Archive · 7 Jan 2026
Indian Arrival Day: Legacy of Indentured Labour
A long time ago, many Indians were taken to different countries to work as indentured labourers.
This happened because the British needed workers after they stopped slavery.
These workers faced very hard conditions and were treated badly.
Even today, the descendants of these workers face problems like mental health issues and high suicide rates.
Some countries have apologized for their role in this, but Britain, which benefited the most, has not.
It's important to remember this history and help the people affected by it.
Millions of Indians were taken to various countries as indentured labourers from 1834 to 1917 to fill the labour gap after the abolition of slavery.
The conditions for these labourers were harsh, including poor housing, low wages, and health issues.
Descendants of these labourers continue to face mental health problems, including high suicide rates.
Countries like the Netherlands and Yale University have apologized for their role in the indentured labour system, but Britain has not.
It is important to acknowledge and address the intergenerational impact of indentured labour on the Indian diaspora.
- Who
- Indian indentured labourers and their descendants
- What
- The intergenerational impact of colonial indentureship on the Indian diaspora
- When
- 1834 to 1917
- Where
- Mauritius, British Guiana, Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, South Africa, Suriname, Fiji
- Why
- To fill the labour gap after the abolition of slavery and due to poverty, indebtedness, and famines in colonial India
- First Indentured Recruitment
- Mauritius, 1834
- Last Indentured Recruitment
- 1917
- Countries Involved
- Mauritius, British Guiana, Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, South Africa, Suriname, Fiji
- Push Factors
- Poverty, indebtedness, recurrent famines
- Mental Health Impact
- High suicide rates among descendants
- Guyana Suicide Rate
- First in per capita suicide rate in 2014 (WHO)
- Fiji Suicide Rate
- 90% associated with Indian community