In India Sikhs constitute less than 2 per cent of the total population. In Punjab there are 12 million Sikhs with a further 3 million in the adjoining states and territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Small settlements are also to be found in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Most Sikhs are traditionally associated with farming, though urban Sikhs are also renowned for their sharp business acumen. The Sikh community is generally seen by outsiders as industrious, entrepreneurial, and adventurous. The success of the Green Revolution in turning Punjab into the granary of India and the richest state in the Union is mostly associated with the ethic of hard work rooted in the religious and cultural tradition of the Sikh peasantry. These qualities have historically led to heavy Sikh recruitment into the armed forces. Today, Sikhs still constitute a disproportionate share of India's soldiers and officer corps.
There is a sizeable Sikh diaspora (over 1 million) settled in the United Kingdom (400,000), Canada (300,000), and the United States (100,000). Whereas most of the migrants to the United States (apart from the early settlers at the beginning of this century) were of professional background, settlers in the United Kingdom (with the exception of East Africans) and Canada are mainly of rural background from the central districts of Punjab. In the United Kingdom since the 1970s the Sikh community has provided the mainstay to "Asian success". There are also small settlements in most European countries, the Middle East, East Asia, Africa, and Australasia, some of which date from the late 19th century. Overall the Sikh diaspora has been very active in promoting the interests of the community to a global audience. Within the Sikh diaspora there is strong reproduction of Sikh institutions, creative adaptation to local conditions and influences, and a growing self-confidence and awareness as a world-historic community.
No comments:
Post a Comment