Latest news with #HinduSindhi
Mint
3 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
India's Partition diaspora has been a boon for other Asian economies
Nearly eight decades ago, a community of Hindu Sindhi merchants fled the Indian subcontinent in the aftermath of its bloody division. My family was among them. Scattering worldwide, some in the diaspora rose from refugees to run billion-dollar businesses. Ours was one story among scores, mirroring tales of refugees fleeing violence in recent times. From the aftermath of Syria's civil war to the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, then, as now, the openness of adopted nations determines whether migrants flourish or fade. It remains a politically charged issue, with bitter debates raging over America's mass deportations to the EU's recent tightening of migration and asylum rules. Partition changed the course of my community's destiny. It is thought that there are around 2 million Hindu Sindhis in Pakistan, nearly 3 million in India and several million more across the world. This exile has birthed a prominent business diaspora. Also Read: Partition Museum gallery commemorates the lost homeland of Sindh You might recognize the names. The Singapore-based Hiranandani brothers for example. Their father migrated from Sindh, a province in what is now southeastern Pakistan, in 1947, and started a small shophouse near a British military enclave. Today, his descendants are billionaires, ranked among Singapore's richest. An entrepreneurial spirit defines the community, notes Singapore's former ambassador to the United Nations Kishore Mahbubani in his book, Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir. When Hindu Sindhis began fleeing Pakistan, many headed to cities they had been operating in since the late 1800s, he writes. The Partition of British-ruled India in 1947 forced one of the largest mass migrations in human history: About 15 million people were displaced and it's estimated that a million died in communal violence. As part of the transfer of power, two new nations were created: Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. Both have just marked their independence days on 14 and 15 August respectively. The British devised the split along religious lines, despite the fact that many communities had, for the most part, peacefully coexisted. It meant that vast numbers suddenly found themselves on the 'wrong' side. Also Read: Pet paranoia and anti-immigrant rants reveal economic myopia My father has vivid memories of that time. He lived in Hyderabad in the Muslim-majority Sindh province, as his ancestors had done for centuries. An ancient trading hub in South Asia that bridged East and West, Sindh was swallowed whole into Pakistan. His family was sitting down to lunch in the days before Partition when a Muslim friend burst in, urging them to leave immediately. A mob was on its way, and they were angry. In a frantic rush, my father—just five years old at the time—remembers having barely enough time to grab his shoes. They ran, a few precious possessions in hand, and boarded a train to what was then Bombay, ending up in a refugee camp. From there, they travelled by ship to Indonesia, where my grandfather had business ties. Eventually, they became citizens there. If Indonesia had turned its back on us eight decades ago, families like mine might never have survived. The journey from refugees to entrepreneurs illustrates a wider point: Migration can be a powerful driver of economic growth. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, each additional working-age migrant creates 0.2 extra jobs through entrepreneurship—nearly 4 million jobs between 2011 and 2021. Also Read: US President-elect Trump's crackdown on immigration is likely to be highly disruptive For the family that settled in Indonesia, Partition meant new beginnings. They started in textiles, but now are known as the 'Kings of entertainment'—a household name in the entertainment and media industry. In 2021 Tencent bought a 15% stake in PT MD Picture, a company co-founded by one of the family's next generation scions for some $50 million. Not everyone fled because of Partition. The Harilelas of Hong Kong left Sindh in 1922, developing business links across southern China and exporting antiques worldwide. That trade collapsed during the Great Depression, forcing them to Hong Kong to start over. Over the decades they established a hospitality group with properties in Asia, Europe and the US, becoming one of the region's wealthiest families. The debate over immigration around the world today is complex and deservedly so. Integrating new communities and cultures is challenging. Those pressures can affect local populations. But rejecting contributions can mean that both migrants and host nations lose out. My family isn't among the Sindhi billionaires, but we've contributed to our adopted country in many other ways. Others should have that chance. ©Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
How India's partition forged a diaspora empire
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Nearly eight decades ago, a community of Hindu Sindhi merchants fled the Indian subcontinent in the aftermath of its bloody division. My family was among them. Scattering worldwide, some in the diaspora rose from refugees to run billion-dollar was one story among scores, mirroring tales of refugees fleeing violence in recent times. From the aftermath of Syria's civil war, to the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, then, as now, the openness of adopted nations determines whether migrants flourish or fade. It remains a politically charged issue, with bitter debates raging over the enforcement of America's mass deportations to the European Union's recent tightening of migration and asylum changed the course of my community's destiny. Estimates vary, but it is thought that there are around 2 million Hindu Sindhis in Pakistan, nearly 3 million in India, and several million more across the world. This exile gave birth to a prominent business might recognize the names. The Singapore-based Hiranandani brothers are one example. Their father migrated from Sindh, a province in what is now southeastern Pakistan, in 1947, and started with a small shophouse near a British military enclave. Today, his descendants are billionaires, regularly ranked among Singapore's richest. The eldest, Raj Kumar, and his son Kishin RK run the Royal Holdings and RB Capital property empire. Younger brother Asok Kumar runs the Royal Group with his son Bobby. It owns the 215-room Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and the island's second Raffles entrepreneurial spirit defines the community, notes Singapore's former ambassador to the United Nations Kishore Mahbubani in his book, Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir. When the Hindu Sindhis began fleeing Pakistan, many headed to cities they had been operating in since the late 1800s, he Partition of British-ruled India in 1947 forced one of the largest mass migrations in human history: About 15 million people were displaced, and it's estimated a million died in the communal violence. As part of the transfer of power, two new nations were created: Muslim majority Pakistan and Hindu majority India. Both have just marked their independence days on Aug. 14 and 15 British devised the split along religious lines, despite the fact that many communities had — for the most part — lived peacefully together. It meant that vast numbers suddenly found themselves on the 'wrong' side. My father has vivid memories of that lived in Hyderabad in the Muslim-majority Sindh province, as his ancestors had done for centuries. A key ancient trading hub in South Asia that bridged East and West, Sindh was swallowed whole into Pakistan. His family were sitting down to lunch in the days before Partition when a Muslim friend burst in, urging them to leave immediately. A mob was on its way, and they were angry. In a frantic rush, my father — just five years old at the time — remembers having barely enough time to grab his ran, a few precious possessions in hand, and boarded a train to what was then Bombay, ending up in a refugee camp. From there, they traveled by ship to Indonesia, where my grandfather already had business ties. Eventually, they became citizens in their adopted home. If Indonesia had turned its back on us eight decades ago, families like mine might never have journey from refugees to entrepreneurs illustrates a wider point: Migration can be a powerful driver of economic growth. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, each additional working-age migrant creates 0.2 extra jobs through entrepreneurship — nearly 4 million jobs between 2011 and the Punjabi family of Indonesia, (who are Sindhis despite their last name) Partition meant new beginnings. They started in textiles, but now are known as the 'Kings of entertainment' and have become a household name in the entertainment and media industry. In 2021 Tencent Holdings Ltd. bought a 15% stake in PT MD Picture, a company co-founded by one of the family's next generation scions, Manoj Punjabi, for some $50 everyone fled because of Partition. The Harilelas of Hong Kong left Hyderabad in Sindh in 1922, developing business links across southern China and exporting antiques worldwide. That trade collapsed during the Great Depression, forcing them to Hong Kong to start over. Over the decades they established a hospitality group with properties in Asia, Europe and the US, becoming one of the region's wealthiest debate over immigration around the world today is complex, and deservedly so. Integrating new communities and cultures is challenging. Those pressures can affect local populations. But rejecting contributions can mean that both migrants and host nations lose out. My family isn't among the Sindhi billionaires, but we've contributed to our adopted country in many other ways. Others should have that chance.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
How India's partition forged a diaspora empire
TIL Creatives AI-generated image for representative purpose Nearly eight decades ago, a community of Hindu Sindhi merchants fled the Indian subcontinent in the aftermath of its bloody division. My family was among them. Scattering worldwide, some in the diaspora rose from refugees to run billion-dollar businesses. Ours was one story among scores, mirroring tales of refugees fleeing violence in recent times. From the aftermath of Syria's civil war, to the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, then, as now, the openness of adopted nations determines whether migrants flourish or fade. It remains a politically charged issue, with bitter debates raging over the enforcement of America's mass deportations to the European Union's recent tightening of migration and asylum rules. Partition changed the course of my community's destiny. Estimates vary, but it is thought that there are around 2 million Hindu Sindhis in Pakistan, nearly 3 million in India, and several million more across the world. This exile gave birth to a prominent business diaspora. You might recognize the names. The Singapore-based Hiranandani brothers are one example. Their father migrated from Sindh, a province in what is now southeastern Pakistan, in 1947, and started with a small shophouse near a British military enclave. Today, his descendants are billionaires, regularly ranked among Singapore's richest. The eldest, Raj Kumar, and his son Kishin RK run the Royal Holdings and RB Capital property empire. Younger brother Asok Kumar runs the Royal Group with his son Bobby. It owns the 215-room Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and the island's second Raffles entrepreneurial spirit defines the community, notes Singapore's former ambassador to the United Nations Kishore Mahbubani in his book, Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir. When the Hindu Sindhis began fleeing Pakistan, many headed to cities they had been operating in since the late 1800s, he writes. The Partition of British-ruled India in 1947 forced one of the largest mass migrations in human history: About 15 million people were displaced, and it's estimated a million died in the communal violence. As part of the transfer of power, two new nations were created: Muslim majority Pakistan and Hindu majority India. Both have just marked their independence days on Aug. 14 and 15 British devised the split along religious lines, despite the fact that many communities had — for the most part — lived peacefully together. It meant that vast numbers suddenly found themselves on the 'wrong' side. My father has vivid memories of that lived in Hyderabad in the Muslim-majority Sindh province, as his ancestors had done for centuries. A key ancient trading hub in South Asia that bridged East and West, Sindh was swallowed whole into Pakistan. His family were sitting down to lunch in the days before Partition when a Muslim friend burst in, urging them to leave immediately. A mob was on its way, and they were angry. In a frantic rush, my father — just five years old at the time — remembers having barely enough time to grab his shoes. They ran, a few precious possessions in hand, and boarded a train to what was then Bombay, ending up in a refugee camp. From there, they traveled by ship to Indonesia, where my grandfather already had business ties. Eventually, they became citizens in their adopted home. If Indonesia had turned its back on us eight decades ago, families like mine might never have survived. The journey from refugees to entrepreneurs illustrates a wider point: Migration can be a powerful driver of economic growth. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, each additional working-age migrant creates 0.2 extra jobs through entrepreneurship — nearly 4 million jobs between 2011 and 2021. For the Punjabi family of Indonesia, (who are Sindhis despite their last name) Partition meant new beginnings. They started in textiles, but now are known as the 'Kings of entertainment' and have become a household name in the entertainment and media industry. In 2021 Tencent Holdings Ltd. bought a 15% stake in PT MD Picture, a company co-founded by one of the family's next generation scions, Manoj Punjabi, for some $50 million. Not everyone fled because of Partition. The Harilelas of Hong Kong left Hyderabad in Sindh in 1922, developing business links across southern China and exporting antiques worldwide. That trade collapsed during the Great Depression, forcing them to Hong Kong to start over. Over the decades they established a hospitality group with properties in Asia, Europe and the US, becoming one of the region's wealthiest debate over immigration around the world today is complex, and deservedly so. Integrating new communities and cultures is challenging. Those pressures can affect local populations. But rejecting contributions can mean that both migrants and host nations lose out. My family isn't among the Sindhi billionaires, but we've contributed to our adopted country in many other ways. Others should have that chance. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. IndiGo's GIFT City unit: Simple expansion or is there more to it than meets the eye? GST cut to benefit; but who gains the most? Good, bad, ugly: How will higher ethanol in petrol play out for you? Why are mid-cap stocks fizzling out? It's not just about Trump tariffs. Stock Radar: This hotel stock is showing signs of bottoming out; time to buy? Logistics sector: Be tactical in the face of head & tailwinds; 6 logistics stocks with an upside potential of over 30% Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and return potential of more than 25% in 1 year History of wealth creators: Everything should be in context, whether it is PE or PEG; on a standalone basis they mean nothing
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
How India's Partition Forged a Diaspora Empire
Nearly eight decades ago, a community of Hindu Sindhi merchants fled the Indian subcontinent in the aftermath of its bloody division. My family was among them. Scattering worldwide, some in the diaspora rose from refugees to run billion-dollar businesses. Ours was one story among scores, mirroring tales of refugees fleeing violence in recent times. From the aftermath of Syria's civil war, to the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, then, as now, the openness of adopted nations determines whether migrants flourish or fade. It remains a politically charged issue, with bitter debates raging over the enforcement of America's mass deportations to the European Union's recent tightening of migration and asylum rules.
India.com
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is Salman Khan's ex-girlfriend Sangeeta Bijlani? The two almost got married but called it off due to...
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan attended the birthday bash of his ex-girlfriend and fellow actor Sangeeta Bijlani. The party was held at a restaurant in Mumbai's Bandra area and. Dressed casually in black t-shirt and denim jeans, Salman Khan arrived at Sangeeta's party. As soon as the actor came, he was accompanied by heavy security. The videos showed Khan's face lit up as he warmly interacted with the child, even posing for a photo. Who is Sangeeta Bijlani? Born into a Hindu Sindhi family, Sangeeta Bijlani began her career as a model at the age of 16. She is best known for winning the title of Femina Miss India 1980 and representing India at Miss Universe 1980. She made her acting debut in Hindi films with a lead role in the 1988 film Qatil opposite Aditya Pancholi and went on to be one of the three female leads in the 1989 blockbuster Tridev. She was also seen in films like Hathyar, Jurm, Yodha, Yugandhar, Izzat, and Lakshman Rekha. However, her popularity soared when she made headlines for her relationship with Salman Khan. How did Salman Khan meet Sangeeta Bijlani? During their early years in Bollywood, Salman Khan and Sangeeta Bijlani met on the set of a TV commercial. They fell in love and dated for more than eight years, making it one of his longest relationships. The couple was even set to marry in 1994, had marriage cards printed, but eventually called off the wedding. In an episode of Indian Idol 15, Bijlani said her and Salman's wedding cards were getting printed before the ceremony was called off. Why was Salman Khan and Sangeeta Bijlani's wedding cancelled? Sangeeta Bijlani and Salman Khan were all set to marry on May 27, 1994. Just a few days before their wedding, Salman hooked up with Somy Ali. Salman used to meet her by climbing pipes of her room. One day, when Salman was with Somy in the room, Sangeeta entered and caught them. Sangeeta and Salman broke their relationship and cancelled their wedding. Who did Sangeeta Bijlani marry? Sangeeta married Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin in 1996 but that marriage only lasted till 2010. In order to marry Azhar, she made a significant change in her life, converted to Islam, adopted the name Ayesha Begum before their nikah.
