British Indians

Last updated

Indians in the United Kingdom
(British Indians)
Counties of the UK Indian.svg
Distribution by local authority in the 2011 census.
Total population
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom: 1,927,150 – 2.9% (2021/22 Census)
Flag of England.svg  England: 1,843,248 – 3.3% (2021) [1]
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland: 52,951 – 1.0% (2022) [2]
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales: 21,070 – 0.7% (2021) [1]
Northern Ireland: 9,881 – 0.5% (2021) [3]
Regions with significant populations
Languages
Religion
Predominantly Hinduism (42.8%) and Sikhism (20.6%); minority follows Islam (13.2%), Christianity (12.3%) and other faiths (2.3%) [a] or are irreligious (4.6%)
2021 census, NI, England and Wales only [4] [5]

    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 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. [6] [7]

    Contents

    History

    Among the first Indians to travel to the United Kingdom was a young boy called Peter Pope . [8] 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 was paid for by the East India Company. [8]

    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, 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". [8]

    18th19th centuries

    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 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 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. [9]

    The Navigation Act 1660 restricted 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. [10] In 1797, 13 were buried in 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. [11] It is estimated 8,000 Indians (a proportion being lascar sailors) lived in Britain permanently prior to the 1950s. [12] [13] [14] 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 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. [15] He wrote of his experiences and travels in his Persian book, Shigurf-nama-i-Wilayat (or 'Wonder Book of Europe'). [16] This is also the earliest record of literature by a British Indian. Also during the reign of George III, 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. [17]

    Sake Dean Mahomed, one of the early Indians to settle in the United Kingdom Sake Dean Mahomed.jpg
    Sake Dean Mahomed, one of the early Indians to settle in the United Kingdom

    One of the most famous early Indian immigrants to Britain was Sake Dean Mahomet, a captain of the British East India Company and a native of Patna in the Indian state of Bihar. [18] 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. [19] Another early Indian to settle in the United Kingdom was the Mughal noblewoman of Purnea in Bihar, Elizabeth Sharaf un-Nisa, who married into the aristocratic Ducarel family and moved to the United Kingdom in 1784 where she lived until 1822 when she died in Newland, Gloucestershire. [20]

    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. [21]

    David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, the first member of British Parliament of Indian descent Dyce-sombre.jpg
    David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, the first member of British Parliament of Indian descent

    Between 1600 and 1857, some 20-40,000 Indian men and women of all social classes had travelled to Britain, the majority of them being seamen working on ships. [22] Lascars lodged in British ports in between voyages. [23] 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. [24]

    20th century

    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 the cause of Indian Independence. [25] 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 a thousand in Northern Ireland, and 1 on the Isle of Man. Their origins were recorded as:

    Indian population of Great Britain by region of birth, 1931 [26]
    England and WalesNorthern IrelandScotland
    Region of birthTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemale
    Bengal2,2292,18940---6156141
    Bombay92985178---2612574
    Madras38234240---84795
    Punjab1,0881,06226---374374-
    Other provinces1,8671,77988---3573534
    Unspecified634621131,0034855183123093
    India7,1796,8442851,0034855182,003198617
    YearBritish Indian
    Population [27]
    1931 (estimate)10,186 [26]
    1932 (estimate)7,128 [28]
    1951 (estimate)31,000
    1961 (estimate)81,000
    1971 (estimate)375,000
    1981 (estimate)676,000
    1991 (census)840,000
    2001 (census)1,053,411 (1.79%)
    2011 (census)1,451,862 (2.30%)
    2021 (census)1,843,248

    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 was recorded at 100 by 1939. By 1945 it was 1,000. [29]

    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. [30] In 1950 there were probably fewer than 20,000 non-white residents in Britain, almost all born overseas. [31] 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 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:

    Demographics

    British Indians by region and country
    Region / Country 2021 [37] 2011 [41] 2001 [45] 1991 [48]
    Number%Number%Number%Number%
    Flag of England.svg  England 1,843,2483.26%1,395,7022.63%1,028,5462.09%823,8211.75%
    Greater London 656,2727.46%542,8576.64%436,9936.09%347,0915.20%
    West Midlands 276,0304.64%218,4393.90%178,6913.39%158,7313.08%
    South East 241,5372.60%152,1321.76%89,2191.12%64,8880.87%
    East Midlands 229,8314.71%168,9283.73%122,3462.93%98,8592.50%
    North West 140,4131.89%107,3531.52%72,2191.07%55,8230.83%
    East of England 136,9742.16%86,7361.48%51,0350.95%39,2920.78%
    Yorkshire and the Humber 81,3221.48%69,2521.31%51,4931.04%40,7520.84%
    South West 58,8471.03%34,1880.65%16,3940.33%10,9150.24%
    North East 22,0210.83%15,8170.61%10,1560.40%7,4700.29%
    Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 52,951 [α] 0.97%32,7060.62%15,0370.30%10,0500.20%
    Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 21,0700.68%17,2560.56%8,2610.28%6,3840.23%
    Northern Ireland 9,8810.52%6,1980.34%1,5670.09%
    Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,927,1502.88%1,452,1562.30%1,053,4111.79%840,255 [β] 1.53%

    Population

    Distribution of British Indians by local authority, 2021 census British Indians, 2021 UK Census.png
    Distribution of British Indians by local authority, 2021 census
    Population pyramid of Asian or Asian British Indians in 2021 (in England and Wales) Asian Indian population pyramid 2021.svg
    Population pyramid of Asian or Asian British Indians in 2021 (in England and Wales)

    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. [49] In Northern Ireland, the equivalent figure was 9,881, or 0.5% of the population. [3] 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. [2]

    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). [50] Many of these are however outnumbered by nine London boroughs, namely Harrow, Brent, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing, Redbridge, Newham, Barnet and Croydon. [50] On 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, the highest concentration was in Belfast at 1.26%. [51]

    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). [52] The equivalent figure from the 2001 Census was 1,053,411 (1.8 per cent of the total UK population). [53]

    People born in India are the UK's largest foreign-born population, totalling an estimated 880,000 in 2020. [54] According to the 2011 census, [55] the cities with the most Indian-born residents are London (262,247), Leicester (37,224), Birmingham (27,206) and Wolverhampton (14,955).

    Ethnicity

    Country of birth (2021 census, England and Wales) British Indians by Country of Birth.png
    Country of birth (2021 census, England and Wales)

    Year of arrival (2021 census, England and Wales) [57]

      Born in the UK (43.8%)
      Before 1950 (0.1%)
      1951 to 1960 (0.7%)
      1961 to 1970 (6.0%)
      1971 to 1980 (7.2%)
      1981 to 1990 (3.3%)
      1991 to 2000 (4.3%)
      2001 to 2010 (13.5%)
      2011 to 2021 (21%)

    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 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 [58] of Indians living in the UK while the Indian Punjabi account for another 45 per cent of Indians living in the UK, based on data for England and Wales. [7] There is a large community of Goans in Swindon, with smaller communities in Hayes, Romford and Cranford. [59] There are significant numbers of British Indians originating from Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. [7]

    Population distribution

    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 the 2011 census. [60] [61] [62] 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. [63]

    Indian population in the United Kingdom countries and regions
    RegionPopulation
    of region
    Indian
    population
    Percentage of
    total population
    Significant
    communities
    London
    8,799,725
    7.5%
    Harrow - 28.6%
    Hounslow - 21.1%
    Brent - 19.5%

    Hillingdon - 18.7%
    Redbridge - 16.5%
    Ealing - 14.9%
    Newham - 11.0%

    West Midlands
    5,950,757
    276,030
    4.6%
    Wolverhampton - 15.9%
    Sandwell - 13.0%
    Coventry - 9.3%
    Walsall - 8.0%
    Birmingham - 5.8%

    Solihull - 5.2%
    Warwickshire - 4.9%

    South East
    9,278,063
    241,537
    2.6%
    Slough - 19.1%
    Wokingham - 7.0%

    Windsor and Maidenhead - 6.4%
    Reading - 6.2%
    Milton Keynes - 3.2%
    Buckinghamshire - 4.4%

    East Midlands
    4,880,054
    229,831
    4.7%
    Leicester - 34.3%
    Leicestershire - 5.9%

    Derby - 4.8%
    Nottingham - 3.6%
    West Northamptonshire - 2.3%
    North Northamptonshire - 2.0%

    East
    6,335,068
    136,974
    2.2%
    Bedford - 5.4%
    Luton - 5.4%
    Hertfordshire - 4.0%
    Peterborough - 3.3%
    Thurrock - 2.3%
    North West
    7,417,398
    140,413
    1.9%
    Blackburn with Darwen - 15.8%
    Bolton - 8.9%
    Trafford - 4.3%
    Manchester - 2.7%

    Lancashire - 2.0%

    Yorkshire and the Humber
    5,480,774
    81,322
    1.5%
    Kirklees - 5.2%
    Bradford - 2.6%
    Leeds - 2.6%
    Sheffield - 1.2%
    South West
    5,701,186
    58,847
    1.0%
    Swindon - 7.6%
    Bristol - 1.8%

    South Gloucestershire - 1.7%

    North East
    2,647,014
    22,021
    0.8%
    Newcastle Upon Tyne - 2.4%

    Middlesbrough - 1.9%
    Darlington - 1.0%

    Scotland
    5,295,403
    32,706
    0.6%
    Glasgow - 1.5%
    Aberdeen - 1.5%
    Edinburgh - 1.4%
    Wales
    3,107,494
    21,070
    0.7%
    Cardiff - 2.4%

    Newport - 1.3%
    Swansea - 0.9%

    Northern Ireland
    1,810,863
    6,198
    0.1%
    Belfast - 0.8%

    Communities

    The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London is one of the largest Hindu temples in the world outside India London Temple.jpg
    The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London is one of the largest Hindu temples in the world outside India
    Indian prime minister Narendra Modi meets British Indian children in London in 2015 PM Modi at Wembley 4.jpg
    Indian prime minister Narendra Modi meets British Indian children in London in 2015

    London

    Indians number over half 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.[ citation needed ] 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 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.

    Leicester

    As of 2021, Leicester is now one of the UK's ethnic and religious minority-majority cities and Indians make up by far 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. [64] According to the 2001 UK Census, 14.74% of Leicester's population were Hindu and 4.21% Sikh. [65] 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. [66]

    Birmingham

    Most Indians live in west Birmingham in areas such as Handsworth. Punjabi is the most spoken Indian language in Birmingham with some Urdu and Bengali speakers.

    Slough

    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 a bit of Bengali, Hindi and Tamil.

    Wolverhampton

    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.

    Overseas territories

    There are Indian communities in 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. [67]

    Religion

    Although the plurality of British Indians are Hindu, the UK is home to the second largest Sikh community outside India. [68] [ failed verification ] 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 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. [69]

    ReligionEngland and Wales
    2011 [70] 2021 [69]
    Number%Number%
    Om.svg Hinduism 621,98344.02%797,68442.79%
    Khanda.svg Sikhism 312,96522.15%386,82520.75%
    Star and Crescent.svg Islam 197,16113.95%246,96813.25%
    Gold Christian Cross no Red.svg Christianity 135,9889.62%225,93512.12%
    No religion44,2813.13%84,5744.54%
    Star of David.svg Judaism 8190.06%5570.03%
    Dharma Wheel.svg Buddhism 3,6370.26%3,5870.19%
    Other religions33,0032.34%38,2742.05%
    Not Stated63,1214.47%79,9134.29%
    Total1,412,958100%1,864,317100%

    Culture

    The British Council, Indian High Commission and UK government named 2017 the ‘UK India Year of Culture’, which was launched by the Queen. [71] [72] 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 the UK which was established in 1992.

    Cuisine

    Chicken tikka masala is regarded as a British national dish. Chicken tikka masala.jpg
    Chicken tikka masala is regarded as a British national dish.

    Indian cuisine is extremely popular in the United Kingdom. [73] The first exclusively Indian restaurant was the Hindoostanee Coffee House which opened in 1810. [74] Curry gained popularity in the UK in the 1940s and 1950s. [74]

    There are around 9,000 Indian restaurants located across the UK, which equates to approximately one per 7,000 people.[ citation needed ] The popularity of the Indian curry in 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. [75]

    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. [76] [77] Veeraswamy, located on Regent Street in London, is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK, having opened in 1926. [78] Veeraswamy is believed to be the origin of combining a curry and a pint of beer. [79]

    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. [80]

    Film

    Param Singh at the British Indian Awards in 2019 Param Singh MBE British Indian Awards 2019.jpg
    Param Singh at the British Indian Awards in 2019

    Notable British Indian films include Bend It Like Beckham , whose story revolves around British Indian life, and Slumdog Millionaire , 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. [81] Besides British-produced Indian-based films, there are many Bollywood productions which have been filmed in 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:

    Music

    Singer, Jay Sean Jay Sean.jpg
    Singer, Jay Sean

    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. [82] 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 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 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, [83] [84] 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 the United States, [85] [86] making him "the most successful male UK urban artist in US chart history." [87] Other contemporary British Indian singers include S-Endz and BRIT Award-nominated Nerina Pallot.

    Literature

    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 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. [88]

    Art

    British Artist F. N. Souza 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 the New York Times. [89] 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. [90] [91] 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 the 1980s and later went onto win the Turner Prize in 2002.

    Fashion

    Neelam Gill is the first British Indian model to feature as a high fashion model. [92] Supriya Lele is a British Indian fashion designer who blends her heritage into her work. [93] 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. [94] [95] In March 2020, Ahluwalia was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 European Arts and Culture list. [96] Mandeep and Hardeep Chohan, twin sisters of Indian origin jointly own fashion label, Nom de Mode, which draws inspiration from their roots. [97]

    Television

    Long-running British soap operas such as Coronation Street , EastEnders , Emmerdale and Hollyoaks have all had significant numbers of Indian characters, while shorter British series such as The Jewel in the Crown and Skins also feature British Indian characters. By far the most notable British Indian television shows are Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No. 42 , a talk show that stars many famous British Indian actors including Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Indira Joshi and Vincent Ebrahim which originally aired on the BBC. British Indian actors not only have a strong presence in the UK, but also in the United States, where Parminder Nagra, Naveen Andrews and Kunal Nayyar (who are all Britons of Indian origin) have found fame in ER , Lost , The Big Bang Theory and Desperate Housewives respectively, though Nagra is the only one to portray an actual British citizen of Indian descent. Dr Ranj is a British Indian TV host best known as a celebrity dancer on Strictly Come Dancing , and co-creating and presenting the CBeebies show Get Well Soon.

    There are dozens of TV channels aimed at the British Indian community available on Satellite and Cable, which include:

    Indian owned Sky channel Virgin Media channelOther
    Sony TV Asia 782806N/A
    STAR One 783N/AN/A
    STAR Plus 784803N/A
    Zee TV 788809Channel 555 (TalkTalk TV)
    Zee Music 789N/AN/A
    Zee Cinema 617810N/A
    Alpha ETC Punjabi 798812N/A
    SET Max 800806N/A
    Aastha TV 807N/AN/A
    STAR News 808802N/A
    STAR Gold 809N/AN/A
    Zee Gujarati 811N/AN/A
    SAB TV 816N/AN/A
    Sahara One 817N/AN/A
    Aaj Tak 818N/AN/A
    Peace TV 820N/AN/A
    Zee Jaagran 838N/AN/A
    Joint owned Sky channel Virgin Media channelOther
    B4U Movies 780815N/A
    B4U Music 781816Channel 504 (Freesat)
    9X 828N/AChannel 662 (Freesat)
    9XM829N/AN/A
    NDTV Imagine 831N/AN/A
    British owned Sky channel Virgin Media channelOther
    MATV 793823N/A

    Radio

    The BBC Asian Network is a radio station available across the United Kingdom which is aimed predominantly at Britons of South Asian origin under 35 years of age. Besides this popular station there are only a few other national radio stations for or run by the British Indian community — including Sunrise and Yarr Radios. Regional British Indian stations include Asian Sound of Manchester, Hindu Sanskar and Sabras Radios of Leicester, Kismat Radio of London, Radio XL of Birmingham and Sunrise Radio Yorkshire based in Bradford (which itself has a much larger Pakistani than Indian community).

    Social issues

    Politics

    Rishi Sunak, the first British Indian leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister (October 2022 to July 2024) Official Portrait of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.jpg
    Rishi Sunak, the first British Indian leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister (October 2022 to July 2024)

    David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre was the first British politician of Indian descent to win a seat in parliament; he was elected to represent the Sudbury constituency in July 1841, but was removed in April 1842 due to bribery in the election. [98] Dadabhai Naoroji was the second British Indian politician to win a seat in parliament; he was elected as a Liberal MP for Finsbury in 1892.

    British Indians have historically tended to vote for the Labour Party, due to strong links with local party branches and a degree of community voting, but it has been argued that the assimilation of younger British Indians and the consequent weakening of community bonds and parental political ties, this relationship has started to break down. The Conservative Party's modernisation and efforts to attract British Indian voters have also contributed to changing political affiliations. [99]

    The Ethnic Minority British Election Study estimated that 61 per cent of British Indians voted Labour in the 2010 general election, 24 per cent Conservative and 13 per cent Liberal Democrat. [100] A 2019 analysis by the Runnymede Trust estimated that, in the 2010 general election, 57 per cent of British Indians voted for the Labour Party and 30 per cent voted for the Conservative Party. Academic research in the build-up to the 2015 general election indicated that 69 per cent of British Indians supported Labour and 24 per cent the Conservatives. [99]

    First elected as a Conservative Party MP in 2015, Rishi Sunak became the first UK Prime Minister from a British Indian background in October 2022, holding the position until the Conservatives' July 2024 general election loss. [101] Shami Chakrabarti, who was born to Indian immigrant parents, is one of a few British Indian life peers. [102] Others include Lord Desai who is of Gujarati descent. [103]

    In the 2015 general election, approximately 57.5 per cent of British Indians voted for Labour and 31 per cent voted for the Conservatives. In the 2017 general election, approximately 58 per cent of British Indians voted for Labour, while 40 per cent of British Indians voted for the Conservatives. [104] According to the same report, British Indians were more likely than most other ethnic minorities to vote for Brexit, although 65 per cent to 67 per cent of British Indians voted to remain in the European Union.

    During the 2019 United Kingdom general election, The Times of India reported that supporters of Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were actively campaigning for the Tories in 48 marginal seats, [105] and the Today programme reported that it had seen WhatsApp messages sent to Hindus across the country urging them to vote Conservative. [106] [107] Some British Indians spoke out against what they saw as the BJP's meddling in the UK election. [108] [109]

    The Hindu Council UK was strongly critical of Labour under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, going as far as to say that Labour was "anti-Hindu" [110] and objected to the party's condemnation of the Indian government's actions in the disputed territory of Kashmir. [107]

    Sophia Duleep Singh - British Indian suffragette sells newspapers 1910-Sophia-Suffragette-Duleep-Singh-fixed.jpg
    Sophia Duleep Singh - British Indian suffragette sells newspapers

    Research conducted by UK in a Changing Europe in 2023 has suggested that British Indian and British Chinese voters held more economically right-wing views, but held the most socially liberal attitudes, in particular towards the LGBT community, compared to other ethnic minorities in the UK. Survey data indicated Conservatives (45 per cent) led Labour (35 per cent) by 10 points amongst Hindus in 2019. [111]

    Political activism

    Sophia Duleep Singh was a suffragette of Indian origin. [112] A number of organisations exist that have been established by British Indians to promote and advocate for issues important to Indian Britons. These include the India League (formally established in 1928), which was a Britain-based organisation whose aim was to campaign for the full independence and self-governance of India. [113] The Indian Workers' Association (IWA) is a political organisation in Great Britain consisting of Indian immigrants to Britain and their descendants. IWA branches are organised in some major cities such as Birmingham and London. It fought for better working and living standards, it also lobbied for Indian independence and campaigned on issues such as racism and on civil liberties.

    Caste system

    A number of British Hindus still adhere to the caste system and still seek marriage with individuals who are of similar caste categories. There have been several incidents involving abuse of low caste British Hindus, known as Dalits, by higher caste individuals in schools and workplaces. [114] [115]

    Female foeticide

    According to a study published by Oxford University 1500 girls are missing from birth records in England and Wales over a 15-year period from 1990 to 2005. The vast majority of the abortions are carried out in India reports suggest that abortions rejected on the NHS would force some British Indians to travel to India for the procedure. There have also been cases where British Indian doctors who would pass on details to their patients about clinics abroad which offer sex selective screening and abortion for women who have passed the 24-week abortion limit in the United Kingdom. [116] [117]

    Discrimination

    Rock Against Racism marches were commonplace in the United Kingdom in response to racist attacks on racial minorities Rock Against Racism 1978.jpg
    Rock Against Racism marches were commonplace in the United Kingdom in response to racist attacks on racial minorities

    Discrimination against people of Indian origin in the United Kingdom has a long history. [118]

    Starting in the late 1960s [119] and peaked during the 1970s and 1980s, Indians and other racial minority groups living in the United Kingdom were the victims of racist violence and they were often subjected to physical violence by supporters of far-right, anti-immigration and racist political parties such as the National Front (NF) and the British National Party (BNP). [120] [121] The political organisation Indian Workers' Association was one of many organisations which helped to oppose racist attacks. [122] In 1976 the Rock Against Racism political and cultural movement was formed as a reaction to racist attacks that were happening on the streets of the United Kingdom.

    Verbal discrimination has become somewhat more common after the 9/11 and 7/7 attacks,[ citation needed ] even though extremists who committed these atrocities have little to nothing to do with the British Indian community. [123] A notable example of anti-Indian sentiment in the UK is the 2007 Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy which received significant media coverage. Contestants Jade Goody (who was mixed race), Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara were all seen to have been mocking Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty because of her accent. They also persisted in making fun of general parts of Indian culture. Channel 4 screened the arguments between the contestants, which received over 50,000 complaints. The controversy generated over 300 newspaper articles in Britain, 1,200 in English language newspapers around the globe, 3,900 foreign language news articles, and 22,000 blog postings on the internet. [124]

    Another example of discrimination is the Expulsion of Asians in Uganda in 1972 (a decision made by the President of Uganda to ethnically cleanse the country) which led to tens of thousands of East African Indians coming to the UK to start a new life, the majority of them already had British passports, due to Uganda at that time being part of the British Empire.

    Other examples of discrimination towards British Indians in the mainstream population include the case of 27-year-old Chetankumar Meshram, a call centre trainer from Northampton who was compensated £5,000 after his boss told him he was to be replaced by a better English speaker. [125] Also Meena Sagoo, 42 is demanding over £100,000 after she and a fellow employee of the ING Bank of Sri Lankan heritage were called The Kumars at No. 42 (after the popular TV comedy show of the same name). The same bank has been noted to have paid out £20,000 to a worker of Chinese origin who also claimed racial harassment. [126] [ needs update ]

    Another form of discrimination towards British Indians is stereotyping, one example is British Asians stereotyped as being the majority of newsagent and convenience store shopkeepers, the stereotype "Paki shop". [127] This stereotype was made fun of in the television and radio sketches of Goodness Gracious Me by four British Indian comedy actors. In the comedy sketch Little Britain, a British Indian character called Meera continuously receives racist comments from weight loss advisor Marjorie Dawes who always makes it known that she does not understand a word of what Meera says, although it is completely obvious to the surrounding people and the viewer.

    Economic status

    A traditional Indian wedding in Nottingham, 2006 Indian wedding Nottingham.jpg
    A traditional Indian wedding in Nottingham, 2006

    A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 found that British Indians have among the lowest poverty rates among different ethnic groups in Britain, second only to white British. Of the different ethnic groups, Bangladeshis (65%), Pakistanis (55%) and black Africans (45%) had the highest poverty rates; black Caribbeans (30%), Indians (25%), white Other (25%) and white British (20%) had the lowest rates. [128]

    According to official UK Government figures from 2018, British Indians had the highest employment rate of all ethnic minorities at 76%; the overall employment rate in the UK is 75%, with the employment rate for White British people also standing at 76%. [129] The unemployment rate of British Indians was 4% in 2018, the lowest of all ethnic minorities. The overall unemployment rate in the UK in 2018 was 4%, with the unemployment rate for White British people also standing at 4%. [130]

    Research from the Resolution Foundation published in 2020 has found that British Indians hold the highest median total household net wealth among major British ethnic groups at £347,400. [131]

    Ethnic groupMedian total household net wealth (2016–18)
    Indian£347,400
    White British£324,100
    Pakistani£232,200
    Black Caribbean£125,400
    Bangladeshi£124,700
    Other White£122,800
    Chinese£73,500
    Black African£28,400

    Among the working-age population, with pensions thus excluded, British Indians have the highest median total wealth at £178,980: [132]

    Ethnic groupMedian total household wealth (excluding pensions) (2006/8)
    Indian£178,980
    White British£174,007
    Black Caribbean£62,702
    Other minority ethnic groups£41,500

    According to official figures, British Indians have the third highest average pay levels in the UK among all ethnic groups: [133]

    Ethnic groupMedian hourly pay (2022)
    White Irish£20.20
    Chinese£17.73
    Indian£17.29
    Mixed White and Asian£16.93
    White British£14.42

    UK Government figures also demonstrate that British Indians have the highest proportion of workers in professional and managerial occupations, out of all ethnic groups in the UK: [134]

    Ethnic groupPercentage of workers in professional and managerial occupations
    Indian43%
    Other34%
    White31%
    Mixed30%
    Pakistani/Bangladeshi27%
    Black25%

    The 2021 census for England and Wales found that British Indians were least likely to live in social housing and had some of the highest rates of home ownership and amongst all ethnic groups: [135] [136]

    Tenure by ethnicity in England and Wales
    Ethnic groupSocial rentedPrivately rentedOwn with mortgageOwn outright
    Indian6%25%43%26%
    Chinese8%31%32%29%
    Pakistani14%26%37%23%
    White British16%16%30%37%
    White Irish18%19%27%37%
    Arab27%48%15%10%
    Mixed27%33%28%12%
    Bangladeshi34%27%30%9%
    Black43%27%21%9%
    Irish Traveller/White Gypsy44%28%9%19%

    Academic performance

    According to official UK Government statistics, British Indian pupils have a high average level of academic performance. 77% of British Indian pupils attained A* to C grades in English and Maths in the 2015–16 academic year, second only to Chinese pupils, of whom 83% attained A* to C grades in English and Maths. [137] At A-Level, in the 2016–17 academic year, 15.3% of British Indian pupils achieved at least 3 'A' grades at A-Level, with only the British Chinese ethnic group (24.8%) achieving the same benchmark at a higher rate. [138]

    According to Department for Education statistics for the 2021–22 academic year, British Indian pupils in England attained the second highest level of academic performance at both A-Level and GCSE, behind only Chinese pupils. 28.4% of British Indian pupils achieved at least 3 As at A Level [139] and an average score of 61.3 was achieved in Attainment 8 scoring at GCSE level. [140] According to the National Equality Panel, Indian Hindu and Sikh pupils were found to achieve better academic results than Indian Muslim pupils. [141] Trevor Phillips, former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has argued that Chinese and Indian-heritage pupils achieve high standards of academic attainment regardless of the school attended or poverty levels. [142]

    Notable individuals

    See also

    Notes

    1. Including Buddhism (0.2%), Judaism (0.03%), Jainism, Ravidassia, Baháʼí Faith, Zoroastrianism and others.
    1. Scotland held its census a year later after the rest of the United Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, data shown is for 2022 as opposed to 2021.
    2. Figures are for Great Britain only, i.e. excludes Northern Ireland

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhs</span> Ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism

    Sikhs are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term Sikh has its origin in the Sanskrit word śiṣya, meaning 'seeker', 'disciple' or 'student'.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 United Kingdom census</span> Nationwide census in the United Kingdom in 2001

    A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.

    Religion in the United Kingdom is mainly expressed in Christianity, which dominated the land since the 7th century. Results of the 2021 Census for England and Wales showed that Christianity is the largest religion, followed by the non-religious, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in the United Kingdom</span>

    Islam is the second-largest religion in the United Kingdom, with results from the 2021 Census recording just under four million Muslims, or 6.0% of the total population in the United Kingdom. London has the largest population and greatest proportion (15%) of Muslims in the country. The vast majority of British Muslims in the United Kingdom adhere to Sunni Islam, while smaller numbers are associated with Shia Islam.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">British Asians</span> British people of Asian descent

    British Asians are British people of Asian descent. They constitute a significant and growing minority of the people living in the United Kingdom, with a population of 5.76 million people or 8.6% of the population identifying as Asian or Asian British in the 2021 United Kingdom census. This represented an increase from a 6.9% share of the UK population in 2011, and a 4.4% share in 2001.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom</span>

    The United Kingdom is an ethnically diverse society. The largest ethnic group in the United Kingdom is White British, followed by Asian British. Ethnicity in the United Kingdom is formally recorded at the national level through a census. The 2011 United Kingdom census recorded a reduced share of White British people in the United Kingdom from the previous 2001 United Kingdom census. Factors that are contributing to the growth of minority populations are varied in nature, including differing birth rates and Immigration.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in the United Kingdom</span>

    Hinduism is the third-largest religious group in the United Kingdom, after Christianity and Islam; the religion is followed by over one million people representing around 1.6% of the total population. According to the 2021 United Kingdom census Hindus are primarily concentrated in England, particularly in Greater London and the South East, with just under 50,000 Hindus residing in the three other nations of the United Kingdom. Hindus have had a presence in the United Kingdom since the early 19th century, as at the time India was part of the British Empire. Many Indians in the British Indian Army settled in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">White British</span> Ethnic classification used in the 2011 United Kingdom Census

    White British is an ethnicity classification used for the native White population identifying as English, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Northern Irish, or British in the United Kingdom Census. In the 2011 census, the White British population was 49,997,686, 81.5% of Great Britain's total population. For the United Kingdom entirely, due to different reporting measures within Northern Ireland which includes all those who identified as British with those who identified as Irish, an amalgamated total of 52,320,080 including those who identified as White Irish in Great Britain is given making up 82.8% of the population.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhism in the United Kingdom</span> Overview of the presence of Sikhism in the United Kingdom

    British Sikhs number over 535,000 people and account for 0.8% of the British population as of 2021, forming the United Kingdom's fourth-largest religious group. According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, British Sikhs numbered 535,517, with 520,092 in England, 10,988 in Scotland, 4,048 in Wales, and 389 in Northern Ireland. The largest Sikh populations in the United Kingdom are in the West Midlands and Greater London.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Slough</span>

    This article is intended to give an overview of the demography of Slough. In 2016, Slough had a population of 149,000 people.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Birmingham</span>

    The demography of Birmingham, England, is analysed by the Office for National Statistics and data produced for each of the wards that make up the city, and the overall city itself, which is the largest city proper in England as well as the core of the third most populous urban area, the West Midlands conurbation.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">British Tamils</span> Ethnic group

    British Tamils are British people of Tamil origin.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">British Sri Lankans</span> People living in Britain who can trace their origin back to Sri Lanka

    British Sri Lankans are an ethnic group referring to British people who can trace their ancestry to Sri Lanka. It can refer to a variety of ethnicities and races, including Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors/Muslims and Burghers.

    British Indians form the largest ethno-national group in London with a population of around 656,272 or 7.5% of the population. The majority are concentrated in West London, though populations can be found throughout London.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">White Irish</span> Ethnicity classification used in the United Kingdom Census

    White Irish is an ethnicity classification used in the census in the United Kingdom for England, Scotland and Wales. In the 2021 census, the White Irish population was 564,342 or 0.9% of Great Britain's total population. This was a slight fall from the 2011 census which recorded 585,177 or 1% of the total population.

    Scottish Asian is a term defined within the 2011 Scottish census as including people of Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani or other Asian ancestry resident in Scotland. Their parents or grandparents are normally Asian immigrants. It can also refer to people who are of dual Scottish and Asian ancestry. It combines Asian ethnic background with Scottish national identity.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian diaspora</span> Ethnic group

    Overseas Indians, officially Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs) are Indians who reside or originate outside of India. According to the Government of India, Non-Resident Indians are citizens of India who currently are not living in India, while the term People of Indian Origin refers to people of Indian birth or ancestry who are citizens of countries other than India. Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is given to People of Indian Origin and to persons who are not People of Indian Origin but married to Indian citizen or People of Indian Origin. Persons with OCI status are known as Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs). The OCI status is a permanent visa for visiting India with a foreign passport.

    South Asians in the United Kingdom have been present in the country since the 17th century, with significant migration occurring in the mid-20th century. They originate primarily from eight sovereign states in South Asia which are, in alphabetical order, the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. There is also a history of migration of diasporic South Asians from Africa and Southeast Asia moving to, and settling in, the United Kingdom.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">British Punjabis</span> People of Punjabi origin living in the UK

    British Punjabis are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose heritage originates wholly or partly in the Punjab, a region in the Indian subcontinent, which is divided between India and Pakistan. Numbering 700,000 in 2006, Punjabis represent the largest ethnicity among British Asians. They are a major sub-group of the British-Indian and British Pakistani communities.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">White people in the United Kingdom</span> Racial and multi-ethnic group

    White people in the United Kingdom are a multi-ethnic group consisting of European UK residents who identify as and are perceived to be 'white people'. White people constitute the historical and current majority of the people living in the United Kingdom, with 83.0% of the population identifying as white in the 2021 United Kingdom census.

    References

    1. 1 2 "Ethnic group, England and Wales: Census 2021". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
    2. 1 2 3 "Scotland's Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion - Chart data". Scotland's Census. National Records of Scotland. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024. Alternative URL 'Search data by location' > 'All of Scotland' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Ethnic Group'
    3. 1 2 3 "MS-B01: Ethnic group". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
    4. United Kingdom census (2021). "DT-0036 - Ethnic group by religion". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
    5. "RM031 Ethnic group by religion". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
    6. Sharma, Sheetal (2017). "Social and Political Participation of Indian Diaspora in the UK". International Studies. 51 (1–4): 118–132. doi:10.1177/0020881717719351. S2CID   158114056.
    7. 1 2 3 Chanda, Rupa; Ghosh, Sriparna (2013). "The Punjabi Diaspora in the UK: An Overview of Characteristics and Contributions to India" (PDF). CARIM-India Research Report. Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
    8. 1 2 3 O'Connor, Daniel (2012). Chaplains of the East India Company, 1601-1858. Bloomsbury. pp. 41–42. ISBN   9781441175342.
    9. Fisher, Michael H. (1 January 2006). Counterflows to Colonialism: Indian Travellers and Settlers in Britain, 1600-1857. Orient Blackswan. ISBN   9788178241548.
    10. "The Goan community of London". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    11. Fisher, Michael Herbert (2006). Counterflows to Colonialism: Indian Traveller and Settler in Britain 1600-1857. Orient Blackswan. pp. 111–9, 129–30, 140, 154–6, 160–8, 172, 181. ISBN   81-7824-154-4.
    12. Behal, Rana P.; Linden, Marcel van der (2006). Coolies, Capital and Colonialism: Studies in Indian Labour History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521699747.
    13. Visram (2002). Asians in Britain. pp. 254–269.
    14. Chatterji, Joya; Washbrook, David (3 January 2014). Routledge Handbook of the South Asian Diaspora. Routledge. ISBN   9781136018244.
    15. C.E. Buckland, Dictionary of Indian Biography, Haskell House Publishers Ltd, 1968, p.217
    16. Alam, Shahid (12 May 2012). "For casual reader and connoisseur alike". The Daily Star .
    17. Colebrooke, Thomas Edward (1884). "First Start in Diplomacy". Life of the Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone. Cambridge University Press. pp. 34–35. ISBN   9781108097222.
    18. Narain, Mona (2009). "Dean Mahomet's "Travels", Border Crossings, and the Narrative of Alterity". Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. 49 (3): 693–716. doi:10.1353/sel.0.0070. JSTOR   40467318. S2CID   162301711.
    19. "Curry house founder is honoured". BBC News. 29 September 2005. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
    20. Robb, Megan (2023). "Becoming Elizabeth: The Transformation of a Bihari Mughal into an English Lady, 1758–1822". The American Historical Review. 128 (1): 144–176. doi:10.1093/ahr/rhad008.
    21. Fisher, Michael (2010). The Inordinately Strange Life of Dyce Sombre: Victorian Anglo-Indian MP and 'chancery Lunatic'. C. Hurst. pp. 12–15. ISBN   9781849040006.
    22. Fisher, Michael H. (2007). "Excluding and Including 'Natives of India': Early-Nineteenth-Century British-Indian Race Relations in Britain". Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East . 27 (2): 303–314 [304–5]. doi:10.1215/1089201x-2007-007. S2CID   146613125.
    23. "The lascars' lot". The Hindu . 5 January 2003. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015.
    24. Fisher, Michael Herbert (2006). Counterflows to Colonialism: Indian Travellers and Settlers in Britain, 1600 ... Orient Blackswan. ISBN   9788178241548. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017.
    25. Rohit Barot, Bristol and the Indian Independence Movement (Bristol Historical Association pamphlets, no. 70, 1988), pp. 15-17
    26. 1 2 Hutton, J.H, ed. (1931). Census of India. Government of India. p. 78.
    27. Abbas, Tahir (2005). Muslim Britain: Communities under pressure. Zed Books. ISBN   978-1-84277-449-6.
    28. Visram, Rozina (30 July 2015). Ayahs, Lascars and Princes: The Story of Indians in Britain 1700-1947. Routledge. ISBN   9781317415336.
    29. Visram, Rozina (30 July 2015). Ayahs, Lascars and Princes: The Story of Indians in Britain 1700-1947. Routledge. ISBN   9781317415336.
    30. "The National Archives | Exhibitions | Citizenship | Brave new world". Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
    31. Haug, Werner; Compton, Paul; Courbage, Youssef (1 January 2002). The Demographic Characteristics of Immigrant Populations. Council of Europe Publishing. ISBN   9789287149749.
    32. "2001 Census and earlier - Office for National Statistics". Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
    33. "Net migration drops to 685,000 after hitting record levels, as even more arrived in UK last year than previously thought". LBC . 23 May 2024.
    34. "'Europeans are almost not coming to the UK any more'". Al Jazeera. 9 June 2023.
    35. "Migration: How many people come to the UK and how are the salary rules changing?". BBC News. 23 May 2024.
    36. "Ethnic group - England and Wales regions". Office for National Statistics. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
    37. 2021/22: England and Wales, [36] Scotland, [2] and Northern Ireland [3]
    38. "QS201EW: Ethnic Group". Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
    39. United Kingdom census (2011). "Table KS201SC - Ethnic group" (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2018.
    40. "Ethnic Group - Full Detail: QS201NI". Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
    41. 2011: England and Wales, [38] Scotland, [39] and Northern Ireland [40]
    42. "KS006: Ethnic group". Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. Retrieved 30 June 2003.
    43. "Analysis of Ethnicity in the 2001 Census - Summary Report" . Retrieved 6 September 2014.
    44. "Ethnic Group: KS06 (statistical geographies)". Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
    45. 2001: England and Wales, [42] Scotland, [43] and Northern Ireland [44]
    46. "1991 census - local base statistics". Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. Retrieved 14 June 2023.Tables L01 to L18: Demographic and economic characteristics > L06 Ethnic group
    47. "1991 Census - Tables". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 2 March 2006.
    48. 1991: Great Britain. [46] Northern Ireland did not record ethnic group data in the 1991 census. [47]
    49. "Ethnic group, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
    50. 1 2 "Ethnic group, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
    51. "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
    52. "2011 Census: Ethnic group, local authorities in the United Kingdom". Office for National Statistics. 11 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
    53. "Focus on Ethnicity & Identity" (PDF). for National Statistics. March 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
    54. "Table 1.3: Overseas-born population in the United Kingdom by country of birth and sex, January 2020 to December 2020". Office for National Statistics. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021. Figure given is the central estimate. See the source for 95% confidence intervals .
    55. "2011 Census: Country of birth (expanded), regions in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
    56. "Country of birth (extended) and ethnic group". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
    57. "Ethnic group and year of arrival in the uk - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
    58. "Gujaratis in the UK". Times Now . 21 April 2022.
    59. Sonwalkar, Prasun (12 July 2015). "Goans go British, thanks to Portugal citizenship law". Hindustan Times . India. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
    60. Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights Census 2011 Data Ethnicity by Local Authority Area Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 30 January 2015
    61. 2011 Census: KS201EW Ethnic group: local authorities in England and Wales Archived 24 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 30 January 2015
    62. Group: KS201NI (administrative geographies) Census 2011 NISRA [ permanent dead link ]. Retrieved 30 January 2015
    63. "Indian ethnic group: facts and figures". www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
    64. "Check Browser Settings". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    65. "Check Browser Settings". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    66. "The Diversity of Leicester May 2008, A Demographic Profile". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
    67. Archer, Edward G.: Gibraltar, identity and empire, page 45. Routledge Advances in European Politics.
    68. "British Sikhs mark 300 years". BBC News. 14 April 1999. Archived from the original on 6 January 2004. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    69. 1 2 "Ethnic group by religion - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
    70. "DC2201EW - Ethnic group and religion" (Spreadsheet). ONS. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016. Size: 21Kb.
    71. "The Queen launches the 2017 UK-India Year of Culture". The Royal Family. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    72. "Prime Minister announces 2017 UK-India Year of Culture". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    73. Jahangir, Rumeana (26 November 2009). "How Britain got the hots for curry". BBC News.
    74. 1 2 Mukherjee, Debabrata. "The British Curry".
    75. From Bangladesh to Brick Lane Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Guardian (Friday 21 June).
    76. "Title". punjab.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009.
    77. "Indian cuisine and eating in the UK". Archived from the original on 14 February 2009.
    78. Jones, Dion (3 October 2019). "The 20 new places you can get Michelin-starred meals - including one with NO menu". Daily Mirror.
    79. "Veeraswamy: A Michelin star for duck vindaloo". BBC News. 24 November 2016.
    80. "MICHELIN Restaurants – the MICHELIN Guide". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    81. Gritten, David (2 May 2012). "'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel': From Pleasant Surprise to Box Office Phenomenon". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
    82. Barry Miles, Keith Badman (2001). The Beatles Diary: The Beatles years. Omnibus Press, 2001. p. 259. ISBN   9780711983083 . Retrieved 9 February 2011.
    83. James Ellis (27 October 2009). "Biddu". Metro . Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
    84. Malika Browne (20 August 2004). "It's a big step from disco to Sanskrit chants, but Biddu has made it". The Sunday Times . London. Retrieved 30 May 2011.[ dead link ]
    85. "Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 26 June 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
    86. Keith Caulfield (6 January 2010). "Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle For 2009's Top-Selling Album". Billboard . Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
    87. Youngs, Ian (23 September 2009). "British R&B star conquers America". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
    88. "How Harry Potter's only Indian characters, Parvati and Padma Patil were cast from amid scores of contenders". Hindustan Times. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    89. Borders, William (27 March 1982). "London Sees 'Festival of India' Art". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    90. "The roots of the Indian artists' collectives in Britain | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    91. "The Roots of the Indian Artists' Collectives | 11 July - 9 August 2019 - Overview". Grosvenor Gallery. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    92. Butter, Susannah (1 October 2015). "Neelam Gill, the first British Indian to break into the modelling". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    93. "The British Designer Blending Her Indian Heritage With Lo-Fi Luxury". British Vogue. Condé Nast. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    94. ""We Are Business Owners, You Can't Be A Wallflower": Priya Ahluwalia, Tolu Coker & Torishéju Dumi Are Leading The Charge For Sustainable British Design". British Vogue. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
    95. "Indo-British designer receives Queen Elizabeth II Award for design - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    96. "London Fashion Week - AHLUWALIA". London Fashion Week. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    97. "Designer name to know: Nom de Mode". Vogue India. Condé Nast. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    98. Fisher, Michael H. (2006). Counterflows to Colonialism: Indian Travellers and Settlers in Britain, 1600–1857. Orient Blackswan. p. 318. ISBN   81-7824-154-4.
    99. 1 2 Ram, Vidya (26 April 2017). "Will British Indians remain with Labour?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
    100. Heath, Anthony; Khan, Omar (February 2012). "Ethnic Minority British Election Study – Key Findings" (PDF). Runnymede Trust. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
    101. "Who is Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak?". BBC News. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
    102. "Baroness Shami Chakrabarti (LLB, 1994)". London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    103. "Contact information for Lord Desai - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    104. Martin N, Khan O. "Ethnic Minorities at the 2017 British General Election" (PDF Archived 21 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine ), Runnymede Trust, February 2019.
    105. "BJP support group bats for Tories in 48 key UK seats". The Times of India. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
    106. "What's behind the Labour Party's rift with Hindu voters?". New Statesman. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
    107. 1 2 "General election 2019: Labour seeks to calm Hindu voters' anger". BBC News. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
    108. Siddique, Haroon (11 November 2019). "British Indians warn Hindu nationalist party not to meddle in UK elections". The Guardian.
    109. "Hardline Hindus are pushing the Indian government's agenda on British voters". 26 November 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
    110. "Fresh blow for Labour as Hindu Council claims party discriminates against community". Politics Home. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
    111. Kanagasooriam, James (3 January 2024). "Non-white Britain is more diverse than ever". The Times. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
    112. "The campaign for women's suffrage: key figures". The British Library. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    113. "India League". Making Britain: Discover how South Asians shaped the nation, 1870-1950. Open University. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
    114. Puri, Naresh (21 December 2007). "British Hindus divided by caste". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
    115. "Low caste Hindus 'abused'". BBC News. 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
    116. "UK Indian women 'aborting girls'". BBC News. 3 December 2007. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009.
    117. McDougall, Dan (21 January 2006). "Desperate British Asians fly to India to abort baby girls". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
    118. Shompa Lahiri (2013). Indians in Britain Anglo-Indian Encounters, Race and Identity, 1880-1930. pp. 109, 219.
    119. Ashe, Stephen; Virdee, Satnam; Brown, Laurence (2016). "Striking back against racist violence in the East End of London, 1968–1970". Race & Class . 58 (1): 34–54. doi:10.1177/0306396816642997. ISSN   0306-3968. PMC   5327924 . PMID   28479657.
    120. Puri, Kavita (20 December 2019). "They came from south Asia to help rebuild Britain. The racism they saw then is back". The Guardian.
    121. Chaudhary, Vivek (4 April 2018). "How London's Southall became 'Little Punjab'". The Guardian.
    122. Stan Taylor (1982). The National Front in English Politics. p. 139.
    123. "Profiles of the 4 bombers who killed 52 people in London on 7/7". The Independent. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018.
    124. Alan Cowell (21 January 2007). "Racial Subplot on British 'Big Brother' Grabs Nation and Ratings". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2007.
    125. "British-Indian call centre worker wins racial discrimination case". Thaindian News. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    126. "British Indian woman slams racism case against ING bank". C.A.R.D. December 2006. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    127. Kenan Malik (11 June 1994). "Asians denounce media myth of the corner shop: One in five driven to seek self-employment". The Independent.
    128. "Poverty rates among ethnic groups in Great Britain". Joseph Rowntree Foundation. April 2007. Archived from the original on 21 November 2010.
    129. UK Government, "Ethnicity Facts and Figures: Work, pay and benefits: Employment" Archived 13 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    130. UK Government,"Ethnicity Facts and Figures: Work, pay and benefits: Unemployment" Archived 13 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 13 February 2020.
    131. Bangham, George (December 2020). "A gap that won't close" (PDF). Retrieved 21 May 2023.
    132. Rowlingson K. "Wealth inequality: key facts" Archived 8 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Policy Commission on the Distribution of Wealth, December 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
    133. "Ethnicity pay gaps, UK: 2012 to 2022". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
    134. UK Government, "Ethnicity Facts and Figures: Work, Pay and Benefits: Employment by Occupation" Archived 20 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 20 April 2018.
    135. "RM134: Tenure by ethnic group - Household Reference Persons". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
    136. "The Impacts of the Housing Crisis on People of Different Ethnicities: An analysis of the latest data from England & Wales" (PDF). Positive Money. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
    137. UK Government, "Ethnicity Facts and Figures: Education, skills and training: A* to C in English and Maths GCSE attainment for children aged 14 to 16 (Key Stage 4)" Archived 21 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 20 April 2018.
    138. UK Government, "Ethnicity Facts and Figures: Education, skills and training: Students aged 16 to 18 achieving 3 A grades or better at A Level" Archived 15 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 15 October 2018.
    139. 1 2 "Students getting 3 A grades or better at A level". gov.uk. Department for Education. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
    140. 1 2 "GCSE results (Attainment 8)". gov.uk. Department for Education. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
    141. "An Anatomy of Economic Inequality in the UK" (PDF). equalities.gov.uk. National Equality Panel. Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
    142. Phillips, Trevor (28 January 2018). "Being afraid to ask why Indian and Chinese heritage pupils excel at school helps no one". The Telegraph.
    143. "GCSE English and maths results". gov.uk. Department for Education. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.

    Further reading