Sri Lankan Tamils in India
Encyclopedia
Sri Lankan Tamils in India mainly refer to Tamil people of Sri Lankan origin in India and non resident Sri Lankan Tamil. They are partly who migrated to India
and their descendants and mostly refugees from Sri Lanka because of the recently concluded Sri Lankan Civil War
. In general socio economically they are living below poverty line, except few people who settled in India during early times, rich businessmen, and professionals. In Tamil Nadu
they are also known as Ceylon Tamils or Jaffna Tamils, and in Kerala
the Sri Lankan Tamils call themselves Elavar after a corruption of the term Ezhava
, a caste in Kerala.
migrated or settled in India
for various reasons such as education
, employment in the British Indian government, business and other reasons. Most notable among them were Hensman family, who are migrated to Chennai
from Jaffna
during late 19th century.
in four waves. The first wave on 24 July 1983, after Black July
, to the 29 July 1987 up until the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord
, 134,053 Sri Lankan Tamils arrived in India. The first repatriation took place after the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987 and between 24 December 1987 and 31 August 1989, 25,585 refugees and non-camp Sri Lankan nationals returned to Sri Lanka. The second wave began with the start of Eelam War II
after 25 August 1989, where 122,000 Sri Lankan Tamils came to Tamil Nadu. On 20 January 1992, after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
54,188 refugees were voluntarily repatriated to Sri Lanka, until March 1995. Eelam War III
commenced in April 1995 starting the third wave or refugees. By 12 April 2002, nearly 23,356 refugees had come to Tamil Nadu. The flow of refugees had stopped in 2002 because of the cease fire agreement.
Sri Lankan Tamils in India number in the hundreds of thousands, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu
, the closest state to Sri Lanka and the easiest to get to. There is also a considerable amount in the state of Kerala
with around 700 refugee families. There are also a number of Sri Lankan Tamils in the eastern regions of Orissa
, Karnataka
and Pondicherry.
Highest number of Sri Lankan Tamil families living in KK Nagar, Thuvakudi
in Trichirapalli, Neelankarai
, Valasaravakkam
in Chennai
, Nagercoil
in Kanniyakumari, R.S puram, Valparai
in Coimbatore
.
have three different kinds of shelter. The first is the camp refugees or those who took shelter in camps mostly located in the rural areas. They were sent from the Mandapam transit camp to different locations. The second group is non-camp refugees are those living in tented house with relatives and friends without any assistance from the government. Nearly fifty thousand refugees lived outside camps; most of them are staying in big cities. The third group consisted of those who supposedly posed security threats since they were involved in subversive activities in Sri Lanka
. They were sent to special camps where they had to live under constant surveillance. These special camps came into existence in 1991.
had to welcome the refugees in the emergency situation. The Indian government did not like to send the refugees to other states because of the language barriers. India's continued refusal to sign protocols and also the ban on NGOs prevent any international help from reaching the refugees. There are nearly 80,000 refugees 132 camps in Tamil Nadu and one in Orissa. All refugee camps are registered. This entitles them to government assistance-cash, shelter, health facilities, clothing and provision of essential items. The refugees from Sri Lanka have been the recipients of one of the most advanced systems of education in the world, but since 1991, this privilege has been withdrawn.
Refugees also have strict restrictions on their freedom of movement and are treated with some degree
of suspicion by the Indian government. It is due to assassination of former Indian Prime minister
Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 by a suspected member of the LTTE. After that some refugee camps were moved
away from coastal areas to isolated interior regions of Tamil Nadu state so as to prevent contact
amongst the refugees belonging to different camps.
Refugees also have strict restrictions on their freedom of movement and are treated as third
grade citizens. If any one disobey the rules may have their monthly stipend and rations cut off as
punishment. As India has not signed the international
convention for refugees, the plight of the Sri Lankan refugees in India is not brought to the
scrutiny of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and no other major human rights organization
has taken note of the suffering of the Tamils languishing in the “special camps” in India.
Militant Refugees
Militant leadership has always been elitist and there is a clear line of distinction between them and the mass of refugees. The leadership drew its support and recruited its forces from the refugee camps. These camps no longer exist. They were all dosed down after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, but their legacy continues to haunt the refugees.
Noncamp Refugees
These are the refugees who do not receive financial assistance from the government. They are mostly rich businessmen and professionals. Most of the Sri Lankan Tamils lives in the pockets of Chennai
, Trichy and Kanyakumari
in Tamil Nadu
, Trivandrum, Punalur
in Kerala
.
Recent Developments
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr.M.Karunanidhi assured that the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in and outside the camps would be granted Indian citizenship soon. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has backed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s call to give Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and their descendants and mostly refugees from Sri Lanka because of the recently concluded Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. In general socio economically they are living below poverty line, except few people who settled in India during early times, rich businessmen, and professionals. In Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
they are also known as Ceylon Tamils or Jaffna Tamils, and in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
the Sri Lankan Tamils call themselves Elavar after a corruption of the term Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
, a caste in Kerala.
Early arrivals
During 19th century and early 20th century some Sri Lankan Tamils especially from JaffnaJaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
migrated or settled in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for various reasons such as education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, employment in the British Indian government, business and other reasons. Most notable among them were Hensman family, who are migrated to Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
from Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
during late 19th century.
Sri Lankan refugees
The Sri Lankan refugees arrived in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in four waves. The first wave on 24 July 1983, after Black July
Black July
Black July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers...
, to the 29 July 1987 up until the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord
Indo-Sri Lanka Accord
The Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was an accord signed in Colombo on July 29, 1987, between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene. The accord was expected to resolve the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war...
, 134,053 Sri Lankan Tamils arrived in India. The first repatriation took place after the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987 and between 24 December 1987 and 31 August 1989, 25,585 refugees and non-camp Sri Lankan nationals returned to Sri Lanka. The second wave began with the start of Eelam War II
Eelam War II
Eelam War II is the name given to the second phase of armed conflict between Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The war started after the failure of peace talks between the Premadasa government and the LTTE...
after 25 August 1989, where 122,000 Sri Lankan Tamils came to Tamil Nadu. On 20 January 1992, after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
54,188 refugees were voluntarily repatriated to Sri Lanka, until March 1995. Eelam War III
Eelam War III
Eelam War III is the name given to the third phase of armed conflict between Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. After the period of 100 days cease-fire the hostilities broke out on the 19th of April 1995. The LTTE - Sea Tigers planted explosives in two gun...
commenced in April 1995 starting the third wave or refugees. By 12 April 2002, nearly 23,356 refugees had come to Tamil Nadu. The flow of refugees had stopped in 2002 because of the cease fire agreement.
Demographics
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, the closest state to Sri Lanka and the easiest to get to. There is also a considerable amount in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
with around 700 refugee families. There are also a number of Sri Lankan Tamils in the eastern regions of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Pondicherry.
Highest number of Sri Lankan Tamil families living in KK Nagar, Thuvakudi
Thuvakudi
Thuvakudi is a 3rd Grade Municipality in Tiruchirappalli City in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is approximately 335 km from the nearest cosmopolis — Chennai...
in Trichirapalli, Neelankarai
Neelankarai
Neelangarai is a census town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Neelangkarai had a population of 15,688. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Neelangkarai has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average...
, Valasaravakkam
Valasaravakkam
Valasaravakkam is a municipality in the Thiruvallur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a residential suburb of the city of Chennai. It is located in the taluk of Poonamallee at a distance of approximately 15 kilometres from the heart of Chennai city...
in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Nagercoil
Nagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
in Kanniyakumari, R.S puram, Valparai
Valparai
Valparai is a hill station in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu,India. It is located 3,500 feet above sea level on the Anaimalai Hills range of the Western Ghats, at a distance of 100 km from Coimbatore and 65 km from Pollachi.There are 40 hairpin bends on the way to Valparai from Azhiyar...
in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
.
Refugees
The Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
have three different kinds of shelter. The first is the camp refugees or those who took shelter in camps mostly located in the rural areas. They were sent from the Mandapam transit camp to different locations. The second group is non-camp refugees are those living in tented house with relatives and friends without any assistance from the government. Nearly fifty thousand refugees lived outside camps; most of them are staying in big cities. The third group consisted of those who supposedly posed security threats since they were involved in subversive activities in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. They were sent to special camps where they had to live under constant surveillance. These special camps came into existence in 1991.
The Camps
When the first wave of refugees entered India in 1983, they were divided into three groups. Besides the camp and noncamp refugees, there were the militants in special camps.The Government of Tamil NaduGovernment of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
had to welcome the refugees in the emergency situation. The Indian government did not like to send the refugees to other states because of the language barriers. India's continued refusal to sign protocols and also the ban on NGOs prevent any international help from reaching the refugees. There are nearly 80,000 refugees 132 camps in Tamil Nadu and one in Orissa. All refugee camps are registered. This entitles them to government assistance-cash, shelter, health facilities, clothing and provision of essential items. The refugees from Sri Lanka have been the recipients of one of the most advanced systems of education in the world, but since 1991, this privilege has been withdrawn.
Refugees also have strict restrictions on their freedom of movement and are treated with some degree
of suspicion by the Indian government. It is due to assassination of former Indian Prime minister
Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 by a suspected member of the LTTE. After that some refugee camps were moved
away from coastal areas to isolated interior regions of Tamil Nadu state so as to prevent contact
amongst the refugees belonging to different camps.
Refugees also have strict restrictions on their freedom of movement and are treated as third
grade citizens. If any one disobey the rules may have their monthly stipend and rations cut off as
punishment. As India has not signed the international
convention for refugees, the plight of the Sri Lankan refugees in India is not brought to the
scrutiny of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and no other major human rights organization
has taken note of the suffering of the Tamils languishing in the “special camps” in India.
Militant Refugees
Militant leadership has always been elitist and there is a clear line of distinction between them and the mass of refugees. The leadership drew its support and recruited its forces from the refugee camps. These camps no longer exist. They were all dosed down after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, but their legacy continues to haunt the refugees.
Noncamp Refugees
These are the refugees who do not receive financial assistance from the government. They are mostly rich businessmen and professionals. Most of the Sri Lankan Tamils lives in the pockets of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Trichy and Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is the geographical end of the Indian mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Trivandrum, Punalur
Punalur
Punalur is a city situvated near the Tamil Nadu Kerala Border in Kollam district in the southern state of Kerala, India. It is the pioneer in starting industrial revolution in Kerala by establishing Punalur Paper Mills, the first industry in kerala. It is situated in the banks of the river Kallada...
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Recent Developments
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr.M.Karunanidhi assured that the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in and outside the camps would be granted Indian citizenship soon. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has backed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s call to give Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India.
Prominent People
- V. KanakasabhaiV. KanakasabhaiVisvanatha Kanakasabhai Pillai was an Indian lawyer, historian and Dravidologist of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. He was the first person to attempt a chronology of ancient Tamil Nadu...
- Balu MahendraBalu MahendraBalanathan "Balu" Mahendran is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalised Tamil cinema...
- J.E. Hensman
- Raibahadur Williamspillai
- Paul M. Jayarajan aka Marcus Jayarajan Paul
- E. M. V. NaganathanE. M. V. NaganathanDr. E. M. V. Naganathan was a Sri Lankan physician and politician, representing Nallur, Jaffna in the Parliament of Sri Lanka.-Early life and education:...
- H.S. Hensman.
- J. P. Chandrababu
See also
- Sri Lankan Tamil people
- Sri Lankan Tamil diasporaSri Lankan Tamil diasporaThe Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
- List of Sri Lankan Tamils in India
- Sri Lankans in IndiaSri Lankans in IndiaSri Lankans in India mainly refer to Tamil people of Sri Lankan origin in India and non resident Sri Lankans. They are partly who migrated to India and their descendants and mostly refugees from Sri Lanka because of the recently concluded Sri Lankan Civil War...
- Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka