portuguese and Sikkim from the Maharajah. It opposed India's nuclear tests and raised the dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir. On its part, India opposed the invasion of Egypt during the Suez Crisis and demanded that the Indian Ocean be declared a Zone of Peace. But there was a sea change in the 1990s. Britain's relationship with India
5488-429: The United Kingdom David Cameron described Indian–British relations as the "New Special Relationship " in 2010. According to a 2014 BBC World Service poll, 43% of Indian people view the United Kingdom's influence as positive and 27% view as negative. Similarly, 45% of Britons viewed India positively and 25% negatively. On 25 October 2022, Rishi Sunak was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , becoming
5586-428: The United States, making him "the most successful male UK urban artist in US chart history." Other contemporary British Indian singers include S-Endz and BRIT Award -nominated Nerina Pallot . British Indians have also contributed to British literature. Well known examples include author Salman Rushdie who won the Booker Prize in 1981. More contemporary contributions come from authors including Nikesh Shukla who
5684-403: The advantages for mutual benefit." He continued by stating that a higher quality of education would lead to providing opportunities for all, thus encouraging economic growth and overcoming poverty in India. However, after its implementation, the number of Indian students studying in the UK did not increase as expected by both governments. In 2010, the then Home Secretary Theresa May announced
5782-447: The agents had been called in to provide additional cover to Modi's security detail, composed of India's Special Protection Group and secret agents from RAW and IB, in wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks . Prime Minister Theresa May visited India on 6 November 2016 in her first bilateral visit to a non-European country since becoming prime minister. Explaining the decision, May said, "It [the visit] matters now more than ever. India
5880-417: The aims of the Make in India initiative. The UK and India have remained close bilaterally, historically and on an ever expanding basis. In January 2022, the two countries opened negotiations for the India–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement . Politically, relations between India and the UK occur mostly through the multilateral organisations of which both are members, such as the Commonwealth of Nations ,
5978-532: The aristocratic Ducarel family and moved to the United Kingdom in 1784 where she lived until 1822 when she died in Newland, Gloucestershire . In July 1841, David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre , an Anglo-Indian born in India , became the first person of Indian descent to be elected to British Parliament . He was the member of Parliament for Sudbury but was later removed in April 1842 due to allegations of bribery. Between 1600 and 1857, some 20-40,000 Indian men and women of all social classes had travelled to Britain,
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#17330861057046076-494: The biggest trade delegation by accommodating more than 100 representatives that varied from multinational corporations, medium-to-small-sized corporations, and universities to India . Compared to the 2010 trade mission, the UK and India negotiated to double the trade volume by 2015. Following the trade delegation, total UK goods and services exports to India increased by 14% from January to September 2013. Between 6 and 8 November 2016, then British PM Theresa May visited India for
6174-438: The boy was baptised on 22 December 1616 and given the name of "Peter" which was given by King James I . A few months after his baptism, he returned to India with Copland to "convert some of his own nation". People from India have been travelling to Great Britain since the East India Company (EIC) recruited lascars to replace vacancies in their crews on East Indiamen whilst on voyages in India. Initially, these were men from
6272-463: The cause of Indian Independence. This group went on to found the India League in England in 1928, under the leadership of V. K. Krishna Menon . The 1931 Census of India estimated that there were at least 2,000 Indian students in English and Scottish Universities at the time, from an estimated, and overwhelmingly male population of 9,243 South Asians on the British mainland, of which 7,128 resided in England and Wales , two thousand in Scotland , with
6370-492: The channel, which concerned the rivalry of two curry-house owners. His children's stories include KBW (Keep Britain White) , a study of a young white boy's response to anti-Bengali racism. In 2011 Dhondy published his translation of selections from the Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi , Rumi: a New Translation . Dhondy also wrote the screenplay for the 2005 Bollywood historical blockbuster Mangal Pandey: The Rising , starring Aamir Khan and Toby Stephens . In 2012, Dhondy scripted
6468-447: The dissolution of British Raj and Independence of India on 15 August 1947. However, the end of the Raj also resulted the Partition of India that resulted in two new entities, Dominion of Pakistan (which included the province of East Bengal that would later achieve independence as Bangladesh ) and the Dominion of India . Independence came in 1947 with the Partition of India into the dominions of India and Pakistan , within
6566-400: The empire's most important asset and main source of income as well as soldiers until independence. Queen Victoria became Empress of India in 1876. From a small trading outpost, India became an empire within an empire - the jewel in the British crown. In 1858, the British Government seized control of the territories and treaty arrangements of the former East India Company. The 1869 completion of
6664-430: The employment of non-English sailors to a quarter of the crew on returning East India Company ships. Baptism records in East Greenwich suggest that a small number of young Indians from the Malabar Coast were being recruited as house servants at the end of the 17th century, and records of the EIC also suggest that Indo-Portuguese cooks from Goa were retained by captains from voyage to voyage. In 1797, 13 were buried in
6762-428: The first British Asian and the first of Indian descent to hold that position. Anglo Saxon Chronicles for 883 AD make reference to King Alfred of Wessex sending alms to St Thomas shrine in India. Trade was established between Tudor England and Mughal India in 1600 when Elizabeth I granted the newly formed East India Company a royal charter by sending precious gifts to the Mughal court of Emperor Akbar
6860-405: The first Indians to travel to the United Kingdom was a young boy called Peter Pope . The boy was given by a commander of a Dutch ship on its way to Myanmar to the British sailor, Thomas Best in 1612. The boy was brought to England in 1614 where he was placed under the care of Patrick Copland who was a chaplain and who subsequently taught him to read and write in English. His education in England
6958-463: The first exhibition on Indian innovation at the UK's Science Museum, London , and the restoration of 1928 Indian movie, Shiraz , by the British Film Institute with a new score by British-Indian musician Anoushka Shankar . The British Council inaugurated the Year of Culture in India on 6 April 2017 projecting elements of the Buckingham Palace Studio Carrom peacock onto the British Council's Delhi building and launching an interactive music app Mix
7056-520: The highest concentration was in Belfast at 1.26%. The 2011 United Kingdom census recorded 1,451,862 residents of Indian ethnicity, accounting for 2.3 per cent of the total UK population (not including those of mixed ethnic backgrounds). The equivalent figure from the 2001 Census was 1,053,411 (1.8 per cent of the total UK population). People born in India are the UK's largest foreign-born population, totalling an estimated 880,000 in 2020. According to
7154-523: The interview. Queen Elizabeth II hosted the official launch of the UK India Year of Culture on 27 February 2017 at Buckingham Palace with Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi . The British Council worked with the Palace and British-Indian start-up Studio Carrom to project a peacock, India's national bird, onto the facade of Buckingham Palace. The programme for
7252-606: The largest Christian British Indian community is that of Catholic Goans, mainly from East Africa, but also directly from Goa , and from Aden , Pakistan and the countries of the Persian Gulf. The UK is also home to one of the largest Ravidassia communities outside India; this was first recognised by 2011 Census. According to the 2021 census of England and Wales, there were close to 800,000 Indians who identified as Hindus and just over 385,000 who identified as Sikh. The British Council, Indian High Commission and UK government named 2017
7350-883: The largest Indian communities in the Indian diaspora , mainly due to the Indian–British relations (including historical links such as India having been part of the British Empire and still being part of the Commonwealth of Nations ). The British Indian community is the sixth largest in the Indian diaspora , behind the Indian communities in the United States , Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates , Malaysia and Nepal . The majority of British Indians are of Punjabi and Gujarati origin with various other smaller communities from different parts of India including Kerala , West Bengal , Bihar and Uttar Pradesh . Among
7448-649: The largest ethnic group besides the White British, others include Birmingham and Luton . At 18.7% of the local population in 2009, Leicester has one of the highest percentages of Indians per head of the population of any local authority in the UK. According to the 2001 UK Census, 14.74% of Leicester's population were Hindu and 4.21% Sikh. Gujarati is the primary language of 16% of the city's residents, 3% Punjabi and 2% Urdu . Other smaller but common language groups include Hindi and Bengali . Most Indians live in west Birmingham in areas such as Handsworth . Punjabi
7546-540: The latter of which has been the modus operandi for China . Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UK from 12 to 16 November 2015. During the visit, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the British Parliament. The Times of India reported that agents from Mossad and MI5 were protecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was heading to the 2015 G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey. The paper reported that
7644-456: The majority of them being seamen working on ships. Lascars lodged in British ports in between voyages. Most Indians during this period would visit or reside in Britain temporarily, returning to India after months or several years, bringing back knowledge about Britain in the process. In the early twentieth century, some Indian nationalists, such as Sukhsagar Datta came to Britain because they feared arrest in India itself and hoped to propagate
7742-423: The one-and-a-half million Indian diasporas living in Britain today who bring our two nations closer, to the benefit of both." He further commented that the statue will "enrich the firm bond of friendship between the world's oldest democracy and its largest." In terms of political forces behind economic development, Western powers look to India as a case study contrasting democracy-led growth and state-guided growth,
7840-563: The parish of St Nicholas at Deptford . During the 19th century, the East India Company brought thousands of Indian lascars , scholars and workers to Britain largely to work on ships and in ports. It is estimated 8,000 Indians (a proportion being lascar sailors) lived in Britain permanently prior to the 1950s. Due to the majority of early Asian immigrants being lascar seamen, the earliest Indian communities were found in port towns. Naval cooks also accompanied them. The first Western-educated Indian to travel to Europe and live in Britain
7938-702: The plurality of British Indians are Hindu, the UK is home to the second largest Sikh community outside India. Notable Hindu temples include BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London , Bhaktivedanta Manor , Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal , Skanda Vale , Sree Ganapathy Temple, Wimbledon and Tividale Tirupathy Balaji Temple . Notable Gurdwaras in the country include: Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha , Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick and Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha . There are also significant numbers of Muslim and Christian British Indians as well as Ravidassia community with their main temple (Bhawan) in Handsworth, Birmingham. One of
8036-545: The rock band Queen ) was born on the island of Zanzibar to Parsi parents, originally from the Gujarat area of India. Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) and his family fled when he was 17 years old due to the Zanzibar Revolution ; he remains not only one of the most famous British Indian musicians of all time, but one of the most famous British musicians. Other world-famous British Indian musicians include Biddu , who produced
8134-454: The subsequent growth in the British Indian community has come from the births of second- and third-generation Indian Britons. Although post-war immigration was continuous, several distinct phases can be identified: In the 2021 Census , 1,864,318 people in England and Wales were recorded as having Indian ethnicity, accounting for 3.1% of the population. In Northern Ireland, the equivalent figure
8232-587: The support of the UK India Business Council, announced the Access India programme, a unique scheme set up to help many more UK SMEs export to India. Whilst many large UK companies have a presence in India, small and medium-sized British companies do not. India hopes that the Access to India programme will not only encourage British SMEs to export to India but also inspire them to manufacture in India fulfilling
8330-680: The then Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne visited India to accomplish a trade mission in July 2014. During their visit, Osborne announced that a statue of Gandhi would be erected in London's Parliament Square to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gandhi's return to India from South Africa. Upon unveiling the statue on 14 March 2015, Cameron stated that "Our ties with India have remained close throughout history and continue to go from strength to strength – through mutual respect as equals, through cooperation, trade, and of course through
8428-624: The wife often did not accompany them. Indian wives of British soldiers would sometimes ask for passage home after being divorced or widowed if they did accompany their children. In 1835, the husband (a British soldier serving in His Majesty's 1st Foot Regiment) of Bridget Peter, a native of Madras , died. She petitioned the Directors from Chelsea Hospital 'in a state of destitution' to pay for her return to India. They agreed to pay to return her and her three children. The Navigation Act 1660 restricted
8526-680: The year Britain gave nearly 500,000 visas to Indians – an eight per cent rise on the previous year. "Britain issues more visas to Indians than any other country in the world, apart from China." Mr Johnson said. Following a resolution passed by the Labour Party , which attempted to internationalise the Kashmir issue in September 2019, the Indian High Commission in London decided to boycott the party and its events, whilst attending events organised by
8624-641: The year was announced by UK Minister of State for Digital and Culture Rt Hon Matt Hancock , Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom HE Mr Sinha and British Council Deputy Chair Rt Hon Baroness Prashar CBE PC , at the British Film Institute on 28 February 2017. The programme includes an exhibition from the British Museum and The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai,
8722-512: The ‘UK India Year of Culture’, which was launched by the Queen. The year it was held was significant as it marked 70 years of Indian Independence from the British Raj. Its aim was to celebrate the relationship between the two nations through cultural events, exhibitions and activities organised in both countries throughout the year. The Nehru Centre is the cultural wing of the High Commission of India in
8820-464: Was I'tisam-ud-Din , a Bengali Muslim cleric, munshi and diplomat to the Mughal Empire who arrived in 1765 with his servant Muhammad Muqim during the reign of King George III . He wrote of his experiences and travels in his Persian book, Shigurf-nama-i-Wilayat (or 'Wonder Book of Europe'). This is also the earliest record of literature by a British Indian. Also during the reign of George III,
8918-619: Was Sake Dean Mahomet , a captain of the British East India Company and a native of Patna in the Indian state of Bihar . In 1810, he founded London's first Indian restaurant , the Hindoostanee Coffee House . He is also valued for introducing shampoo and therapeutic massage to the United Kingdom. Another early Indian to settle in the United Kingdom was the Mughal noblewoman of Purnea in Bihar , Elizabeth Sharaf un-Nisa , who married into
9016-774: Was 9,881, or 0.5% of the population. The census in Scotland was delayed for a year and took place in 2022, with a population of 52,951 representing 1.0% of the population. The city or district with the largest population by 'Indian' ethnicity outside the capital, according to the 2021 census in England and Wales, was Leicester (pop. 126,421), followed by Birmingham (66,519), Sandwell (44,378), Wolverhampton (42,052), Coventry (32,096), Slough (30,209), Bolton (26,238), Blackburn with Darwen (24,389), Buckinghamshire (24,181) and Kirklees (22,739). Many of these are however outnumbered by nine London boroughs, namely Harrow, Brent, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing, Redbridge, Newham, Barnet and Croydon. On
9114-448: Was at the 2022 Jaipur Literature Festival , London edition to talk about his books. British Indians British Indians are citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) whose ancestral roots are from India . Currently, the British Indian population exceeds 1.9 million people in the UK, making them the single largest visible ethnic minority population in the country . They make up the largest subgroup of British Asians and are one of
9212-460: Was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 European Arts and Culture list. Mandeep and Hardeep Chohan, twin sisters of Indian origin jointly own fashion label, Nom de Mode, which draws inspiration from their roots. India%E2%80%93United Kingdom relations India–United Kingdom relations , also known as Indian–British relations or Indo–British relations , are the international relations between
9310-731: Was lauded in the respected political magazine New Internationalist , in its prestigious "final page", which led to the resurgence of his lifelong campaign to recruit more BAME talent at the BBC , with an article subsequently printed in the New Statesman (covered in The Voice newspaper). His latest book, Hawk and Hyena , follows the story of Charles Sobhraj . Dhondy appeared on the podcast The Literary City with Ramjee Chandran to talk about his escapades with Charles Sobhraj as well as about his autobiography, Fragments Against My Ruin: A Life . Dhondy
9408-514: Was one of the first Indian artists to work in Britain after the war. Together with Avinash Chandra they were the first British Indian artists to be included in the national collection at the Tate. In 1962, the ''Festival of India'' - a six-month celebration of Indian culture and art - was held across a number of prestigious galleries and museums in London and was called "most comprehensive collection of Indian painting and sculpture ever assembled anywhere" by
9506-589: Was paid for by the East India Company . As against above claims it can be noticed from the History of Portuguese invasions in India Vasco da Gama carried a few Nairs and sixteen fishermen ( mukkuva ) off with him by force and enrolled them in seminaries and later used as translators and missionaries for conversion of their own way back in 1498 in his first voyage to India Under Patrick Copland's recommendation,
9604-762: Was recorded at 100 by 1939. By 1945 it was 1,000. Following the Second World War and the breakup of the British Empire , Indian migration to the UK increased through the 1950s and 1960s. This was partly due to the British Nationality Act 1948 , which enabled migration from the Commonwealth with very few limits. In 1950 there were probably fewer than 20,000 non-white residents in Britain, almost all born overseas. The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 and Immigration Act 1971 largely restricted any further primary immigration , although family members of already-settled migrants were still allowed. In addition, much of
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