https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Hinduism_in_EthiopiaHinduism in Ethiopia - Revision history2026-11-06T21:20:18ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hinduism_in_Ethiopia&diff=477191&oldid=prevWazid: made the pg first draft...2026-01-24T20:31:40Z<p>made the pg first draft...</p>
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{{Hinduism by country}}<br />
Ancient links between [[India]] and [[Ethiopia]] have existed even before history was recorded during the [[Aksum Empire|Axumite period]]. (2nd to 9th century A.D.) According to historian [[Richard Pankhurst (academic)|Richard Pankhurst]], "contacts between the land which came to be known as Ethiopia and India date back to the dawn of history." {{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} Trade between [[Ancient Indian Empire]] and the [[Axumite Kingdom]] flourished in the 6th century A.D. The ancient port of [[Adulis]] served as an entry-point and the hub of maritime trade via the [[Red Sea]] where Indian traders flocked to trade in spices and silk for ivory and gold. {{Infobox religious group|group=Ethiopian Hindus/Indians|population=Around 10,000|religions=[[Hinduism]]|related-c=[[Hindus]], [[Indian people|Indians]], [[Indian diaspora]], [[Gujaratis]] & [[Malayalis]]|regions=[[Addis Ababa]]|flag={{flagicon|India}}{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}|languages=[[Hindi]], [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] & [[Malayalam]]}}<br />
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In later periods, the arrival of Indian immigrants in the 17th century with the support of the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese sailors]], the Indian troops in 1868 brought by [[Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala|Robert Napier]], who was then the Commander-in-Chief of the [[British Army]] in [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]], and in 1935 when fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia, were important events. Indian artisans and workers played an important role in the development of the famous city of [[Gondar]] and the palace of [[Fasilides|Emperor Fasilides]].<ref name="03fr04.pdf">{{Cite web |url=http://meaindia.nic.in/foreignrelation/03fr04.pdf |title=Ethiopia |website=meaindia.nic.in |access-date=2007-03-07 |archive-date=2007-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012034413/http://meaindia.nic.in/foreignrelation/03fr04.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><br />
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General Rawley had been loaned by India to set up a military academy for Ethiopia. A large number of Indians had been employed between the late sixties and the nineties on a contractual basis to teach in the country's primary and secondary schools. But with the overthrow of [[Haile Selassie|Emperor Haile Selassie]] by [[Mengistu Haile Mariam|Colonel Mengistu]], the new communist regime introduced a policy of “[[Ethiopian nationalism|Ethiopianisation]]” which meant that foreigners were not allowed to teach in Ethiopian schools. Consequently, all the teachers and a large number of Indian businessmen moved to other destinations.<br />
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Only a few Indians remained behind, among whom were those who had settled down in the country for more than three generations.<ref name="chapter8">{{cite book |url=http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter8.pdf |title=Report of the High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora |chapter=Chapter 8: Other countries of Africa |date= |website=indiandiaspora.nic.in |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206063957/http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter8.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><br />
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==Hindus in Ethiopia==<br />
At one time there were more than 9,000 families in Ethiopia. By the mid-80s their number had come down to 8,000. Presently, the Indian community numbers approximately 1,500 nationals plus an approx. number of 400 teaching staff on contractual assignment.<ref name="03fr04.pdf" /><br />
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Around a hundred of them are businessmen. Mainly from [[Gujarat]], they work as commission agents of various import-export companies.<br />
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Another 150 are professors who teach in the Defence Ministry's Engineering College and in various faculties of leading Ethiopian universities and other institutions of higher learning, while two professor are there in Mekelle University serving in the department of Sociology. Six of them teach in the Civil Services College, an institution under the Prime Minister's Office that is similar to Administrative Staff College.<br />
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==Organizations==<br />
There are three associations, The Indian Association set up in 1937, The Hindu Mahajan and The Malayalam Association. There is also an Indian National School which is an autonomous institution set up in 1947 under the auspices of the Indian Association <ref name="03fr04.pdf" /><br />
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Hindus are allowed cremation rights in Hindu Mahajan located in Addis Ababa.<br />
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== References ==<br />
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==See also==<br />
{{Portal|Ethiopia|Hinduism}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[https://www.theguardian.com/hearafrica05/story/0,,1507066,00.htmlJeevan Vasagar delves into the rich history of Ethiopia's links with other countries, Tuesday June 21, 2005 Guardian Unlimited]<br />
*[http://lists.uua.org/pipermail/uuma-news/2000-May/000066.html Mr. Repp's body was cremated the day following his death in a typical Hindu cremation at the Hindu Mahajan in Addis Ababa]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<br />
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{{Hinduism in Africa}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinduism In Ethiopia}}<br />
[[Category:Hinduism by country|Ethiopia]]<br />
[[Category:Hinduism in Africa|Ethiopia]]<br />
[[Category:Religion in Ethiopia]]</div>Wazid