Indian Tamils of Srilanka and Unchanging Language Identities

Abstract

The Indian Tamils settled down in the South Central Province of Mountains nearly 200 years ago. It is officially reckoned that the Indian Tamils are about 5% of the entire population of Sri Lanka. There is a strong background behind the settlement of the ancestors of millions of Indian Tamils who live widespread in the Uphills of Sri Lanka. Most of the Indian Provinces were severely affected by the Famine in the 19th century; Madras Presidency was one among them. In order that death due to famine may be controlled, the British Indian Administration decided to send away the Tamils to the Colonial Nations that were under the British rule.