SINGAPORE - The histories of Singapore's Tamil Catholics, Hindustanis, Gujaratis, Telugus and Bengalis have been captured in a new series of five monographs and documentaries which shed light on these often overlooked communities.
The small sizes of these groups relative to the rest of Singapore's Indian community - which comprises mostly Tamil-speaking Hindus - make them "minorities within a minority", said Associate Professor Rajesh Rai, who headed the project along with senior lecturer Jayati Bhattacharya.
In the 2020 census, ethnic Indians made up about 9 per cent of Singapore's resident population of about 4 million.
Prof Rai, who heads the South Asian Studies programme at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said these circumstances have led to the variety of South Asian ethnic groups in Singapore being lumped together as one in both public discourse and official records.
Speaking at a launch event for the project held at the Indian Heritage Centre in Little India on May 28, he added: "A closer inspection (of Singapore's Indian community) reveals a mosaic or a patchwork quilt, interconnected to a larger whole but each community marked by its own unique characteristics and experiences."
The project, which was funded by the National Heritage Board, produced a series of five short monographs on each minority community which detail their migration to Singapore, customs, festivals and oral histories.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...s-light-on-minorities-within-indian-community
