Rediscovering Africans in India

Presenting the untold story of the rich history of cultural exchange between India and Africa over the centuries, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) organized a one-day conference "Africans in India

Recounting the tale of the extraordinary achievements of Africans in India from 16th century onwards, the conference discussed their contributions to Indian history, where they became high-ranking officials, generals, commanders and even rulers.

Some of the topics addressed during the conference included the history of Afro-Indian community called Siddis in India, who went on to rule two kingdoms along western coast of India, and the lineage of Siddi Royalty, which is also being captured in an under-production documentary, "From Slaves to Sultans".

Apart from discussing the history of elite Africans in India, contemporary issues of race, identity, employment, literacy, livelihood and marginalization faced by the larger masses of Siddis, estimated to be around 30,000 in India, were also discussed.

The conference was held during an ongoing exhibition "Africans in India: A Rediscovery" at Matighar, Janpath, which was inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik on 8th of October.

The photo-exhibition has been facilitated by the Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture, which is a unit of New York Public Library, and was curated by Dr. Sylviane A. Diouf and Dr. Kenneth X. Robbins.

"India presents the rare example in the world where people of African origin, who were brought in as slaves went on to rule an alien population", said Dr. Robbins, appreciating the open-mindedness of the Indian society of that time where issues of race, religion and ethnicity were not insurmountable obstacles.

Among the luminaries was Nawab Muhamad Reza Khan, the present Nawab of Sachin, a state founded by Siddi rulers in Gujarat, who said, "It is wonderful that the story of African rule in India is gradually getting known across the world."

The exhibition is open to all and ends on 4th November, 2014.