K.A.Viswanathan
Mumbai: A two- day International seminar on ‘Mapping Indian Diaspora’ organised by the department of Humanities concluded today at the SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce Sion. 
Principal of the college Dr. Uma Shankar in her welcome address brought out the rationale of the seminar by stating that, “in today’s interconnected Globalised world, diaspora has evolved as an important area of study”. To understand the multiple contours and dynamics of diaspora, the SIES College’s department of Humanities, consists of Economics, English, Hindi, History, Philosophy, Psychology and Politics has taken the initiative of organising this with an aim to trace the imprints of the Indian diaspora across the globe. Bringing resource persons from UK, US, Malayasia, Singapore and Oman to speak on this topic was itself an intriguing aspect of this seminar Dr. Uma said.
Indian diaspora is one of the most diverse and largest in the world that can be traced across 146 countries said Dr. Rashmi Bhure , vice principal of the college. “ Today with the advancement of technology, the means of transport and communication, it has become easier for the diasporic community to maintain ties with homeland or to the country of their historical affiliation”, Bhure added.
Gulf countries have of the largest concentration of migrants in the world, but the landscape is changing. Of the 1.9 million expats in Sultanate of Oman, 6.24 crore are
Indians of whom 40 per cent are unemployed, said Dr Baby Sam Samuel, Chairman, Indian Schools in Oman.
Samuel who was speaking on “ Entrepreneurship challenges for Indian diaspora in Oman” said " After the oil boom in 1970, Indian expatriates started moving to gulf
countries.” Today, 40 percent of population there is unemployed. There is tremendous pressure of nationalization where jobs are given to the locals there, impacting Indian
diaspora , said Samuel.
Dr. Binod Kadaria , professor of Economics from Delhi JNU , in his Keynote address highlighted on the chronology of diaspora and literally mapped the diaspora’s presence right from 1917 through the real scenarios in 2019. He said “ in India’s Trajectory, we are going to provide to the world with almost 50% of skilled labourers which will be bilateral, multilateral as well as unilateral”. There are 30 million Indian diasporas are spread all over the world, he added.
Dr. Kamala Ganesh former head ,Department of Sociology of Mumbai University brought out the depth and breadth of diaspora studies in the field of Sociology and Sociological Anthropology. She made a special mention of ‘myth of return’ and in adding to the wish list of India’s contribution to the world, an understanding on ‘construction and creation of Transnational Identity of homeland in the hostland as utmost essential.
President of the World Dance Alliance, Singapore Chapter and noted Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Dr. Mrs Siri Rama said “ in a nation state like Singapore, Indian classical dance and especially Bharata Natyam plays a critical role in the identity of the local Indian Tamil population and newly immigrated diaspora.” .Dance becomes a very personal journey for most practitioners and the support system of people in the diaspora ,Rama added.
