Indian Diaspora Research Articles

Fragmentation, taboos and advocacy: An examination of the Indian-Australian ethnic media

This article examines the advocacy role of Indian-Australian ethnic media and their efforts to address sociocultural issues within the Indian diaspora in Australia. Based on interviews with twelve media producers, the study explores how these outlets raise awareness of challenges such as casteism, dowry practices and sociopolitical divides. Ethnic media play a vital role in multicultural societies, expressing cultural identity while managing relationships between minority and majority groups. However, the findings show that financial and structural constraints often lead to editorial caution, especially regarding contentious topics. This restraint is largely driven by reliance on advertising revenue from community businesses and government sources, which affects editorial decisions. The study also reveals that these outlets often prioritize a broader national identity over engaging with internal divisions within the Indian diaspora, such as those related to religion, caste and class. The concept of multi-ethnic public sphere further supports the idea that ethnic media can promote inter-cultural dialogue, though their potential is limited by ongoing financial challenges. This article highlights the need for greater institutional and financial backing to strengthen ethnic media’s ability to serve their communities. Supporting these outlets would allow for more active engagement with marginalized groups and internal dynamics, positioning Indian-Australian ethnic media as key advocates for community interests within Australia’s multicultural framework and contributing to social change.

Blockbuster Business: Marketing Strategies and Challenges in Indian Movies

This paper explores how marketing in the Indian film industry has transformed over time, adapting to the digital age. In the past, promotions revolved around star power, grand music launches, and media tours. Today, social media, influencer collaborations, and streaming platforms have redefined how filmmakers connect with audiences. The research dives into both traditional and modern strategies, looking at trailers, regional campaigns, and international outreach for the Indian diaspora. Case studies of big-budget hits and indie films reveal what works and what doesn’t, tackling challenges like piracy and oversaturated markets. It also explores future trends like AI, immersive tech, and blockchain, showing how innovation keeps audiences engaged in a competitive space.

Presumed identities perceived difference: how children of South Asian Indian immigrants experience and negotiate being an American

ABSTRACT Using qualitative data with second generation Christian Indian Americans, this article illuminates dimensions of Whiteness and practices of cultural citizenship to highlight the relational and embodied practices of identity. Specifically, the discussion elaborates on dynamics of recognition, shaped by how race, class, caste, and religion intersect for Indian Americans. Second generation Christian Indian Americans experience exclusion when White peers identify them as Hindu, a religious identity for many South Asian Indians. To fend off exclusion, participants identify class mobility and evangelical Christianity as ‘true’ criteria for being an American. I discuss how Whiteness informs how second generation Christian Indian Americans draw symbolic and social boundaries to assert being a ‘cultural’ American as they negotiate ‘othering’ to establish their own Americanness.

Inadequate toothbrushing practice and associated factors among in-school adolescents in Malaysia: Findings from Global School Health Survey (GSHS) 2017.

Inadequate toothbrushing practice is define as brushing teeth less than two times per day. Inadequate toothbrushing during adolescence can lead to oral health problems and disease burden in adults. Moreover, inadequate practice can lead to low quality of life and inadequate self-esteem. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of inadequate toothbrushing practice among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years in Malaysia and its association with sociodemographic and other related risky lifestyles. This study was part of a national cross-sectional study, Global School Health Survey 2017. 27,497 students were agreed to participate in this study, with response of 89.2%. A validated self-administered bilingual, comprised of topics related to sociodemographic as well as adolescent health and risky lifestyles; substance use (alcohol, drug, smoking cigarettes), eating patterns, hygiene (inclusive of oral and hand hygiene), mental health status, lack of peer and parental/guardian support, truancy, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). Analysis was performed using IBM SPSS for Windows version 26.0 involving complex sampling analysis and logistic regression. A total of 12.7% (95% CI: 11.8-13.6) of in-school adolescents had inadequate toothbrushing practices. Higher prevalence of inadequate toothbrushing were found among male, Indian, had ever drug use, had three or more lack of protective factors and had inadequate hand hygiene practices. Adolescents who had inadequate toothbrushing were significantly higher odd among males, Indian ethnic, ever drug use, inadequate hand hygiene practices and adolescents who had three or more lack of peer and parental/guardian support. Approximately 1 out of 10 adolescents had inadequate toothbrushing practices with several factors associated, such as male gender, Indian ethnicity, inadequate hand hygiene, ever drug use and lack of protective factors are identified to be associated. By emphasizing the significance of frequent brushing, we can encourage positive changes and reduce the burden of preventable dental problems on adolescents.

Haplotype analysis detects MLH1 founder variant in Indian Lynch syndrome patient cohort.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome whereby the lifetime risk of developing gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers rises by to over 50%. It is caused by heterozygous variants in the DNA mismatch repair genes- MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2, with the majority detected in MLH1 and MSH2. Recurrently observed LS-associated variants in apparently unrelated individuals have either arisen de novo in different families due to mutation hotspots or are inherited from a common ancestor (founder) that lived several generations back. Testing for founder variants can facilitate molecular diagnosis of LS more efficiently and cost effectively than screening for all possible variants in the MMR genes. Here, we report a study of the missense variant c.306G > T in the MLH1 gene, the first potential founder variant identified in LS patients of Indian ethnicity. Haplotype analysis consisting of 25 LS carriers with the MLH1 c.306G > T variant and 100 healthy controls confirmed a shared haplotype in cases spanning a 27.8kb region encompassing the c.306G > T variant (𝝌2 = 96.418; p = < 0.0001). Age of variant analysis suggests the variant to have arisen in the population approximately 800 years (95% CI: 670-934 years) ago. Furthermore, it is estimated that c.306G > T variant is likely to be observed in 6.4% of all LS patients of Indian ethnicity. These findings have important implications for genetic counselling and molecular diagnosis of Lynch syndrome.

Discovering AI-driven purposeful political brand content to influence the voters’ attitude

The convergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and political branding has revolutionized how political leaders and parties present themselves in democratic societies. With this rising human-tech partnership, the proliferation of AI-generated content, and the upcoming 2024 elections in economies like India, the United States, the European Union, and Russia, it is essential to understand how AI-generated content can potentially influence voters’ attitudes during the election season. While political parties are expanding beyond the digital content era, AI-generated content amplifies their reach to voters living in or outside the country. However, the role of AI-generated content in voter decision-making is still undefined, particularly for those living outside the country for employment or education. Therefore, this empirical study explores how AI-driven purposeful political content influences the attitude of voters residing in India and Indian expatriates living abroad. These expatriates are a subset of the Indian voting population, who have voting rights under section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 in India. Using a qualitative approach, the study conducts an in-depth exploration of participants’ narratives using qualitative interviews. It focuses on understanding how AI-generated content conveys political ideas, creates a brand image, and helps political parties gain a distinct political edge among the voters. The study’s findings confirm that AI-generated purposeful political content is a new frontier in political branding but is not entirely utilized by all political parties. However, progressive parties are using AI-generated content to increase the political participation of voters in India and Indian expatriates and create a pleasant political brand image worldwide.

Transnational economic development: Pakistani and Indian diaspora in focus

IntroductionType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often leads to elevated blood glucose levels and lipid metabolism disorder, which is generally accompanied by dysbiosis of gut microbiota and metabolic dysfunction.MethodIn this study, a mouse model of T2DM was established by feeding a high-fat/sucrose diet combined with injecting a low dose of streptozotocin. The aim of this study was to analyze the regulatory effect of Suaeda salsa extract (SSE) on T2DM and its effect on the intestinal flora of mice.ResultsThe results showed that SSE could significantly improve the body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), area under the curve (AUC) of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), glycosylated serum protein (GSP) and islet function index. Moreover, 4-week body weight, FBG, AUC of OGTT, GSP, as well as intestinal acetic and butyric acid were significantly better in the SSE-L than in the MET group (p &amp;lt; 0.05). In addition, it was also found that the potential hypoglycemic mechanism of SSE was related to the expression of Akt serine/threonine kinase (AKT-1) and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) genes. Compared with the model group, SSE intervention significantly increased the abundance of probiotics, such as Soleaferrea, Alloprevotella, Lactobacillus and Faecalibaculum, while decreasing the relative abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Phocaeicola and Bilophila. Analysis of the correlation among intestinal microbiota, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and the hypoglycemic index showed that Dwaynesavagella was significantly correlated with acetic, propionic and butyric acid, as well as all the diabetes-related indexes analyzed in this study.DiscussionThus, this taxon can potentially be used as a microbiological marker of type 2 diabetes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that SSE can alleviate T2DM and its complications by improving glycemia-related indicators and modulating the structure of intestinal flora.

Food and the Habitus: Imaginary Homeland in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies

This study explores the role of food as a cultural borderland in Jhumpa Lahiri’ s Interpreter of Maladies. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, it analyzes how food functions beyond mere sustenance to reflect the complex identities of Indian immigrants navigating between tradition and assimilation. Food serves as a semiotic tool, revealing cultural nostalgia and the "struggle of memory against forgetting," as Salman Rushdie describes. Through characters like Mrs. Sen, food is shown to embody class distinctions and national identity while highlighting ambivalent feelings toward cultural adaptation. The preparation and sharing of food emerge as powerful expressions of belonging, yet simultaneously underscore the alienation experienced in a foreign land. This project suggests that foodways in Lahiri’s stories not only mark ethnic and social identities but also act as a poignant symbol of immigrants' fragmented sense of home, underscoring both collective memories and personal struggles within their adopted communities. By situating food as a central theme, the study reveals its significance in shaping social interactions and sustaining an imagined homeland, bridging past and present, familiar and unfamiliar, within the immigrant experience.

Rumblings in Rangoon: Labor, Race, and Nationalism in the Dockworker Riot of May 1930

Abstract: For five days in late May 1930, urban life ground to a halt as Rangoon was engulfed by the largest riots in living memory. Beginning as a localized complaint over employment in the docks between Indian and Burmese laborers, violence rapidly spiraled out of control and spread over the whole city, pitting Burmese against Indian, with the British authorities either powerless or reluctant to intervene. In English-language works, the story of this riot and its significance to wider Burmese history has received little attention and is often referred to only in passing. Sitting at a crossroads in modern Burmese history, the riot is of paramount importance. Beginning as a localized conflict over employment opportunities on the Rangoon docks, over its course it came to embody the crisis in perceived economic, political, and cultural competition between Burmese and Indian immigrants in Burma’s urban centers. Moreover, drawing largely on this, the way that this riot was used and interpreted also marked a shift in Burmese nationalism, moving toward a view of Burmese identity that combined cultural homogeneity with anti-Indian economic nationalism. In the short run, the riot reinforced contemporary struggles for separation from India; in the long run, it helped crystallize a new conception of the Burmese nation that was to pervade well into the latter half of the twentieth century.

“Asian” Is a Problematic Category in Research and Practice: Insights From the Bamboo Ceiling

This article spotlights a widespread problem in research and practice: Asians are commonly categorized as a monolithic group in the United States. Regarding research, my 24-year archival analysis of Psychological Science shows that most U.S. studies did not specify which Asian subgroup(s) were examined. Regarding practice, my analysis of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) webpages and latest diversity reports of S&P 100 companies finds that none of them differentiated between Asian subgroups. Such use of the generic category “Asian” is problematic because it masks important differences among Asian subgroups: (a) Of all ethnic groups in the United States, socioeconomic inequality among Asian subgroups is the highest and fastest growing; (b) U.S. studies show that East Asians (e.g., ethnic Chinese)—but not South Asians (e.g., ethnic Indians)—experience a “bamboo ceiling” in consequential contexts, including leadership attainment, academic performance in law and business schools, and starting salaries. Thus, lumping Asians together can obscure the challenges faced by certain Asian subgroups and jeopardize the attention and resources they need. More broadly, this article demonstrates the importance of differentiating between ethnic subgroups in research (e.g., theorization, surveys, and data analysis) and practice (e.g., diversity reports) to foster DEI.

Comparative Study on the Genetic Architecture of Type 2 Diabetes in Indian and Other Ethnic Groups: A Review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a condition of metabolism that impacts people worldwide regardless of country, age group, and gender. In addition to a sedentary lifestyle, genetic susceptibility, specifically single nucleotide polymorphisms, is implicated in the emergence and progression of T2DM. This study compares the genetic variants of the Indian population with three other ethnic cohorts: African, European, and Chinese. Based on the literature survey, common and unique Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and genes were explored in different Populations, including PPARG, TCF7L2, THADA, CDKN2A, IGF2BP2, SLC30A8, HHEX and CDKAL1. Identifying common and specific markers may help in risk prediction and early detection of T2DM. In conclusion, this comparative study of T2DM-susceptible SNPs in Indian and other ethnic groups highlights the complexity and diversity of genetic factors contributing to T2DM. By shedding light on the similarities and disparities in genetic predisposition across populations, this review contributes to the ongoing efforts to develop more effective and tailored approaches for managing and avoiding T2DM in diverse global populations.

Regional Variations in Nasal Parameters in South India: A Descriptive Study.

This paper aims to evaluate and standardize measurements of 11 nasal parameters specific to the South Indian population. This is significant because different ethnicities exhibit varying nasal proportions. The findings of this study will serve as a foundation for rhinoplasty procedures performed on the South Indian population as currently there is a lack of literature in this area of study. A total of 136 young individuals of age group 18-30 were taken as a sample; 34 from each state that is Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh were taken up for the study. Standardized photographs of the nose were taken. Eleven nasal parameters were measured using Digimiser software and analyzed. Eight out of eleven parameters have statistically significant differences among the population of all four South Indian states, while three parameters did not have much of a statistically significant difference. When compared to the standard values of nasal parameters of the Indian population, only radix height and nasolabial angle were similar. The nasal index of all four South Indian ethnicities was platyrrhine. The nasal parameters did not differ among males and females in all the four South Indian populations.

The Romani–Indian Diaspora: Migration, Persecution and Statelessness

A constant sense of othering constitutes the core of the Romani diasporic experience. This otherness was not a transient phenomenon in the Romani diasporic history. Its constancy was seemingly unending. It began with their unfortunate exit from India under the historical imperatives characterised by foreign invasion and forced slavery. What followed thereafter embodies the history of the Roma diasporic experience. A deep sense of being othered unequivocally acquired constancy as they moved on under different historical compulsions and forces from Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey to Europe. In Europe, they experienced, contrary to their perception of finding a better ground for an assumed difference, othering in its sinister form. Their movement in Europe and to America subsequently was underlined with servitude, subjection and a deep sense of humiliation. Therefore, this article divides the Roma diasporic experience into three distinct categories—migration, persecution and statelessness—to present the nature of this experience and the acute sense of the othering ingrained therein.

Prevalence of HLA-B*58:01 allele among Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic patients with gout attending primary care clinics in Malaysia.

HLA-B*58:01 allele is associated with allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous reaction (SCAR). Malaysia has a multiethnic population with limited data on the prevalence of HLA-B*58:01 among patients with gout treated in primary care settings. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of HLA-B*5801 in patients with gout from the Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnicities attending primary clinics in Malaysia.We collected blood samples from patients with gout attending three primary care clinics in Klang Valley, Malaysia, using convenience sampling. Genomic DNA samples were subjected to typing of HLA-B*5801 by a multiplex probe-based assay in a real-time PCR system, validated by PCR-resequencing approach.547 patients (194 Malay, 266 Chinese and 87 Indian) were recruited. The overall prevalence of HLA-B*58:01 was 16.8% (Chinese 21.8%, Indian 12.6% and Malay 11.9%). None of our 61 HLA-B*58:01 carriers who ever used allopurinol developed SCAR.The overall prevalence of HLA-B*58:01 allele in our patients with gout was high, particularly among the Chinese ethnicity (21.8%). None of our HLA-B*58:01 positive patients treated with allopurinol reported allopurinol-induced SCAR. A more accurate predictive model for allopurinol-induced SCAR is needed.

The Migrant Care Work Regime and the Making of the Constant‐Care Worker Among Indian Immigrant Nurses

The Migrant Care Work Regime and the Making of the Constant‐Care Worker Among Indian Immigrant Nurses

Potential Probiotic Yeasts Isolated from Idli and Selroti, Indian Ethnic Fermented Cereal-based Foods

Introduction: In the present study, we focused on the screening of the potential probiotic yeasts isolated from two Indian fermented cereal-based foods, viz., idli and selroti. A total of 260 yeast isolates were isolated from the batters of idli (140 isolates) and selroti (120 isolates). Methods: Preliminary screening of basic probiotic traits such as tolerance to low pH, bile, and cell surface attachment was checked for the selection of potential probiotic yeasts from total isolates. Finally, 8 yeast isolates were selected for further in-depth assessment by in vitro and genetic screening, which included Clavispora lusitaniae AIY-4, Wickerhamomyces anomalus MIY-30, Pichia kudriavzevii BIY-8 (from idli), Yarrowia lipolytica SGLY-15, Y. lipolytica SGLY-21, Candida parapsilosis SPRY-17, C. parapsilosis SBRY-12, and Kodamaea ohmeri SBRY-25 (from selroti). Results: A principal component analysis (PCA) biplot was designed to evaluate the differences and similarities amongst the yeast strains, and two clusters were formed using the paired group (UPGMA) algorithm and Euclidean similarity index. Cluster one was comprised of Cl. lusitaniae AIY- 4, W. anomalus MIY-30, C. parapsilosis SBRY-12, and P. kudriavzevii BIY-8, and another cluster included C. parapsilosis SBRY-12 and Y. lipolytica SGLY-21. Conclusion: Hence, based on statistical analysis for probiotic in vitro and genetic screening, Wickerhamomyces anomalus MIY-30 (idli) and Kodamaea ohmeri SBRY-25 (selroti) were selected as the most potential probiotic strains.

Occurrence of protease-like catalytic activity in the polyclonal IgG in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Neuro-immune dysfunction and inflammation are said to be involved in the aetiology of major mental illnesses. This study describes the assessment of the protease-like catalytic function of serum IgG in psychiatric disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, along with healthy controls of Indian ethnicity. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients experiencing neuropsychiatry conditions were included as comparators for the comprehensive evaluation of IgG catalytic function. The catalytic activity of serum IgG was determined using the generic peptide substrate Pro-Phe-Arg-methylcoumarylamide, and then the apparent kinetic data was computed. Compared to healthy controls (n = 25), the activity of those with schizophrenia (n = 30) was found to be 11-fold higher. The neuropsychiatry lupus patients (n = 25) exhibited 2.7 times less activity than the schizophrenia group. The IgG activity of the bipolar patients’ (n = 30) were found to be 2.9 and 12 times higher than lupus and healthy controls. IgG activity showed a modest, no significant, link with PANSS positive and negative disease scores, in a subset of schizophrenia patients. The study’s findings express presence of catalytic antibodies in the blood as well as neuro-immune dysfunction in major psychosis disorders. In addition, subsets of schizophrenia patients indicate presence of autoimmune component in them.

A Prospective Observational Study on the Clinical Profile Assessment of Myocardial Infarction Patients in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Background: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the single largest contributor to the global burden of disease and are recognized as the leading cause of death globally. CHD has various clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to acute conditions, namely acute coronary syndrome. Cardiovascular risk factors for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are on the rise in people of Indian origin. Myocardial Infarction (MI) also called as heart attack, infarction means the death of an area of tissue because of interrupted blood supply. Myocardial Infarction has become a growing concern among the cardiovascular diseases, hence the study is conducted in order to assess the clinical profile of patients suffering from MI. Aim: To assess the clinical presentations, risk factors, short-term complications and management of patients with MI. Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital over six months. A total of 121 patients were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Among the 121 patients included, the predominant were males (63.63%). Most of the patients fell under the age group of 51-60 (n=46). The common presenting symptoms were chest pain (42.32%), followed by breathlessness (26.04%) and sweating (15.34%). Most patients had NSTEMI (62.80%) and STEMI (37.19%). Alcohol (23.44%) was major risk factor followed by smoking (22.48%) and diabetes (14.35%). The elevated biomarkers noted were Troponin I (42.14%), Troponin T (37.19%) and CK-MB (6.61%) respectively. The majority of infarctions occurred on inferior wall (30.57%). The most prevalent complication observed was heart failure (14.8%) followed by sinus tachycardia (6.61%), and sinus bradycardia (5.78%). The majority of patients received key medications like anti-platelet agents, statins and anti-coagulants during hospital stay. Conclusion: The risk of men developing myocardial infarction is more compared to women due to various reasons. It is more likely that the diagnosis of myocardial infarction is neglected due to certain presenting symptoms like epigastric pain, syncope, vomiting, sweating etc., hence this study was conducted with an overview of creating awareness regarding the severity of myocardial infarction along with the advantages of early diagnosis.

‘I am what feeds me’: food as subversive voice in Padma Lakshmi’s love, loss and what we ate (2016)

ABSTRACT Diasporic women maintain links to the homeland by recreating traditional recipes. They also assimilate and adapt through their foodways. The diasporic food memoir has emerged as a unique medium for redefining and renegotiating the domestic and professional roles of women. Food is used in a multitude of ways, by women, in order to exercise power, control, and agency. Padma Lakshmi’s Love, Loss and What We Ate delves into the complexities of navigating through and reminiscing about life vis-à-vis the food one eats. Lakshmi gives voice to her bodily struggles, experiences with racial prejudice and showcases how being a celebrity chef has enabled her to create food content that problematizes simplistic understandings of both American and Indian cuisines. This paper argues that food gives Lakshmi a subversive voice to explore the biases and stereotypes implicit in being an Indian-American celebrity chef. It investigates how the culinary space facilitates a nuanced conversation regarding exoticization and marginalization of women from the Indian diaspora. Food enables Lakshmi to explore and enunciate femininity and individuality. Using feminist food criticism, we illustrate how food and recipes become a metaphor for the diasporic self and showcase the evolution of an Indian-American woman.

Indian Diaspora's Influence on the Economic Development of Poland in the Last Decade in the Context of the War in Ukraine and the Middle East

Indian Diaspora's Influence on the Economic Development of Poland in the Last Decade in the Context of the War in Ukraine and the Middle East