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India Moving: A History of Migration
From adventure to indenture, martyrs to merchants, Partition to plantation, from Kashmir to Kerala, Japan to Jamaica and beyond, the many facets of the great migrations of India and the world are mapped in India Moving, the first book of its kind.
To understand how millions of people have moved-from, to and within India-the book embarks on a journey laced with evidence, argument and wit, providing insights into topics like the slave trade and migration of workers, travelling business communities such as the Marwaris, Gujaratis and Chettiars, refugee crises and the roots of contemporary mass migration from Bihar and Kerala, covering terrain that often includes diverse items such as mangoes, dosas and pressure cookers.
India Moving shows the scale and variety of Indian migration and argues that greater mobility is a prerequisite for maintaining the country's pluralistic traditions.
To understand how millions of people have moved-from, to and within India-the book embarks on a journey laced with evidence, argument and wit, providing insights into topics like the slave trade and migration of workers, travelling business communities such as the Marwaris, Gujaratis and Chettiars, refugee crises and the roots of contemporary mass migration from Bihar and Kerala, covering terrain that often includes diverse items such as mangoes, dosas and pressure cookers.
India Moving shows the scale and variety of Indian migration and argues that greater mobility is a prerequisite for maintaining the country's pluralistic traditions.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
93 people are currently reading
1330 people want to read
About the author
Chinmay Tumbe
2 books25 followersChinmay Tumbe loves to laugh and learn. He is passionate about migration, cities, firms and history, and is currently Associate Professor in the Economics Area at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. An alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore; Ruia College, Mumbai; and Rishi Valley School, Madanapalle; he has been a faculty member at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. He was a 2013 Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence, and the 2018 Alfred D. Chandler Jr. International Visiting Scholar in Business History at Harvard Business School, Boston.
His first book, 'India Moving: A History of Migration', was published in 2018 and second book 'The Age of Pandemics, 1817-1920: How they shaped India and the World', was published in 2020. He was a member of the The Lancet Covid-19 India Taskforce in 2020-22 and the Working Group on Migration of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in 2016-17. He has published widely in leading journals and newspapers and helped set up the IIMA Archives.
His first book, 'India Moving: A History of Migration', was published in 2018 and second book 'The Age of Pandemics, 1817-1920: How they shaped India and the World', was published in 2020. He was a member of the The Lancet Covid-19 India Taskforce in 2020-22 and the Working Group on Migration of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in 2016-17. He has published widely in leading journals and newspapers and helped set up the IIMA Archives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
May 31, 2021
Such a dry and bland writing. I advice not to read this book to those who have developed a taste for delicious writing. In what ungodly hour did I decide to pick this book!
If food without the salt and spices are the exotic cuisines, then Tumbe is the best chef. There were few stories, which were interesting, but it becomes illuminating only due to reader's imagination. If you are dull reader, experience the torture of dry writing. But, if you are expecting Sanyal style, forget it. Tumbe comes nowhere close.
The first part was hard to wade through. One can easily sum up the migration stories by striking arrows on a blank physical map of the world. The second part was little interesting, no, not his writing but few stories that I did not know.
Only a few days ago, his article appeared in the Indian Express. Oh, God. I turned the page as adrenaline rushed through my veins. Unless I verify and then reverify his certificate of creative writing on LinkedIn, I won't read him.
Apart from writings, his perspectives were mainly influenced by western ideas. The book touches upon Goa and Portuguese migration but overlooks migration due to Goa Inquisition. And how he just equated the plight of Kashmiri with politicisation!
Had his writing been effective, my words could have been a little harsh. But the jokes were so poor, I felt pity. There was nothing new in this book. Bland. Dry. Not even naughty.
In a nutshell, archaic perspective coupled with bland writing makes it a recipe not worth endangering a curious human's life.
If food without the salt and spices are the exotic cuisines, then Tumbe is the best chef. There were few stories, which were interesting, but it becomes illuminating only due to reader's imagination. If you are dull reader, experience the torture of dry writing. But, if you are expecting Sanyal style, forget it. Tumbe comes nowhere close.
The first part was hard to wade through. One can easily sum up the migration stories by striking arrows on a blank physical map of the world. The second part was little interesting, no, not his writing but few stories that I did not know.
Only a few days ago, his article appeared in the Indian Express. Oh, God. I turned the page as adrenaline rushed through my veins. Unless I verify and then reverify his certificate of creative writing on LinkedIn, I won't read him.
Apart from writings, his perspectives were mainly influenced by western ideas. The book touches upon Goa and Portuguese migration but overlooks migration due to Goa Inquisition. And how he just equated the plight of Kashmiri with politicisation!
Had his writing been effective, my words could have been a little harsh. But the jokes were so poor, I felt pity. There was nothing new in this book. Bland. Dry. Not even naughty.
In a nutshell, archaic perspective coupled with bland writing makes it a recipe not worth endangering a curious human's life.
October 22, 2018
India’s northeastern state of Assam was recently in the news when a process for identification of illegal immigrants found four million people who had infiltrated from Bangladesh in this state with a total population of 30 million. Assam is heavily scarred with the ill-effects of migration. Its Sylhet district had to be ceded to East Pakistan in 1947 as decades of immigration from East Bengal had made the district a Muslim-majority one and consequently was annexed to Pakistan. The same game is repeating there, with constant flow of people from Bangladesh which is changing the demographic pattern of the state that can cause great havoc in the near future. However, migration in India is not limited just to Assam and it is not always a bad thing. The lure of better economic prospects drives people from their hearths and homes to seek gainful employment in other provinces or even other countries. India is greatly benefitted by the remittances these people make back home and also by the entrepreneurial spirit exhibited by some of them. In politics also, migrant leaders excelled as seen in the best example of them all – Gandhiji, who had lived in South Africa for two decades before steering the freedom movement to victory in India. Not much research has gone into this phenomenon of migration in India yet and the author rectifies this anomaly with a good comparative survey of the causes and effects of migration from and to India. Chinmay Tumbe is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He is passionate about migration, cities and history and was a 2013 Jean Monnet Fellow at the Migration Policy Centre, Florence and the 2018 Alfred D. Chandler Jr International Visiting Scholar in Business History at Harvard Business School. He had published widely on migration for a decade and has served on policymaking groups. This is his first book.
Even though India was well known in the ancient world, there was practically not much outmigration. The history of migration from the middle of the first millennium BCE to circa 1300 CE is one of immigration mainly from central Asia, instances of emigration to the west and the east and internal migration accompanying urbanization, colonization and deportation. The foreigners gave the name of India to the land east of the river Indus, and the Indians named the foreigners yavana and mleccha in the medieval period. This later changed to firangis to denote people from Europe. Curious it may seem, but the word came from the root term ‘franks’ which was an ancient Germanic tribe. Indians were not very particular in the racial profile of those coming in. In the sixteenth century, the Habshi slaves from Ethiopia were brought to Deccan states, who were later merged into the mass of Indian society.
Thumbe identifies a phenomenon known as the ‘Great Indian Migration Wave’ around the nineteenth century. By that time, the economic might of the country had fallen through the relentless conquests and invasions from Afghanistan, Iran and central Asia and also a century of colonial rule. The land and society were impoverished on all counts. It is said that Nadir Shah carted away so much treasure from India in 1739 that he remitted the entire taxation in Persia for three years! Around the first half of the eighteenth century, slavery was outlawed in most British colonies and the slaves were freed. The sugar plantations needed an alternate labour force for their fields. Indentured labour was introduced as a substitute in which the workers toiled in the farms for a fixed tenure. Thumbe enumerates the characteristics of this migration wave as male-dominated, remittance-yielding and semi-permanent. Almost 70 per cent of them were male workers who had to undergo decades of separation for supporting their families back home. Railways and postal services aided in this process. The money order was the financial lynchpin of migration. Postal money order traffic constituted 2-3 per cent of GDP between 1900 and 1960. Eventually, this was lost to banks and private money transfer operators. The book then makes a summary review of Indian migration in various countries around the world. The wave of migration was cut across regions and communities. Marwaris, Chettiyars and Gujaratis were a few societies specifically mentioned. The Indian diaspora is now 25 million strong and it can be safely surmised that the sun does not set on them. This has reached considerable proportions in some countries such as Mauritius where two-thirds of the population is of Indian origin.
The author jestingly identifies two common practices followed by Indian communities residing anywhere in the world. Use of water in toilets and pressure cookers in the kitchen are two characteristics we seem unable to live without. Even though casteism is a bane of Hindu society in India, the caste system has dissolved itself in the case of expatriates of the second or third generations. In that sense, migration has changed the leopard’s spots. Thumbe illustrates this with examples from Fiji and Guyana. The indentured labourers who arrived in Fiji were called girmitiyas. They belonged to all castes and became jahaji bhais during the month-long sea crossing, a bond that lasted for a long time in the remote islands where caste identities would eventually fade away (p.124). In Guyana too, on the face of common adversities encountered by Indians as a whole, the caste system began to disappear as identities were reshaped along racial lines.
A good description of internal migration inside the country is given in the book. India’s position is unique in the global migration map. It sustains considerable volume of immigration, emigration and internal migration alongside involuntary transfer of populations as seen in the partition days and communities dislocated by developmental projects such as construction of dams or factories. Hindu Pandits who had to flee Kashmir in the early 1990s is a case in point. The stereotypes associated with internal diaspora are also identified, such as Bengali economists, Kerala nurses and Odiya cooks and plumbers. Thumbe also makes some guess about future migration patterns in the country. A wave of migration from the north of India towards the south is probable on account of the large wage differentials existing in those regions. While the history of the twentieth century was essentially a clash between capitalism and communism, the role of antagonists in this century might be taken up by cosmopolitanism and nativism because the large inflow of cheap labour from abroad is bound to instigate resentment in the native population.
The book is neatly and lucidly argued with clear logic and a lot of illustrative examples. It is graced with a foreword by Arvind Subramanian, the economic adviser to the prime minister of India, in which he comments that the book should be read, savoured and applauded. These words are never far from what it actually deserves. It includes a comprehensive collection of end-notes and a commendable index. Some photographs are also included which serves the requirement of form rather than utility.
The book is highly recommended.
Even though India was well known in the ancient world, there was practically not much outmigration. The history of migration from the middle of the first millennium BCE to circa 1300 CE is one of immigration mainly from central Asia, instances of emigration to the west and the east and internal migration accompanying urbanization, colonization and deportation. The foreigners gave the name of India to the land east of the river Indus, and the Indians named the foreigners yavana and mleccha in the medieval period. This later changed to firangis to denote people from Europe. Curious it may seem, but the word came from the root term ‘franks’ which was an ancient Germanic tribe. Indians were not very particular in the racial profile of those coming in. In the sixteenth century, the Habshi slaves from Ethiopia were brought to Deccan states, who were later merged into the mass of Indian society.
Thumbe identifies a phenomenon known as the ‘Great Indian Migration Wave’ around the nineteenth century. By that time, the economic might of the country had fallen through the relentless conquests and invasions from Afghanistan, Iran and central Asia and also a century of colonial rule. The land and society were impoverished on all counts. It is said that Nadir Shah carted away so much treasure from India in 1739 that he remitted the entire taxation in Persia for three years! Around the first half of the eighteenth century, slavery was outlawed in most British colonies and the slaves were freed. The sugar plantations needed an alternate labour force for their fields. Indentured labour was introduced as a substitute in which the workers toiled in the farms for a fixed tenure. Thumbe enumerates the characteristics of this migration wave as male-dominated, remittance-yielding and semi-permanent. Almost 70 per cent of them were male workers who had to undergo decades of separation for supporting their families back home. Railways and postal services aided in this process. The money order was the financial lynchpin of migration. Postal money order traffic constituted 2-3 per cent of GDP between 1900 and 1960. Eventually, this was lost to banks and private money transfer operators. The book then makes a summary review of Indian migration in various countries around the world. The wave of migration was cut across regions and communities. Marwaris, Chettiyars and Gujaratis were a few societies specifically mentioned. The Indian diaspora is now 25 million strong and it can be safely surmised that the sun does not set on them. This has reached considerable proportions in some countries such as Mauritius where two-thirds of the population is of Indian origin.
The author jestingly identifies two common practices followed by Indian communities residing anywhere in the world. Use of water in toilets and pressure cookers in the kitchen are two characteristics we seem unable to live without. Even though casteism is a bane of Hindu society in India, the caste system has dissolved itself in the case of expatriates of the second or third generations. In that sense, migration has changed the leopard’s spots. Thumbe illustrates this with examples from Fiji and Guyana. The indentured labourers who arrived in Fiji were called girmitiyas. They belonged to all castes and became jahaji bhais during the month-long sea crossing, a bond that lasted for a long time in the remote islands where caste identities would eventually fade away (p.124). In Guyana too, on the face of common adversities encountered by Indians as a whole, the caste system began to disappear as identities were reshaped along racial lines.
A good description of internal migration inside the country is given in the book. India’s position is unique in the global migration map. It sustains considerable volume of immigration, emigration and internal migration alongside involuntary transfer of populations as seen in the partition days and communities dislocated by developmental projects such as construction of dams or factories. Hindu Pandits who had to flee Kashmir in the early 1990s is a case in point. The stereotypes associated with internal diaspora are also identified, such as Bengali economists, Kerala nurses and Odiya cooks and plumbers. Thumbe also makes some guess about future migration patterns in the country. A wave of migration from the north of India towards the south is probable on account of the large wage differentials existing in those regions. While the history of the twentieth century was essentially a clash between capitalism and communism, the role of antagonists in this century might be taken up by cosmopolitanism and nativism because the large inflow of cheap labour from abroad is bound to instigate resentment in the native population.
The book is neatly and lucidly argued with clear logic and a lot of illustrative examples. It is graced with a foreword by Arvind Subramanian, the economic adviser to the prime minister of India, in which he comments that the book should be read, savoured and applauded. These words are never far from what it actually deserves. It includes a comprehensive collection of end-notes and a commendable index. Some photographs are also included which serves the requirement of form rather than utility.
The book is highly recommended.
January 29, 2021
Book Does great deal of justice in providing an encyclopedia of Indian/sub-continent's migration history, a good read for someone who wants to connect dots of larger understanding not well documented migration in Indian sub-continent. however, book does not do great in following points mentioned.
a) doesn't explain, if at all a larger theoretical (economical/anthropological) understanding of the "great migration wave" can be made at all. no inter-link between different migrations is found by author, or there doesn't exist one.
b) could have distinguished migration further, since they aren't same at all, lot of them are labour migration, few are mercantile in nature tough, could have well explained economic disparities across regions in India as well.
c) Is "the great Indian migration wave" anything of special importance at all, if not for mere scale, book claims it is of some importance, but there isn't much evidence in book/ else where. there are other migrations of much smaller groups, which have shaped world way more than "great Indian migration wave" has held any importance even for India at all, yes it deserves to be told and written, within itself is brief story of movements of people .
c) could have dwelled much deeper into psycho-analysis of different migratory groups, to explain the anthropological impact on such migration, even with in Indian sub-continent.
d) Book ends with plain platitudes and less important conclusions, a much more stringent academic conclusion commenting on migration theories and its complex patterns could have done.
Though book overwhelms with such huge missed information, after reading world view of Indian doesn't seem to change at all, probably "great Indian Migration Wave" wasn't of much importance to shaping India's history at all.
a) doesn't explain, if at all a larger theoretical (economical/anthropological) understanding of the "great migration wave" can be made at all. no inter-link between different migrations is found by author, or there doesn't exist one.
b) could have distinguished migration further, since they aren't same at all, lot of them are labour migration, few are mercantile in nature tough, could have well explained economic disparities across regions in India as well.
c) Is "the great Indian migration wave" anything of special importance at all, if not for mere scale, book claims it is of some importance, but there isn't much evidence in book/ else where. there are other migrations of much smaller groups, which have shaped world way more than "great Indian migration wave" has held any importance even for India at all, yes it deserves to be told and written, within itself is brief story of movements of people .
c) could have dwelled much deeper into psycho-analysis of different migratory groups, to explain the anthropological impact on such migration, even with in Indian sub-continent.
d) Book ends with plain platitudes and less important conclusions, a much more stringent academic conclusion commenting on migration theories and its complex patterns could have done.
Though book overwhelms with such huge missed information, after reading world view of Indian doesn't seem to change at all, probably "great Indian Migration Wave" wasn't of much importance to shaping India's history at all.
October 16, 2018
The modern travel culture tell us that we leave a little piece of us whenever we travel and we carry with us a little from each place too.
The idea isn't new, countries, cultures, languages, art have been built by people moving from one place to another. From people mixing the known with the unknown. Migration has, does and will continue to change the world.
India Moving is a treasure trove of information. It looks at that the migration patterns that have built India wave by wave.
It's fascinating how folk lore, oral history, Bollywood music, Indian cuisine, literature have deep roots in the history of migration itself. How gender roles, economy, trade, foreign polices, politics even are often influenced by migration.
Be it the initial Aryan race migration debate, the colonial influence, slave trade, the story behind the famous Ratnagiri Mangoes, plantations, enterprising communities that contributed to the development of the Indian industries and businesses, disapora, the on going brain drain and so much more. This book talks about all of it!
Filled with amusing references, anecdoets, and a strong, clear narration, the book is very engaging. Considering the vast amount of information, it can seem daunting, but easy to work through. If you love learning about history, culture and just about anything that comes with migration this one is for you
The idea isn't new, countries, cultures, languages, art have been built by people moving from one place to another. From people mixing the known with the unknown. Migration has, does and will continue to change the world.
India Moving is a treasure trove of information. It looks at that the migration patterns that have built India wave by wave.
It's fascinating how folk lore, oral history, Bollywood music, Indian cuisine, literature have deep roots in the history of migration itself. How gender roles, economy, trade, foreign polices, politics even are often influenced by migration.
Be it the initial Aryan race migration debate, the colonial influence, slave trade, the story behind the famous Ratnagiri Mangoes, plantations, enterprising communities that contributed to the development of the Indian industries and businesses, disapora, the on going brain drain and so much more. This book talks about all of it!
Filled with amusing references, anecdoets, and a strong, clear narration, the book is very engaging. Considering the vast amount of information, it can seem daunting, but easy to work through. If you love learning about history, culture and just about anything that comes with migration this one is for you
November 8, 2018
Don’t think its primary thesis was super insightful, was okay
February 12, 2020
A somewhat dry, textbook like narration of events does not make for interesting reading. Though there are a few chapters that are interesting; on the whole, I did not enjoy it.
March 12, 2023
The story of the most fascinating and diverse communities of India and their migrations, both internal and international, both ancient and modern, both permanent and temporary, both forced and unforced. As one starts to scratch the surface of tracking the journeys of various communities, one finds rich histories that we often grow up with but haven't consciously spelled out.
I grew up in a family that migrated across villages two generations ago, across states one generation ago and now I have migrated across countries. As a migrant, it was great to see such a wide set of stories still sharing a lot of the common emotions and aspects associated with migration.
The book has a broad theme on focusing on the semi permanent, male dominated migration pattern for work which the author terms "The Great Indian migration wave". Apart from that, the author tracks the development of migratory patterns in communities such as Punjabis, Gujaratis, Marwaris, Malayalis etc. He attempts to explain why certain communities are so strongly associated with migration while others aren't.
He also discusses the different partitions the subcontinent suffered as well as other cases of forced migrations. Finally, there is a portion of the book that discusses the virtues of migration and what it means for India today and in the future.
Overall, a fascinating read for anyone well versed with India.
I grew up in a family that migrated across villages two generations ago, across states one generation ago and now I have migrated across countries. As a migrant, it was great to see such a wide set of stories still sharing a lot of the common emotions and aspects associated with migration.
The book has a broad theme on focusing on the semi permanent, male dominated migration pattern for work which the author terms "The Great Indian migration wave". Apart from that, the author tracks the development of migratory patterns in communities such as Punjabis, Gujaratis, Marwaris, Malayalis etc. He attempts to explain why certain communities are so strongly associated with migration while others aren't.
He also discusses the different partitions the subcontinent suffered as well as other cases of forced migrations. Finally, there is a portion of the book that discusses the virtues of migration and what it means for India today and in the future.
Overall, a fascinating read for anyone well versed with India.
February 16, 2019
It was okay okay book. Not straight to the point, it meanders while making its point. I was expecting it to be shorter and smarter.
January 25, 2020
Came to this book with a lot expectations. For decades now I have been fascinated with finding, during my travels and readings, the Indian diaspora scattered around the world. I wanted to know how they ended up scattered in these remotest of parts (for example, a Tamil speaking cook from Karaikal in a restaurant in Vientiene, Laos, or an Indian godman who used to advice Mobutu in Zaire/DRC). I devoured what little I could find through books by Brij Lal (Fiji), etc.
This book covers a lot of breadth, but lacks depth. I found the references/notes much more important than the book itself. And there are hints of areas I should explore further, but the book stubbornly refuses to go into detail.
This book covers a lot of breadth, but lacks depth. I found the references/notes much more important than the book itself. And there are hints of areas I should explore further, but the book stubbornly refuses to go into detail.
September 22, 2020
The strangeness of our time can be demonstrated by the sheer relevance of every book and study on socio-political matters. It were as if all of our intellectual capital had been invested for this very moment but nearly everything fell short in mitigating its ill-effects. The book has a very simple argument: Migration between regions of India and out-migration are such important phenomena in the contemporary fabric that we cannot avoid speaking of a Great Indian Migration Wave. And in telling the story of that migration he walks carefree through the rigid gates of disciplines. He throws in history, economics, a bunch of anecdotes; and fearless storytelling - some jokes terribly fail but he does not mind that. The highlight of this book, for Indian certainly has to be peace - finally, someone bothered to rationalise all our gross stereotypes, of Gujaratis and Punjabis, Marwaris and Sindhis. Sometimes the young scholar's youthful audacity in weaving theories and paradigms excites us. For examples, constructing a spectrum between Ambedkar and Thackeray and coining the term 'cosmopolitan fixity'. The anecdotes he pools in include names and profiles of some majestic greats in Modern Indian history who descended from migrant families or were shaped substantially by waves of migration. And that brings me to what I consider the hugest disappointment in this work: where are the subalterns? I would have loved a journalistic look at the difficulties faced by our migrants in new lands, and the journeys therewith. With those stories in, this book would have been the truest tribute to the pandemic.
August 20, 2018
Review: 4.5/5
In present times migration has become a burning issue not just in India but the whole world, elections are being fought on it & many times propaganda is spread for vested interests. In this book the author traces the history of migration in India through several centuries & how it helped to flourish an amalgamation between different cultures & diversified the population. It also laid emphasis on different incidents which led to migration, probable reasons for it & the effects it had in those particular areas.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
In present times migration has become a burning issue not just in India but the whole world, elections are being fought on it & many times propaganda is spread for vested interests. In this book the author traces the history of migration in India through several centuries & how it helped to flourish an amalgamation between different cultures & diversified the population. It also laid emphasis on different incidents which led to migration, probable reasons for it & the effects it had in those particular areas.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
February 9, 2022
Did you know India has net immigration than outmigration? There are more interesting facts and stories revolving around migration in India in this book. The list includes spatial, economic, domestic, international migration across different timelines of Indian history. Along with this are the economic and political ramifications. 'The great Indian migration wave' is a recommended section of this book for someone interested to understand demographics of India.
November 26, 2020
Very dry and sense but an excellently researched book covering a critical topic that has the potential to change how one fundamentally looks at India.
June 29, 2020
Since the plight of migrant workers during the pandemic had been on top of my mind, that led me to pick up Chinmay Tumbe’s ‘India Moving’ in a bid to understand the link between migration and social upward mobility. Not an easy-breezy read, ‘India Moving’ makes for a fascinating non-fiction that explains how movement of a certain group belonging to certain caste and community enabled them to climb the ladder up and changed the social matrix of a region forever. For someone like me who has always considered, and rather endured, the process of migration as a painful one - a transition that for good or bad changes you as well as uproots you from your hometown forever- Tumbe’s book helps in connecting the dots.
Movement of men in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, for instance, has been counted as one of the ‘Greatest Migration Waves’ so much so that the region’s sex ratio ‘has never fallen below 1100 females per 1000 males between 1872 and 2011’. Most interesting bit about the book is the mention of ‘caste’ element that helps in explaining why certain communities have prospered more than the others. In Ratnagiri district, the ‘missing men’ phenomenon changed the fate of three castes – Chitpavan Brahmins, Marathas and Mahars. While the Brahmins went out seeking administrative positions under the Peshwa regime, the Marathas joined Shivaji’s Army and the Mahars (belonging to Dalit caste) found opportunities in the British Army. Result? Well, the outmigration produced stalwart leaders and social reformers such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a Chitpavan Brahmin by caste and Ramji Maloji Sakpal, a subedar-major in the British Army who belonged to Mahar caste and was Bhimrao Ambedkar’s father.
It was a flood in 1923 that led to mass migration of male workers in Karnataka’s Udupi district who chose to settle down in Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai and later Matunga in Mumbai. To cater to these workers, a series of low-cost eating food outlets sprang up in the 1930s and 40s, thus giving birth to the famous brand of ‘Udupi Restaurants’. Similarly the migration of Khatris to other countries, the Marwaris from Rajasthan, coupled with movement of Gujarati Jains and Charotar Patidars to East Africa marked the beginning of Indian diaspora finding a foothold on foreign shores. Indentured form of labour meant that workers migrating to South America’s Guyana would soon find the caste lines getting blurred only to be replaced by racial discrimination as the roadblock to upward mobility.
This process of assimilation of cultures was not always a smooth one and in later years it did give rise to antagonism towards immigrant population as well. So be it the sudden diktat of General Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, giving an ultimatum to Indians in 1972 to leave within ninety days OR the passage of Immigration Restriction Act in 1901 by Australia the migration of Indians has also been marked by episodes of insecurities among native residents. Perhaps that explains how migration has altered the politics of Maharashtra where the nativist politics endorsed by the likes of Bal Thackeray allowed a political outfit like Shiv Sena to strike a chord among locals.
‘India Moving’ has abundant of such interesting nuggets of information and anecdotes. Go for it if you are keen to understand how something as trivial and underrated as ‘mobility’ led to social emancipation, paving way for greater access to education and jobs. I would still want to understand why the original places of inhabitance failed to develop ….may be another book will help in finding that answer!
Movement of men in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, for instance, has been counted as one of the ‘Greatest Migration Waves’ so much so that the region’s sex ratio ‘has never fallen below 1100 females per 1000 males between 1872 and 2011’. Most interesting bit about the book is the mention of ‘caste’ element that helps in explaining why certain communities have prospered more than the others. In Ratnagiri district, the ‘missing men’ phenomenon changed the fate of three castes – Chitpavan Brahmins, Marathas and Mahars. While the Brahmins went out seeking administrative positions under the Peshwa regime, the Marathas joined Shivaji’s Army and the Mahars (belonging to Dalit caste) found opportunities in the British Army. Result? Well, the outmigration produced stalwart leaders and social reformers such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a Chitpavan Brahmin by caste and Ramji Maloji Sakpal, a subedar-major in the British Army who belonged to Mahar caste and was Bhimrao Ambedkar’s father.
It was a flood in 1923 that led to mass migration of male workers in Karnataka’s Udupi district who chose to settle down in Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai and later Matunga in Mumbai. To cater to these workers, a series of low-cost eating food outlets sprang up in the 1930s and 40s, thus giving birth to the famous brand of ‘Udupi Restaurants’. Similarly the migration of Khatris to other countries, the Marwaris from Rajasthan, coupled with movement of Gujarati Jains and Charotar Patidars to East Africa marked the beginning of Indian diaspora finding a foothold on foreign shores. Indentured form of labour meant that workers migrating to South America’s Guyana would soon find the caste lines getting blurred only to be replaced by racial discrimination as the roadblock to upward mobility.
This process of assimilation of cultures was not always a smooth one and in later years it did give rise to antagonism towards immigrant population as well. So be it the sudden diktat of General Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, giving an ultimatum to Indians in 1972 to leave within ninety days OR the passage of Immigration Restriction Act in 1901 by Australia the migration of Indians has also been marked by episodes of insecurities among native residents. Perhaps that explains how migration has altered the politics of Maharashtra where the nativist politics endorsed by the likes of Bal Thackeray allowed a political outfit like Shiv Sena to strike a chord among locals.
‘India Moving’ has abundant of such interesting nuggets of information and anecdotes. Go for it if you are keen to understand how something as trivial and underrated as ‘mobility’ led to social emancipation, paving way for greater access to education and jobs. I would still want to understand why the original places of inhabitance failed to develop ….may be another book will help in finding that answer!
April 7, 2022
Nice swift read through India’s internal and external migration patterns.Exclusively covers each state in detail and north eastern region in particular.Read about the Dutch colony called Suriname and Indian migrants to it in Central America for the first time. Also gives an overview of rohingyas, Tamils from SriLanka, Pandits from Kashmir, tibetian monks across India .. Very informative
July 18, 2019
In the economic survey of 2016-17 that the former Chief Economic Adviser, Arvind Subramanian (who also wrote the foreword for this book) talked about India's internal migration using passenger data from Indian railways. The migration(circular, semi-permanent and permanent(this is explained by the author)) from the eastern UP and western Bihar to Southern Indian states particularly to the economic hubs like Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. The author, Chinmay Tumbe explains that these locations (eastern UP and western Bihar) have been the source centers from where people have migrated not only to within India but globally since ancient times.
Migration both internal and external have become part of the debate and conversations in one way or another across the globe. From US to EU in the west and Japan to the east. The author deals with this topical subject in the Indian context and analyses the past, present and his understanding how it might unfold in the future.
Few insights that stood out for me are:-
1) There are centers and 'belts' across India from where migration (internal & external) have taken place and these have remained more or less intact for centuries.
2) The Indian history of migration, internal and global dates back to Maurya (circa 320 BC-200 BC) and Gupta (circa 300 BC - 600 CE) empires
3) Migration is one of the most efficient ways of upward mobility for the poor and most of the time beneficial for both the host and the migrant population. Just look at the Konkan belt. From Mumbai and all the way up to Kerala. Migration is the is on the reason for the prosperity of this part of India.
4) Role played by migration and network effect that led to the dominance of Gujarati, Sindhi and Marwari, Parsi and Jain population in trade an business.
While the author give insights and analysis from socio-economic, historical and administrative perspective, I sometime felt the book is being repetitive and not remaining true to the theme of the chapter and digressed from the topic.
Through this book, Chinmay has succeeded in giving the reader a fresh perspective that helps him understand the rich history, context and how important and integral migration has been and continues to be to India and its development.
Migration both internal and external have become part of the debate and conversations in one way or another across the globe. From US to EU in the west and Japan to the east. The author deals with this topical subject in the Indian context and analyses the past, present and his understanding how it might unfold in the future.
Few insights that stood out for me are:-
1) There are centers and 'belts' across India from where migration (internal & external) have taken place and these have remained more or less intact for centuries.
2) The Indian history of migration, internal and global dates back to Maurya (circa 320 BC-200 BC) and Gupta (circa 300 BC - 600 CE) empires
3) Migration is one of the most efficient ways of upward mobility for the poor and most of the time beneficial for both the host and the migrant population. Just look at the Konkan belt. From Mumbai and all the way up to Kerala. Migration is the is on the reason for the prosperity of this part of India.
4) Role played by migration and network effect that led to the dominance of Gujarati, Sindhi and Marwari, Parsi and Jain population in trade an business.
While the author give insights and analysis from socio-economic, historical and administrative perspective, I sometime felt the book is being repetitive and not remaining true to the theme of the chapter and digressed from the topic.
Through this book, Chinmay has succeeded in giving the reader a fresh perspective that helps him understand the rich history, context and how important and integral migration has been and continues to be to India and its development.
September 28, 2019
As a migrant myself since the last three decades I find India Moving: A History of Migration by Chinmay Tumbe a very absorbing , well researched, comprehensive work with lots of interesting facts and anecdotes. My only grouse is that the book focuses more on the migration and immigration of North Indians like Sindhis, Parsis, Marwaris, Gujaratis, Jains, Biharis especially from Bhojpuri speaking regions... etc., than South Indians. The much celebrated and immensely successful migration of Malayalees especially Muslims of Malabar region called 'Mopillas' find only a fleeting mention. Also the book dwells more on internal migration than the international one and Indian diaspora, which has brought great laurels for India from people like Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella or Indra Nooyi and many more like them find less emphasis than Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis and Mahindras. Nevertheless the book has hugely succeeded in high lighting the positive beneficial effect of migration both for the host and migrating region by the economic development of the host country and poverty alleviation by the increased remittance by the migrants to their native place or the region of their origin. This can be seen in the development and prosperity of West Coast of India from Gujarat down to Konkan belt, Coastal Karnataka and whole of Kerala.
A must read for all migrants and for people who are interested to know more about migration and the economic and societal change it brings in its wake.
Favorite Quote:
“India is a geographical and economic entity, a cultural unity amidst diversity, a bundle of contradictions held together by strong but invisible threads.” Jawaharlal Nehru - Discovery of India.
A must read for all migrants and for people who are interested to know more about migration and the economic and societal change it brings in its wake.
Favorite Quote:
“India is a geographical and economic entity, a cultural unity amidst diversity, a bundle of contradictions held together by strong but invisible threads.” Jawaharlal Nehru - Discovery of India.
October 18, 2019
A seminal book on people movements in India in antiquity, recent history, and present times. An enjoyable read as it covers each corner of India yet with enough content to understand the reasons behind and results of migratory movements.
However, I have two gripes with this book. First, I lost count of how many sentences there were that either did not make sense or just felt incomplete. For the most part, Tumbe writes coherently but there are still bits that made me scratch my head. Secondly, I cannot comprehend how such little attention was paid in this book to twice-migrants, such as the large proportion of the Sindhi community which immigrated to India during Partition before venturing overseas and East Asian Indians who resettled in the UK. There was not more than a perfunctory mention of Sindhis in areas of the book you could have expected more coverage.
However, I have two gripes with this book. First, I lost count of how many sentences there were that either did not make sense or just felt incomplete. For the most part, Tumbe writes coherently but there are still bits that made me scratch my head. Secondly, I cannot comprehend how such little attention was paid in this book to twice-migrants, such as the large proportion of the Sindhi community which immigrated to India during Partition before venturing overseas and East Asian Indians who resettled in the UK. There was not more than a perfunctory mention of Sindhis in areas of the book you could have expected more coverage.
February 22, 2020
India Moving is perhaps the only detailed and well researched book in the fields of migration. With no official definition of a migrant and with a country as diverse as India, this book showcases immense insights into the movement of people since centuries. Calling it the the Great Indian Migration Wave, the book describes all type of migrations giving special impetus the the Partition of India in 1947. Also well written is the migration into India during the Pre British Era calling it the brain drain into India. In current scenario, where politics and emotions run high with nativisim, this book is a fresh factual read into the events which was, is and will be shaping the country.
June 6, 2020
The premise of the book was interesting and having been part of the circulary migration wave of the last decade, this was a book that grabbed my attention. And it did not disappoint. I had listened to it as an audio book and got to it in snatches sometimes having to hear while chapters again. Still it was interesting. The book is comprehensive look back at the history of immigration and emigration within and outside India and a commentary on the communities that thrived through this. Am waiting for his next book where he elaborates on the changes in the patterns of immigration with the 21st century
September 26, 2020
When I came across a reference to this book on Twitter I immediately bought and binge read it, as being a migrant for the last twenty fives of my life, the topic is close to my heart.
The book is well researched, no doubt it was author's PhD research that he continued over the years afterwards that culminated in this book.
If you ever wondered how a community of Bhojpuris ended up in Netherlands, or want to know more about various merchant castes, or curious about the politics and economics of migrations, this is the book to read. Highly recommended!
The book is well researched, no doubt it was author's PhD research that he continued over the years afterwards that culminated in this book.
If you ever wondered how a community of Bhojpuris ended up in Netherlands, or want to know more about various merchant castes, or curious about the politics and economics of migrations, this is the book to read. Highly recommended!
April 16, 2020
A stunning comprehensive overview of Indian migration. It's great because it is rare, and well written - though at many points, you may find yourself craving for more detail. Perhaps that wasn't the intended purpose.
May 9, 2020
Its a 'dipping your toes into the pool' kind of book. As a person who hasn't had exposure about the topic, I feel its a great place to start. Its well researched so that you feel you have gained something, yet not overdone to be confusing. It gives you a solid foundation for Indian Migration.
September 6, 2018
A comprehensive encyclopedia of Migration of Indians in India and abroad. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for in breadth and scope!
September 18, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book, but often found it a little odd. This was in part because of the authors regular quips, for example suggesting an area famous for mangoes should also be famous for man goes as much migration originates from here or suggesting a book about Indian migration to Antartica should be published by Penguin, but also because the book is quite descriptive. While the quips were unnecessary they were harmless and I grew to like them as they jumped out of the text suddenly and without foreshadowing, equally the descriptiveness was connected to the authors desire to create a general history of Indian migration, which they basically did.
First, the positives. The book very well drew attention to the way poverty, gender, religion, caste and colonialism could be factors that drove migration. Further, it was brilliant at showing that migration has happened long before the modern era, and that it has happened for any number of reasons. The breadth of migrations the book covered was also admirable.
While it covered an immense amount of material there were a couple of mistakes which I felt should have been caught before it went to press. For example, where he suggests someone can become a refugee by ‘natural’ disasters, which with some caveats they basically cannot (See Climate Change and Displacement: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Governing Governing Climate Induced Migration and Displacement: IGO Expansion and Global Policy Implications, and Climate Change, Disasters, and the Refugee Convention). Or, that the first partition was the 1937 partition of India and Burma/Myanmar, it was the 1905 partition of Bengal which he alludes to later. But just because it didn’t involve migration it doesn’t mean it wasn’t the first partition.
Further, I felt that the book could have better dealt with the implications of Partition. Partition looms over histories of India that seek to deal with what came before and what came after. Discussing this with a colleague from Iran today they pointed out that India really came about through British colonialism and ancient and medieval India never cohered into something that can so easily be described as the India that emerged throughout British colonialism, pointing to the Persian influence (Interesting discussed in India in the Persianate Age, 1000–1765). While Tumbe comprehensively deals with partition in the later chapters they do less to explore the implications that for much of what they term Indian history what is now modern Bangladesh and Pakistan were also important parts of ‘India’. By cutting off the role of these regions in the 21st century what the book serves to centre India, when prior to 1947 these regions were equally part of the broader whole of India. This is tricky to avoid if the author insists on the India framing, but could be avoided by acknowledging a history covering these periods is a history of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. While this may seem pendantic I think centring India risks playing into Hindu nationalist narratives (something the author very clearly doesn’t want to do).
A book well worth reading, and a more comprehensive, more up to date companion to The banyan tree: Overseas emigrants from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
First, the positives. The book very well drew attention to the way poverty, gender, religion, caste and colonialism could be factors that drove migration. Further, it was brilliant at showing that migration has happened long before the modern era, and that it has happened for any number of reasons. The breadth of migrations the book covered was also admirable.
While it covered an immense amount of material there were a couple of mistakes which I felt should have been caught before it went to press. For example, where he suggests someone can become a refugee by ‘natural’ disasters, which with some caveats they basically cannot (See Climate Change and Displacement: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Governing Governing Climate Induced Migration and Displacement: IGO Expansion and Global Policy Implications, and Climate Change, Disasters, and the Refugee Convention). Or, that the first partition was the 1937 partition of India and Burma/Myanmar, it was the 1905 partition of Bengal which he alludes to later. But just because it didn’t involve migration it doesn’t mean it wasn’t the first partition.
Further, I felt that the book could have better dealt with the implications of Partition. Partition looms over histories of India that seek to deal with what came before and what came after. Discussing this with a colleague from Iran today they pointed out that India really came about through British colonialism and ancient and medieval India never cohered into something that can so easily be described as the India that emerged throughout British colonialism, pointing to the Persian influence (Interesting discussed in India in the Persianate Age, 1000–1765). While Tumbe comprehensively deals with partition in the later chapters they do less to explore the implications that for much of what they term Indian history what is now modern Bangladesh and Pakistan were also important parts of ‘India’. By cutting off the role of these regions in the 21st century what the book serves to centre India, when prior to 1947 these regions were equally part of the broader whole of India. This is tricky to avoid if the author insists on the India framing, but could be avoided by acknowledging a history covering these periods is a history of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. While this may seem pendantic I think centring India risks playing into Hindu nationalist narratives (something the author very clearly doesn’t want to do).
A book well worth reading, and a more comprehensive, more up to date companion to The banyan tree: Overseas emigrants from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
November 17, 2023
India moving: a history of migration
Chinmay tumbe
Recently I have been reading more about and historical stuffs.. adding to those, this book on Indian migration, has opened a lot of doors in my views.
நான் ஒரு தொழில் நகரத்தில் பிறந்து வளர்ந்த காரணத்தால், எப்பொழுதும் அங்கு வரும் மக்களின் மீது ஏதோ ஒரு வகை அச்ச உணர்வு தான் இருந்தது.
அதன் கட்டமைப்புக்கு காரணம் ஏதோ ஒரு அரசியல் தலைவரின் சுய நலமாக தான் இருந்தது, இருக்கிறது, இருக்கும்.
புலம் பெயர்தல் என்பது, தொழில்றீதியாக மட்டுமே அன்றி, இனம், மொழி,நாடு அவைகளை காரணமாக வைத்து நடக்கும் போர், கலவரம் போன்றவை. இதனால் சாமானியன் எவ்வாறு எல்லாம் பாதிக்கப் படுகிறான் என்பதை இப்புத்தகத்தின் வாயிலாக ஒரு முன்னோட்டமாக நான் உணர்கிறேன்.
Colonialism, communism, capitalism, nativism these are all the underlying fear factots of migrants. The standard of living where these migrants from eelam, Rohingyas, Kashmiri pandits, easter sind Sikhs, East Bengalis so many ..most of all the partition of India and Pakistan.
Such a wealth of history, is depicted for current life. I get to learn and understand many spatial migration and the difference between urban slum and rural poverty.
How there are tracks of Indians all over the world expect a very nations. From sugar plantation till the current white collar jobs ..how the Indians emigrated to those nations.
நிச்சயமாக மறுவாசிப்பு தேவையான ஒன்று.
How an indian diaspora in south east Asia has a large foot prints. Especially Singapore and Malaysia.
Burma how an indian diaspora had to leave all the belongings they have earned and flew back to india without anything. The journey back was also not easy, as they have to literally make everything the nature and the long journey thrown.. nobody knows how many lives were lost.
Chinmay tumbe
Recently I have been reading more about and historical stuffs.. adding to those, this book on Indian migration, has opened a lot of doors in my views.
நான் ஒரு தொழில் நகரத்தில் பிறந்து வளர்ந்த காரணத்தால், எப்பொழுதும் அங்கு வரும் மக்களின் மீது ஏதோ ஒரு வகை அச்ச உணர்வு தான் இருந்தது.
அதன் கட்டமைப்புக்கு காரணம் ஏதோ ஒரு அரசியல் தலைவரின் சுய நலமாக தான் இருந்தது, இருக்கிறது, இருக்கும்.
புலம் பெயர்தல் என்பது, தொழில்றீதியாக மட்டுமே அன்றி, இனம், மொழி,நாடு அவைகளை காரணமாக வைத்து நடக்கும் போர், கலவரம் போன்றவை. இதனால் சாமானியன் எவ்வாறு எல்லாம் பாதிக்கப் படுகிறான் என்பதை இப்புத்தகத்தின் வாயிலாக ஒரு முன்னோட்டமாக நான் உணர்கிறேன்.
Colonialism, communism, capitalism, nativism these are all the underlying fear factots of migrants. The standard of living where these migrants from eelam, Rohingyas, Kashmiri pandits, easter sind Sikhs, East Bengalis so many ..most of all the partition of India and Pakistan.
Such a wealth of history, is depicted for current life. I get to learn and understand many spatial migration and the difference between urban slum and rural poverty.
How there are tracks of Indians all over the world expect a very nations. From sugar plantation till the current white collar jobs ..how the Indians emigrated to those nations.
நிச்சயமாக மறுவாசிப்பு தேவையான ஒன்று.
How an indian diaspora in south east Asia has a large foot prints. Especially Singapore and Malaysia.
Burma how an indian diaspora had to leave all the belongings they have earned and flew back to india without anything. The journey back was also not easy, as they have to literally make everything the nature and the long journey thrown.. nobody knows how many lives were lost.
November 5, 2024
A book where you can discover new facts which then can be independently explored on its own. But lacks depth and order.
Few things that are worth exploring:
- Urbanization rate in India and its impact.
- Great Indian Migration Wave: Some states/regions have been participating in this from centuries.
- We just look at 1947 partition but there were before and after other migration crisis as well, Burma, Bangladesh, etc.
- The trader community everywhere.
- You also get to know different migrations that have happened like Indians settling in Fiji, Mauritius, Caribbean islands, Konkan people migrating to Mumbai, start and spread of Udupi restaurants.
- High outmigration rates of Bihar and Kerala.
Few things that are worth exploring:
- Urbanization rate in India and its impact.
- Great Indian Migration Wave: Some states/regions have been participating in this from centuries.
- We just look at 1947 partition but there were before and after other migration crisis as well, Burma, Bangladesh, etc.
- The trader community everywhere.
- You also get to know different migrations that have happened like Indians settling in Fiji, Mauritius, Caribbean islands, Konkan people migrating to Mumbai, start and spread of Udupi restaurants.
- High outmigration rates of Bihar and Kerala.
July 31, 2025
I'm tempted to mildly diss the workmanlike prose one encounters while travelling the paths this book invites you to accompany it on. But that would be an act of supercilious small-mindedness on my part. Above all, Professor Chinmay Tumbe has delivered a diligently researched, generous exploration of several hundred years of engrossing migration stories from all parts of India. For this in itself his labour of love deserves full marks. Read this book. Open your eyes.
April 18, 2024
"India Moving" by Chinmay Tumbe offers a deeply insightful exploration of India's vast migration landscape, spanning historical shifts to contemporary trends.
Tumbe skillfully weaves together narratives, statistics, and anecdotes, shedding light on the multifaceted dimensions of migration in the country. From rural-to-urban migrations to the complexities of internal and international movements, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of India's migration story.
Tumbe's engaging prose and meticulous research make "India Moving" a must-read for anyone interested in the socio-economic dynamics shaping modern India.
Tumbe skillfully weaves together narratives, statistics, and anecdotes, shedding light on the multifaceted dimensions of migration in the country. From rural-to-urban migrations to the complexities of internal and international movements, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of India's migration story.
Tumbe's engaging prose and meticulous research make "India Moving" a must-read for anyone interested in the socio-economic dynamics shaping modern India.
February 24, 2021
Although well researched, the lack of a story line made it hard to retain the barrage of facts thrown at you
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