https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Indians_in_R%C3%A9unionIndians in Réunion - Revision history2026-11-05T05:32:48ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indians_in_R%C3%A9union&diff=504270&oldid=prevAmbi: starting entry2025-04-13T06:20:13Z<p>starting entry</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{More citations needed|date=April 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox ethnic group<br />
| group = Indians in Réunion<br />
| total = 220,000<br />
| total_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter6.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821114441/http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter6.pdf |archive-date=2010-08-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
| popplace = [[Saint-André, Réunion|St André]], [[Saint-Denis, Réunion|St Denis]], [[Saint-Louis, Réunion|St Louis]]<br />
| langs = [[French language|French]], [[English language|English]], [[Réunion Creole]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]]<br />
| rels = Majority [[Hinduism]]<br /> Minority [[Pentecostalism]], [[Catholicism]], [[Islam]]<br />
| related-c = [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin]], [[Malbars]], [[Zarabes]], [[Tamils]], [[Desi]], [[Indian diaspora in France]]<br />
| native_name = <br />
| native_name_lang = <br />
| related_groups = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Indians in Réunion''' are people of [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian]] origin in [[Réunion]]. They form two ethnic groups on the island, [[Malbars]] (Tamils) and [[Zarabes]] (Muslims).<br />
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==Origins==<br />
Originally brought in as indentured laborers, as in [[Mauritius]], they were mostly of [[South Indian]] [[Tamil people|Tamil]]<ref name="indiandiaspora.nic.in">{{Cite web |url=http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter6.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821114441/http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter6.pdf |archive-date=2010-08-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> origin. The second and smallest group were Muslims (from [[North India|North]], [[South India|South]] and [[West India]], mainly from the modern day region of [[Gujarat]].) There were also later emigrants, mostly [[Hindu]] traders and businessmen. In Réunion, Indians from South India, often Hindu, are known as Malbars and Muslim Indians from North and West India are known as Zarabes.<br />
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==Today==<br />
Indo-Réunionnais people have affected the culture of [[Réunion]], bringing Indian cuisine as well as flora and fauna to the island. The Indo-Réunionnais Hindus have mainly assimilated with other ethnicities on the island.<br />
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==Malbars==<br />
Originally brought in as [[indenture]]d labourers as in [[Mauritius]], they were mostly [[South Indian]] [[Tamil people|Tamils]].<ref name="indiandiaspora.nic.in"/><br />
Tamils in Reunion have recently exhibited the desire to learn their ancestors' culture and have started studying their language and religions, especially from [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Puducherry (union territory)|Pondicherry]].<ref name="indiandiaspora.nic.in"/><br />
They also want to translate their newly acquired civic and political rights into a gradual and increasing participation in local and other elections. Notable contributors include:<br />
* Mr [[Jean-Paul Virapoullé]], Mayor of [[Saint-André (Réunion)|Saint-André]] (1972-2008 and since 2014), Deputy of the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] (1986-1997), [[List of senators of Réunion|Senator]] (2001-2011) and First Vice President of the General Council of Reunion.<br />
* Mrs [[Nadia Ramassamy]], Deputy of the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] since 2017, previously Vice President of the General Council.<br />
* Mr Saminadin Axel Kichenin, Mayor of [[Sainte-Marie, Réunion|Sainte-Marie]] (1983-1990), Vice President of the General Council.<br />
* Mrs Denise Nillameyom, Deputy Mayor of [[Le Tampon]].<br />
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==Demographic factors==<br />
Many are [[Christians]] and [[Hindus]], including some who are nominally Christian but include Hindu practises.<ref name="ghasarian">{{cite journal |last1=Ghasarian |first1=Christian |year=1997 |title=We Have the Best Gods! The Encounter Between Hinduism and Christianity in La Réunion |journal=African and Asian Studies |volume=32 |issue= 3|pages=286–295 |doi=10.1163/156852197X00079 }}</ref> There is a significant [[Muslim]] minority known as [[Zarabes]]. Others are [[Sikh]], [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼí]] or [[non-religious]]. [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|Hare Krishna]] is also practised in [[Réunion]]. They speak [[Réunion Creole]] and French. There are a handful of schools where Indian languages such as [[Tamil language|Tamil]] may be studied as a third or fourth language.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Indian diaspora}}<br />
{{Réunion topics}}<br />
<br />
{{authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reunionnais Of Indian Origin}}<br />
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Réunion]]<br />
[[Category:Indian diaspora in France|Reunionnaise, Indo-]]<br />
[[Category:Indian diaspora in Africa]]</div>Ambi