Indians in Chile

This article is about people originating from India. For native ethnic groups of Chile, also sometimes called "Indians", see Indigenous peoples in Chile.
Indians in Chile
Total population
(1,500 [1])
Regions with significant populations
Punta Arenas · Santiago · Iquique
Languages
Chilean Spanish · Sindhi
Religion
Hinduism · Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Person of Indian Origin

Indians in Chile form one of the smaller populations of the Indian diaspora. The large majority of them of Sindhi descent. A few Indians went to Chile in the 1920s. Later more Indians migrated there about 30 years ago - not only from India, but also from Hong Kong, Spain, Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Nigeria, Panama, the Philippines and Singapore.

History

Some migrants from British India arrived to work in mining, railroads, and agriculture in the early 20th century, usually under British-owned corporations. However most Indians in Chile are new arrivals in the 1980s as Chilean military advisors for the Pinochet regime during the Cold War and the 1990s for economic reasons. Today, about 1,500 Indians live in Chile, mostly in Santiago.

The first immigrants from India (mostly of Sindhi descent) arrived to Magallanes (present-day Punta Arenas) in 1904 and worked as traders. Their descendants moved to different parts of the country, though mostly to Santiago. Descendants of Sindhi migrants to Chile also live on the northern coast (i.e. Arica, Iquique and Antofagasta). A second large wave of Indian immigration occurred in the 1980s. These are the people who set up the Indian Association of Santiago.

There are 90 families which amount to 400 people in Santiago alone. Nationally, there are about 1500 people of Indian origin (mainly Sindhi) living in the country. There are also many Chileans who are interested in Indian culture.

Business and employment

There are various commercial opportunities in Chile for Indian immigrants and multinational firms have begun to arrive and along with them Indian engineers.

Notable individuals

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=50047444
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