Indentured Migration in the 19th–20th Centuries from India to Girmitiya Nations

Between 1834 and 1920, Indian indentured labourers crossed oceans to work in plantation colonies across the world. Their journeys shaped new communities, languages, identities and cultural traditions, while leaving lasting consequences for the families who remained in India. This academic volume brings together the proceedings and scholarly contributions of the International Symposium on Girmitiyalogy, held from 10 to 12 September 2026 in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Foundation GIGA, Rotterdam. Through perspectives from history, literature, law, sociology, genealogy and cultural studies, the contributors examine the First Migration, subsequent migrations of Girmitiya descendants, and the experiences of relatives left behind in India. The volume explores Girmitiyalogy as an emerging interdisciplinary field of research, connecting colonial archives with oral histories, family memories, literary traditions and questions of cultural identity. Bringing together scholars and perspectives from India and the global Girmitiya diaspora, this publication contributes to the continuing study of indentured migration and its transcontinental legacy.