Nepali people in India

Nepali people in India
Group	Nepali people in India
Population	estimates vary by region
Regions	West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi (city)
Languages	Nepali language, Hindi language, Bengali language, English language
Religions	Hinduism, Buddhism, Kirant Mundhum, Christianity

Nepali people in India are communities of Nepalese origin residing across the Republic of India with long-standing ties to Gorkha migration, Anglo-Nepalese War, and trans-Himalayan trade. Their presence intersects historical processes involving the British Raj, the Treaty of Sugauli, and postcolonial movements tied to Sikkim integration, leading to diverse legal, cultural, and political experiences.

History

The migration of Gorkha soldiers and settlers dates to the aftermath of the Anglo-Nepalese War and the Treaty of Sugauli, when recruitment into the British Indian Army, participation in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and service in the World War I and World War II theaters propelled movement from Koshi Province, Gandaki Province, and Karnali Province into Bengal Presidency, Assam Province, and the North-East Frontier Agency. Post-1947 developments including the accession of Sikkim to the Republic of India and policies shaped by the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) influenced rights of movement between Kathmandu and New Delhi, while regional events such as the Gorkhaland movement, the Jhapa rebellion, and the political careers of figures linked to Darjeeling and Kalimpong altered settlement patterns.

Demographics and Distribution

Populations concentrate in Darjeeling district, Kalimpong district, Siliguri subdivision, Gangtok, Geyzing, Shillong, Guwahati, and Dehradun, with diasporic links to Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and New Delhi (city). Census estimates intersect categories from the Census of India and community counts in Sikkim and West Bengal showing diversity among Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tamang, Thakuri, Bahing, Yakkha, and Chettri groups. Cross-border kinship ties connect households in Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, and Ilām District to urban neighborhoods in Kurseong and tribal enclaves in Arunachal Pradesh.

Language and Culture

The community uses Nepali language alongside Bengali language, Hindi language, and English language, transmitting oral traditions, folk music and performing arts such as Dhaamee and Deuda in festivals including Dashain, Tihar, Losar, and Chhechu. Literary and journalistic production links poets and writers associated with Adwaita Mallabarman, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, Parijat, Bhanubhakta Acharya, and modern contributors appearing in periodicals from Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim State Council. Architectural and religious life features Boudhanath Stupa-inspired shrines, monasteries connected to Tibetan Buddhism, and temples reflecting syncretism with Pahadi practices and Hinduism rituals.

Citizenship, Legal Status, and Rights

Legal status for residents often invokes the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950), interpretations of the Indian Constitution and provisions under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and subsequent amendments debated in courts such as the Supreme Court of India. Cases and advocacy have engaged actors from All India Gorkha League, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and civil society groups to address documentation, voter registration in West Bengal Legislative Assembly and Sikkim Legislative Assembly, and protections under human rights frameworks like the National Human Rights Commission (India) and international bodies in Kathmandu and New Delhi (city).

Political and Social Organizations

Political mobilization includes parties and movements such as the Gorkha National Liberation Front, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and the All India Gorkha League, while cultural and welfare organizations include Gorkha Dukha Niwaran Parishad, Nepali Sahitya Parishad, Gurung Association, Rai Kalyan Sabha, Tamang Welfare Association, All India Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association, and student bodies linked to North Bengal University and Sikkim University. These groups interact with state institutions like the West Bengal government and central ministries in advocacy, electoral politics, and public service provision.

Economy and Occupations

Economic roles span agricultural terraces in the Darjeeling hills, tea gardens of Darjeeling district, service sectors in Kolkata and Guwahati, and remittances from military service in the British Army and Indian Army. Community participation in horticulture around Sikkim and trade routes connecting Siliguri to Kathmandu have involved entrepreneurship tied to markets such as New Market (Kolkata), transportation on routes through Nagaland, tourism linked to Gangtok and Pelling, and labor migration to Mumbai and Delhi (city).

Notable Individuals and Communities

Prominent figures and communities include military leaders and soldiers associated with the Gurkha regiments, cultural personalities from Darjeeling and Sikkim such as poets, edupreneurs tied to St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling, activists connected to the Gorkhaland movement, and sportspeople and artists who have links to institutions like All India Radio and Doordarshan. Local civic leaders, educators, and journalists from hubs like Kalimpong and Gangtok have likewise shaped regional narratives and transnational ties with Kathmandu and diasporic networks in London, Singapore, and Kathmandu Valley.

Category:Ethnic groups in India Category:Nepalese diaspora