How Indian cuisine in Hong Kong is growing way past chicken tikka and samosas
They may make up just 0.6 per cent of Hong Kong's total population but the Indian community have been an integral part of the city's multicultural tapestry since its early colonial era and have left a significant mark on the local dining scene.
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The first significant wave of Indian migrants arrived in the 1840s, when the British brought Punjabi soldiers, traders and clerks to the fledgling colony. Many worked as policemen, merchants or civil servants, forming the backbone of early Hong Kong society.
By the late 19th century, influential Parsee and Sindhi trading families started to establish thriving businesses in textiles, shipping and finance. The Sikh community, meanwhile, became synonymous with security, with turbaned officers serving in the Hong Kong Police Force for generations.
The local Indian community continued to play a significant role in the city's commercial and cultural landscape. Many were involved in trade, jewellery, textiles and tailoring. By the late 20th century, the community was still relatively small but tightly knit, centred on shared cultural traditions, places of worship and businesses.
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How Indian cuisine travelled to Hong Kong and evolved to please local palates
How Indian cuisine travelled to Hong Kong and evolved to please local palates
Various waves of migration over the years meant people from all over India came to the city. Rajeev Bhasin, owner of Gaylord Indian Restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, which opened in 1972, says that most Hong Kong-based Indians who came to the restaurant in its early days were from the areas of Sindh and Punjab that were split following the partition of India in 1947, which divided British India into two independent states.
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