Anglo-Indians of Tamil Nadu: Diversifying to make a difference

The community has encountered several challenges — from the abolition of job reservation in Central government services in 1960 to the recent scrapping of nominations to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and a shrinking population due to migration

There are fewer Anglo-Indians than there used to be in Tamil Nadu. But the small yet vibrant community is striving to make a difference, with many of the youths taking to diverse fields. Anglo-Indians have had their own share of challenges. From the abolition of job reservation in Central government services in 1960 to the recent scrapping of nominations to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and a shrinking population due to migration, the community has seen it all.

There is an estimated population of 40,000 to 45,000 Anglo-Indians in Tamil Nadu, including in Chennai, Tiruchi, Madurai and Coimbatore. Podanur in Coimbatore is one of the hubs of Anglo-Indians, while there are families residing in the Nilgiris as well, according to Harry MacLure, Editor of Anglos in the Wind, a cartoonist and film-maker. Their population had shrunk as many members migrated abroad since the early 1950s to the United Kingdom and later to Australia, Canada and the United States. “Now, the number of people moving abroad has come down as people don’t wish to leave the country. Migration is a choice now, and not a necessity,” he said.

In Tamil Nadu, there was a strong presence of Anglo-Indians, who worked in the railways, as there are many junctions such as Madras, Villupuram, Tiruchi and Madurai. “The community has evolved in a rather fascinating way. Many youngsters are focused on their careers and are into fields such as biotechnology, information technology, sound engineering, nanotechnology and cinematography. It looks very promising,” said Richard O’Connor, an Assistant Commissioner of Customs.

According to Mr. MacLure, the Anglo-Indians were caught unawares when the reservation in jobs for them was done away with. “Then, quite a few were not well educated. There were no jobs and no income. The suffering for the last 15 to 20 years made parents understand the importance of good education; hence, many have ensured that their children get a good education.”

The love for exploring new things, coupled with his fascination for the ocean, drove Jonathan Emmett to the study of marine biology. He travelled from Chennai to the Andaman Islands for postgraduate studies in Marine Biology. The 29-year-old is now pursuing Ph.D at Thoothukudi. “My great grandmother was a nurse and my grandfather worked in the railways. Today, we have people working in the information technology and engineering sectors. The present generation is willing to take risks,” he said. However, there needs to be some kind of reservation/representation which gives the ambitious Anglo-Indians a better chance to work in different fields and help the community, Mr. Emmett added.

Young Anglo-Indians are moving to diverse areas like never before, said Brett Savio Gilles, a final-year undergraduate student, who recently represented India in the World Wrestling Championships in Spain. “I know of friends who are working in the information technology sector and are into sports,” he said.

He believes change starts at home. “It depends on the exposure one gets. My parents never pushed me into sports. My grandmother was an athlete, while my mother was a hockey player and my father a javelin thrower. So, I picked up what I was exposed to, and I am now a wrestler,” he added.