Indians in East Africa G Raghava Rao

THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY July 4, 1953 Indians in East Africa G Raghava Rao HE contribution 01 the Indians Europeans. Anthropologists think bngine drivers, etc, were recruited T to the economic development that the Africans resemble certain for the construction of the railway of British East Africa is very signi faces in South India. The Hindu line. Out of them, hundreds were ficant, British East Africa comprises Puranas refer to sources of the devoured by lions while some died of Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika,' Nile and John Hawning Spike had -of malaria and black water fever. Zanzibar and Pemba. This region written that the Hindus had christ Before the railway line and metal; can no more be called a dark sub ened the sources of the Nile road were constructed, all the continent. Certain localities in the " Amara ". They had communica Indian traders travelled either on towns and cities of Kenya, for ex tions with the northern and south foot or bicycle many miles daily and ample, compare favourably with the ern regions of lake Victoria Nyanza. traded in manufactured goods in best in other parts of the world. The Indians traded with East Afri the interior of the country. All modern amenities necessary for can Coast in ivory for at least a When the construction of the comfortable living are available in thousand years, if not more. railway was completed the Indians almost all the towns. Of course, In the middle of the 19th cen were offered land for agricultural East Africa cannot be compared to tury jairain Shivji, a native of purposes. A few with foresight any country in Europe, because a Gujerat, held from the Sultan the accepted land, while maay did not large part of East Africa is still contract for the collection of Cus take land, because the country was covered by dense forests, and ex toms in Zanzibar, while Ula Jetha full of wild beasts and the conditions tensive plains on which lions, was a banker, and Cowasji Dinshaw of living being discouraging, return giraffes, deers, zebras and other ani Brothers, Shipping Agents, Indian ed to India. The sons of the rail mals roam. Except a few thousand businessmen, imported from India, way carpenters and mechanics in educated, the Africans are very Alpak, Kaniki Radarpat, satin, and course of time obtained rights to primitive in their ways of living. other varieties of cloth, besides cut trees in forests and set up saw East Africa has got airways which jowar, ghee, rung, saffron, horses mills. Their less fortunate compa enable one to sec the entire coun and fire works. The presence of triots took to making of furniture. try in a few days. Deep lakes, the Indians helped the British to The descendants of retailers became which resemble the sea, can be place a Consulate General in East importers and exporters and whole crossed by steamers. A large part Africa. Where there was no cur sale dealers. of the country can be covered by rency in the East African countries, During the last half a century the train and motor car. British East the Indians introduced the rupee occupational distribution of the Africa is a picturesque land with currency, which remained in circu Indian community has changed con snow-capped mountains, extensive lation for many years. siderably. At present 34.1 per cent lakes, thick forests, green tea estates, Indians played an important role of the gainfully occupied Indian golden wheat fields, shady coconut in the slave trade by financing Arab population in Kenya are engaged plantations, well-trimmed coffee traders engaged in it as also in the in commerce, 23.3 per cent in manu estates and bushy clove plantations. emancipation of slaves at a subse facturing industries;, 13.1 per cent In certain places which are more quent date. On the 16th Decem in public service, 12.2 per cent in than five thousand feet above sea ber 1872, Maharajadhiraj Maharao house building and construction, level, the climate is cool, vegetation Shri Pragmalji Bahadur of Cutch 8.4 per cent in transport and com- green, and sky generally cloudy. issued a proclamation to his sub munications, and 1.6 per cent in Tanganyika territory is of great at jects in Zanzibar to the effect that agriculture, forestry, and farming, traction to millionaires who can in he would confiscate all the property while the rest are engaged in miscel vest money in mines of diamonds of those who happened to follow laneous occupations. and gold. With rich natural re slave trade in any way or assisted India's annual trade with East sources, British East Africa is a land in the same. Tharia Topan, an Africa is valued at about £20 mil of promise and prosperity. Indian, who did much for the eman lion. After the UK, India is the All persons of Indian origin who cipation of slaves and abolition of biggest trader with East Africa. No are now in British East Africa, slavery, was the first person to be country exports to East Africa as number about two lakhs. Among knighted in British East Africa. much as India. Besides sarees, them, half are Muslims, a few This humanitarian task, without dhotis, blouse pieces and jari goods, hundreds Christians, a few Zoroas- monetary compensation, put many India exports to East Africa canvas trians and the rest are Hindus. A Indians, who were owning slaves, shoes, artificial jewellery, linseed large number of the Indians are to considerable loss. But when the oil, artistic brassware, curios and Gujeratis, many of whom emigrated time came, the Indians bore the Mangalore tiles. On the other from Cuteh, some from Kathiawar loss with a spirit of self-sacrifice. hand, from East Africa, India irn- and some from Surat and Kaira Communications are essential for poits cotton, wattle extract, tanning districts. The Punjabis are so many the development of any country. materials, sodium carbonate, beans in number that they can have many The Uganda Railway which runs and peas, sisal fibre and sisal tow. schools to teach their children from Mombasa to Kisumu can be Most of the trade with India is through the Punjabi language. called the backbone of the economic handled by the Indians, while prac M a h a rashtrians, Travaneoreans, structure of East Africa. Even at tically the entire retail trade in com Bengalis, Kanarese and Andhras are the end of the last century, the modities of various countries is in just a few. Africans could not be made to work. the hands of the Indians. There Indians emigrated to what is now Hence 18,000 Indians, many of are many towns without European British East Africa long before the whom were carpenters, mechanics, shops and the Indian retailer sup- 749 July 4, 1953 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY plies the requirements of the Euro Indian masons. Some building neighbours of the Indians. peans, Indians and the African!. owned by the Indians are bigger For the development of East Even in places where there are some and more artistic than the buildings Africa and for raising the standard European shops, it is said that the owned by the Europeans. of living of the Africans, Govern Indians render more service to their In future also, Indians can play ments of these countries have many customers, and sell their goods a bit an essential part in the development schemes and have set aside consi cheaper than the Europeans. The of East Africa. Although the Afri derable sums of money. Indians Indian retailer cannot be replaced cans are progressing rapidly ana' with foresight, clear thinking and by Africans or Europeans, for at have started opening small shops enterprise can take advantage of least a couple of decades. in the outskirts of towns and vil the various development schemes. Though there is restriction in res lages and have also begun to work Cottage industries which require an pect of sale of agricultural land to as clerks, typists, telephone opera artistic bent of mind can be taken Indians, there are a few Punjabis tors, salesmen, motor drivers and up by Indians. Mining, paper each of whom own not less than mechanics, the Indians can have making, coffee grinding, fruit can 400 acres of land, on which sugar many other occupations. Of course ning, dairy farming, fishing and cane is raised. Some Gujaratis own they should be prepared to face house construction may be lucrative even 17,000 acres of land. They healthy competition with the rising for the rising generation of the grow sisal and sugarcane. In Zan Africans. For the prosperity of the Indians. They can meet the great zibar, Indians own clove and cocoa- Africans, the Indians may have to demand for investors, technical ex nut plantations. Probably the big hand over ginneries and coffee cur perts, engineers, doctors and artists. gest sisal estate owners in Tan ing factories one after another and By whatever name they go, people ganyika are Indians. invest the money received as com of Indian origin in British East Early emigrants from India had pensation in new industries and Africa can play hereafter an irre no capital to invest in East Africa. businesses. Prosperous and educat placeable and essential role in the But their descendants have prosper ed Africans will in course of time development of the countries of their ed and saved up enough to be able become rich customers and good adoption. to start factories and mills. A large number of saw mills are owned by Punjabis and most of the cotton ginneries are owned by Indians. Indians own a few of the coffee curing factories also.

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