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Chapter 4
JAIN DIASPORA AND ITS LINKAGES WITH INDIA
This chapter profiles the global Jain diaspora that was formed during the past one hundred years or so. The profile is presented in terms of migration patterns as a result of which the diaspora has been formed, population estimates, sectarian composition, economic/occupational status, and the number and activities of socio-cultural associations, etc. At the end of the chapter, Jain diaspora's linkages with India are also discussed. Since the Jain diaspora evolved in close association with the wider Indian diaspora, it would be useful to begin with a brief note on the Indian diaspora.
Indian Diaspora
Until recently the term 'diaspora' referred to the Jews living in different parts of the world outside Israel their ancestral "homeland". Of late, however, the purview of the term diaspora has been broadened to refer to any population group settled abroad but maintaining close links with its homeland. As such diasporas can be defined as "ethnic minority groups of migrant origins residing and acting in host countries but maintaining strong sentimental and material links with countries of origin- homelands" (Sheffer 1986: 3).
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Modern organized diasporas constitute trans-state triadic networks involving ethnic diasporas, their host countries and homelands, and as such they have significant ramifications for international relations and international politics, and other activities. The ties diasporic communities maintain through visits, marriages, remittances, and trade networks, transfer of technology and skills and political lobbying for the homeland are some other aspects of diasporic activities. Like the Jewish, Chinese and other major world diasporas, the Indian diaspora too provides an interesting case study of all these activities.
Modern Indian diaspora is about 200 years old largely a creation of British colonialism in India and some other countries of Asia, Africa, Oceania and the West Indies. This is evident from the fact that the vast majority of Indians migrated to the British colonies only 86 Jains in India and Abroad
