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{{unreliable sources|date=June 2015}}<!--www.everyculture.com and www.boloji.com/ are inadequate sources--> | {{unreliable sources|date=June 2015}}<!--www.everyculture.com and www.boloji.com/ are inadequate sources--> | ||
{{Infobox ethnic group | {{Infobox ethnic group | ||
| flag = {{flagicon|France}} {{flagicon|India}} | | flag = {{flagicon|France}} {{flagicon|India}} | ||
| group = French people in India<br>''Indiens d’origine française'' | | group = French people in India<br>''Indiens d’origine française'' | ||
| image = | | image = | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
| population = 12,864 (1988)<ref name="French of India">[http://www.everyculture.com/South-Asia/French-of-India.html: Countries and Their Cultures – French of India]</ref> | | population = 12,864 (1988)<ref name="French of India">[http://www.everyculture.com/South-Asia/French-of-India.html: Countries and Their Cultures – French of India]</ref> | ||
| regions = {{flatlist| | | regions = {{flatlist| | ||
* [[Puducherry (union territory)|Pondicherry]] | * [[Puducherry (union territory)|Pondicherry]] | ||
* [[Chennai]] | * [[Chennai]] | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
* [[Mahé, India|Mahé]] | * [[Mahé, India|Mahé]] | ||
* [[Chandernagore]] | * [[Chandernagore]] | ||
* [[Hyderabad]] | |||
}} | }} | ||
| langs | | langs = {{flatlist| | ||
* [[French language|French]] | * [[French language|French]] | ||
* [[#Indian French|Indian French]] | * [[#Indian French|Indian French]] | ||
| Line 23: | Line 24: | ||
* Other [[Languages of India|Indian languages]] | * Other [[Languages of India|Indian languages]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| rels | | rels = {{flatlist| | ||
Majority [[Christianity]]<br/> | Majority [[Christianity]]<br/> | ||
Minority [[Hinduism]] | Minority [[Hinduism]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| related = [[French people]] | | related = [[French people]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{French people}} | |||
The '''French community in India''' consists mainly of [[India]]n citizens of [[French people|French]] ancestry who are descended from former French settlers and colonists who settled in | The '''French community in India''' consists mainly of [[India]]n citizens of [[French people|French]] ancestry who are descended from former French settlers and colonists who settled in the [[Indian subcontinent]] since the 17th century, as well as recent expatriates from [[France]]. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
{{Main article|French India}} | {{Main article|French India}} | ||
The French in India are an artifact of the French presence there, which began in 1673 with the establishment of the [[French East India Company]] and continued until 1962 when the French territory was formally transferred to India. The French presence was always minor compared with the British presence, and the French in India were generally not a significant portion of the population. | The French in India are an artifact of the French presence there, which began in 1673 with the establishment of the [[Louis XIV's East India Company|French East India Company]] and continued until 1962 when the French territory was formally transferred to India. The French presence was always minor compared with the British presence, and the French in India were generally not a significant portion of the population. | ||
There were 9,950 French nationals residing in India in 2013.<ref>[http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/francais_inscrits_registre_31122013_cle025116.pdf Répartition par pays de la population française inscrite au registre au 31 décembre 2013], Ministère des affaires étrangères</ref> Nearly all are in the | There were 9,950 French nationals residing in India in 2013.<ref>[http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/francais_inscrits_registre_31122013_cle025116.pdf Répartition par pays de la population française inscrite au registre au 31 décembre 2013], Ministère des affaires étrangères</ref> Nearly all are in the [[Puducherry district]] in southeastern India (11,726 individuals in 1988), with much smaller numbers in [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] (695 individuals), [[Mahe district|Mahé]] (50), [[Yanam district|Yanam]] (46), and 342 elsewhere in India. They form a small minority, accounting for less than 3 percent of the present population of Puducherry. | ||
==Indian French== | ==Indian French== | ||
'''Indian French''' ({{ | '''Indian French''' ({{langx|fr|Français Indien}}) is a [[dialect]] of [[French language|French]] spoken by [[India]]ns from the former colonies of [[French India]];<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Orsini |first1=Francesca |journal=Testo a Fronte: Per Una Letteratura Globalizzata |title=Decreed out of existence? Multilingual India and world literature |url=https://www.academia.edu/25858900 |access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref> namely [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] (''Pondichéry''), [[Mahé, Puducherry|Mahé]], [[Yanam]] (''Yanaon''), [[Karaikal]] (''Karikal'') in the [[union territory]] of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] (''Poudouchéry'') and the [[Chandannagar]] (''Chandernagor'') subdivision in the [[Indian state|state]] of [[West Bengal]]. It has considerable influence from [[Indian English|English]] and the [[Languages of India|regional languages of India]], such as the [[Dravidian languages]] of [[Tamil language|Tamil]] (Pondicherry Tamil dialect), [[Telugu language|Telugu]] (Yanam Telugu dialect) and [[Malayalam]] (Mahé Malayalam dialect) and the [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]] of [[Bengali language|Bengali]] in Chandannagar. | ||
There are several varieties of Indian French, corresponding to the former French colonies, as follows: | There are several varieties of Indian French, corresponding to the former French colonies, as follows: | ||
*Tamil people (nearly 60,000 in France, 10,000 people in Puducherry) | *Tamil people (nearly 60,000 in France, 10,000 people in Puducherry) | ||
*Telugu people (nearly 10,000 in France, 35,000 people in Yanam) | *Telugu people (nearly 10,000 in France, 35,000 people in Yanam) | ||
*Malayali people ( | *Malayali people (4,000–5,000 in France) | ||
===Examples of Indian French=== | ===Examples of Indian French=== | ||
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! Meaning in [[English language|English]] | ! Meaning in [[English language|English]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| {{lang|fr-IN|Mérci | | {{lang|fr-IN|Mérci beauco}} | ||
| {{lang|fr-FR|Merci | | {{lang|fr-FR|Merci beaucoup}} | ||
| Thank you very much | | Thank you very much | ||
|- | |- | ||
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|} | |} | ||
==Current | ==Current status== | ||
[[File:Puducherry EFEO.jpg|thumb|left| Building of the [[École française d'Extrême-Orient]] in [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]]|221x221px]] | [[File:Puducherry EFEO.jpg|thumb|left| Building of the [[École française d'Extrême-Orient]] in [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]]|221x221px]] | ||
Today, Pondicherry still has a community of French people living in the city | Today, Pondicherry still has a community of French people living in the city. There are 6,500 French people registered in South India, and of these about 5,500 are in Pondicherry. | ||
French companies in India are present in various sectors such as energy, IT, environment, automobiles, traditional manufacturing industries like St Gobain, and engineering. They also have exporters of fish and other seafood, textiles, leather and luxury goods. [[L’Oréal]] has a presence in India, and [[Louis Vuitton]] has taken a stake in Hidesign in Pondicherry.<ref>[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2007/06/29/stories/2007062950080300.htm The Hindu Business Line – French connection] </ref> | French companies in India are present in various sectors such as energy, IT, environment, automobiles, traditional manufacturing industries like St Gobain, and engineering. They also have exporters of fish and other seafood, textiles, leather and luxury goods. [[L’Oréal]] has a presence in India, and [[Louis Vuitton]] has taken a stake in Hidesign in Pondicherry.<ref>[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2007/06/29/stories/2007062950080300.htm The Hindu Business Line – French connection]</ref> | ||
The French community in India is a consolidated group, brought together by a number of different organizations that aim to promote French culture in India. The French Club of Bombay is an organization that unites French speakers living in the city. The club meets at different locations in various parts of Mumbai so that meetings are conveniently located and have a good attendance.<ref>[http://www.ifcci.org.in/information-about-india/general-information/french-community.html: Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry – French community] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310130812/http://www.ifcci.org.in/information-about-india/general-information/french-community.html |date=March 10, 2012 }}</ref> | The French community in India is a consolidated group, brought together by a number of different organizations that aim to promote French culture in India. The French Club of Bombay is an organization that unites French speakers living in the city. The club meets at different locations in various parts of Mumbai so that meetings are conveniently located and have a good attendance.<ref>[http://www.ifcci.org.in/information-about-india/general-information/french-community.html: Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry – French community] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310130812/http://www.ifcci.org.in/information-about-india/general-information/french-community.html |date=March 10, 2012 }}</ref> | ||
In February 2015, the Indo French Senior Citizens Association staged street protests in [[Pondicherry]] to protest against denial of the French nationality and voting rights derived from the "[[History of Puducherry|treaty of cession]]" of French India territories, which guaranteed continued French citizenship to individuals whose birth and nativity certificate had been registered during the [[French India]] regime.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/protest-for-french-nationality-voting-rights/article6931558.ece | title=Protest for French nationality, voting rights | date=25 February 2015 | newspaper=The Hindu | access-date=16 February 2020 }}</ref>[[File:Matrimandir.JPG|thumb|200px|right|The [[Matrimandir]], initiated by [[Mirra Alfassa|The Mother]] of the [[Sri Aurobindo Ashram]]]] | In February 2015, the Indo French Senior Citizens Association staged street protests in [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] to protest against denial of the French nationality and voting rights derived from the "[[History of Puducherry|treaty of cession]]" of French India territories, which guaranteed continued French citizenship to individuals whose birth and nativity certificate had been registered during the [[French India]] regime.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/protest-for-french-nationality-voting-rights/article6931558.ece | title=Protest for French nationality, voting rights | date=25 February 2015 | newspaper=The Hindu | access-date=16 February 2020 }}</ref>[[File:Matrimandir.JPG|thumb|200px|right|The [[Matrimandir]], initiated by [[Mirra Alfassa|The Mother]] of the [[Sri Aurobindo Ashram]]]] | ||
==Notable people== | ==Notable people== | ||
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* [[Catherine Grand]] – wife of [[Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord]], the first [[Prime Minister of France]] | * [[Catherine Grand]] – wife of [[Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord]], the first [[Prime Minister of France]] | ||
* [[Maïna Kataki]] – founder of the charity Samarpan Ashram | * [[Maïna Kataki]] – founder of the charity Samarpan Ashram | ||
* [[Kalki Koechlin]] – | * [[Kalki Koechlin]] – French actress born in Pondicherry | ||
* [[Jules Monchanin]] (known as Swami Paramarubyananda) – French Catholic priest, monk and hermit | * [[Jules Monchanin]] (known as Swami Paramarubyananda) – French Catholic priest, monk and hermit | ||
* [[Pavitra]] – early disciple of Sri Aurobindo and [[Mirra Alfassa|The Mother]] | * [[Pavitra (disciple)|Pavitra]] – early disciple of Sri Aurobindo and [[Mirra Alfassa|The Mother]] | ||
* [[Satprem]] – author | * [[Satprem]] – author | ||
* [[Cyril Desbruslais]] - Jesuit priest, playwright and author. | * [[Cyril Desbruslais]] - Jesuit priest, playwright and author. | ||
* [[Andreanne Nouyrigat]] - French actress | * [[Andreanne Nouyrigat]] - French actress based in Pondicherry | ||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
| Line 126: | Line 127: | ||
*Sethna, K. D. (1987). The obscure and the mysterious: A research in Mallarmé's symbolic poetry. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. | *Sethna, K. D. (1987). The obscure and the mysterious: A research in Mallarmé's symbolic poetry. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
{{Portal|France|India}} | |||
* [[Hinduism in Martinique]] | |||
* [[France–India relations]] | * [[France–India relations]] | ||
* [[French India]] | * [[French India]] | ||
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{{Immigration to India}} | {{Immigration to India}} | ||
{{French diaspora}} | {{French diaspora}} | ||
{{Portal bar|France|India}} | |||
[[Category:Europeans in India]] | [[Category:Europeans in India]] | ||
| Line 145: | Line 148: | ||
[[Category:Indian people of French descent| ]] | [[Category:Indian people of French descent| ]] | ||
[[Category:French expatriates in India| ]] | [[Category:French expatriates in India| ]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Diasporas in India|French]] | ||
[[Category:People from Puducherry]] | [[Category:People from Puducherry]] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:30, 22 February 2026
 |
  | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 12,864 (1988)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| French people |
Template:French people The French community in India consists mainly of Indian citizens of French ancestry who are descended from former French settlers and colonists who settled in the Indian subcontinent since the 17th century, as well as recent expatriates from France.
History[edit | edit source]
The French in India are an artifact of the French presence there, which began in 1673 with the establishment of the French East India Company and continued until 1962 when the French territory was formally transferred to India. The French presence was always minor compared with the British presence, and the French in India were generally not a significant portion of the population.
There were 9,950 French nationals residing in India in 2013.[2] Nearly all are in the Puducherry district in southeastern India (11,726 individuals in 1988), with much smaller numbers in Karaikal (695 individuals), Mahé (50), Yanam (46), and 342 elsewhere in India. They form a small minority, accounting for less than 3 percent of the present population of Puducherry.
Indian French[edit | edit source]
Indian French (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is a dialect of French spoken by Indians from the former colonies of French India;[3] namely Pondicherry (Pondichéry), Mahé, Yanam (Yanaon), Karaikal (Karikal) in the union territory of Puducherry (Poudouchéry) and the Chandannagar (Chandernagor) subdivision in the state of West Bengal. It has considerable influence from English and the regional languages of India, such as the Dravidian languages of Tamil (Pondicherry Tamil dialect), Telugu (Yanam Telugu dialect) and Malayalam (Mahé Malayalam dialect) and the Indo-Aryan language of Bengali in Chandannagar.
There are several varieties of Indian French, corresponding to the former French colonies, as follows:
- Tamil people (nearly 60,000 in France, 10,000 people in Puducherry)
- Telugu people (nearly 10,000 in France, 35,000 people in Yanam)
- Malayali people (4,000–5,000 in France)
Examples of Indian French[edit | edit source]
Indian French spoken in former French India vaguely varies from Standard French, in pronunciation and accent, with a few unique words, such as:
| Indian French | Metropolitan French | Meaning in English |
|---|---|---|
| Mérci beauco | Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much |
| Mousé | Monsieur | Mister/Sir |
| Madam | Madame | Madam/Ma'am |
| Locaele | Locale | Local |
| Perme | Fermer | Close |
| Parlama | Parlement | Parliament |
| Baccaloria | Baccalauréat | Baccalauréat (French secondary school diploma) |
| Sulda | Soldat | Colloquially: Indians with French citizenship Literally: Soldier |
| Coseiyya | Conseiller | Councilor |
Current status[edit | edit source]
Today, Pondicherry still has a community of French people living in the city. There are 6,500 French people registered in South India, and of these about 5,500 are in Pondicherry.
French companies in India are present in various sectors such as energy, IT, environment, automobiles, traditional manufacturing industries like St Gobain, and engineering. They also have exporters of fish and other seafood, textiles, leather and luxury goods. L’Oréal has a presence in India, and Louis Vuitton has taken a stake in Hidesign in Pondicherry.[4]
The French community in India is a consolidated group, brought together by a number of different organizations that aim to promote French culture in India. The French Club of Bombay is an organization that unites French speakers living in the city. The club meets at different locations in various parts of Mumbai so that meetings are conveniently located and have a good attendance.[5]
In February 2015, the Indo French Senior Citizens Association staged street protests in Pondicherry to protest against denial of the French nationality and voting rights derived from the "treaty of cession" of French India territories, which guaranteed continued French citizenship to individuals whose birth and nativity certificate had been registered during the French India regime.[6]
Notable people[edit | edit source]
- Abhishiktananda (born Henri Le Saux) – French Benedictine monk
- Mirra Alfassa – also known as "The Mother"; spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo
- Yvonne Artaud – French educator, ethnologist, psychologist and artist
- Andre Beteille (born 1934) – Indian sociologist
- Pierre Ceyrac – French Jesuit priest, engaged in charitable work
- Christabel Chamarette – Senator for Western Australia (born in India and is of French Huguenot descent)
- Alain Daniélou – French historian, intellectual, musicologist and Indologist
- François Gautier – writer and journalist based in India
- Catherine Grand – wife of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the first Prime Minister of France
- Maïna Kataki – founder of the charity Samarpan Ashram
- Kalki Koechlin – French actress born in Pondicherry
- Jules Monchanin (known as Swami Paramarubyananda) – French Catholic priest, monk and hermit
- Pavitra – early disciple of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother
- Satprem – author
- Cyril Desbruslais - Jesuit priest, playwright and author.
- Andreanne Nouyrigat - French actress based in Pondicherry
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- David-Néel, Alexandra (2002). L' Inde où j'ai vécu: Avant et après l'indépendance. Paris: Plon.
- Elfi, Nicole (2008). Aux sources de l'Inde: L'initiation à la connaissance. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
- Gautier, François (2005). La caravane intérieure: Récit. Paris: Les Belles lettres.
- Gautier, François (2008) Les Français en Inde – Pondichéry, Chandernagor, Mahé, Yanaon, Karikal. France Loisirs.
- Sethna, K. D. (1987). The obscure and the mysterious: A research in Mallarmé's symbolic poetry. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Countries and Their Cultures – French of India
- ↑ Répartition par pays de la population française inscrite au registre au 31 décembre 2013, Ministère des affaires étrangères
- ↑ Orsini, Francesca. "Decreed out of existence? Multilingual India and world literature". Testo a Fronte: Per Una Letteratura Globalizzata. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ The Hindu Business Line – French connection
- ↑ Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry – French community Archived March 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Protest for French nationality, voting rights". The Hindu. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
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