Indian Diaspora in Cambodia
摘要
India has had cultural and trade contacts with countries in Southeast Asia since the onset of the fifth century B.C. Therefore, Indianization of art, epigraphy, food, and literature in these countries is undeniable. Cambodia is one such ASEAN nation that has experienced an inflow of Indian migrants from ancient times. As the country was in a state of flux and rift till the 1990s, so it expatriated all migrants. Modern Indian migration in Cambodia was initiated in the late 90s, driven by difficult economic situations at home. Present Cambodian-Indian diaspora can be divided into two types - One set of rural and less educated single male migrants from eastern and southern India, while the other of highly educated professionals generally migrating with family. Only a handful of Indian women migrate to Cambodia independently and are usually accompanied by their male counterparts. Despite several recent initiatives for cordial bilateral relations between these two countries, there is a dearth of research on the modern Indian diaspora in Cambodia, especially from a gendered and intersectional lens. Thus, this chapter aims to contextualize this research gap by addressing the diverse experiences and histories that constitute the modern migration of Indians and the formation of the Indian diaspora in Cambodia.