Sikh Diaspora

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July 16, 2026

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The Sikh diaspora refers to Sikhs who have migrated from their ancestral homeland in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Historically, most Sikh migrants were traders who settled within India or in neighboring regions. In the late 19th century, the British army's deployment of Sikh soldiers to places like Malaya and Hong Kong led to emigration, with these locations becoming launchpads for migration to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, often for unskilled labor opportunities.1

Sikhs also found opportunities on the west coast of North America, with the first emigrants arriving around 1903. Skilled artisans were sent to British East Africa for railway construction. Following World War II, significant Sikh migration occurred to the United Kingdom and North America. Some Sikhs from eastern Africa, expelled by Idi Amin in 1972, also relocated to the UK.1

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Sikhism
The Sikh diaspora
Until well into the modern era, most migrant Sikhs were traders who settled in India outside the Punjab or in neighboring lands to the west. In the late 19th century, the posting of Sikh soldiers in the British army to stations in Malaya…
Read More
Until well into the modern era, most migrant Sikhs were traders who settled in India outside the Punjab or in neighboring lands to the west. In the late 19th century, the posting of Sikh soldiers in the British army to stations in Malaya…
Read More