“Resilience of Northeast Migrants in Chennai: Adversity to Stability”

Abstract

The migration of individuals from Northeast India to metropolitan cities like Chennai has increased significantly over the past two decades. This study aims to explore different factors that promotes resilience among Northeast migrants in Chennai, focusing on their socio-cultural adaptation, economic integration, and coping mechanisms in the face of structural and social challenges. Through a mixed-methods approach combining surveys and in-depth semi structure interviews and secondary data of existing literature review on migrant resilience, focusing on social support, discrimination, and coping mechanisms. The study investigates key factors that contribute to the resilience of migrants in navigating a highly diverse and challenging new sociocultural and religious environment of Chennai. Findings indicate that while migrants face significant discrimination, economic hardship, and cultural isolation, they develop strong support networks, local populace supports, and a collective sense of identity to cope with these challenges. The study concludes that resilience among Northeast migrants in Chennai is a dynamic, multi-faceted process driven by individuals, Non-governmental Organizations, local people support and community cohesion.