The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Anglo-Indians seek benefits in education, housing from State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 16, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Anglo-Indians seek benefits in education, housing from State

Staff Reporter

The demand was made at an-all-India conference of the community

WELCOME: Governor T.N. Chaturvedi (centre), Minister for Water Resources M. Mallikarjun Kharge (second from left) and Municipal Administration Minister S.R. Morey (left) arriving at a national conference of Anglo-Indians in Bangalore on Sunday. Ivan Nigly, MLA, is at right. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The Anglo-Indian community, whose numbers have dwindled following migration to other countries and experienced a fall in its social and economic conditions, wants benefits from State in the fields of education, housing and employment.

The needs and views of the community were put forward at an all-India conference of Anglo-Indians organised here on Sunday by the nominated member of the Legislative Assembly Ivan Nigly.

Water Resources Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who traced the history of the community from the 1600s, when marriages between Englishmen and Indians created the Anglo-Indian, said: "despite the Anglo in their name, they are Indians first."

He wanted the Anglo-Indians to come up with a roadmap of how they would return to the mainstream, after the late eighties saw their migration to Australia, Canada and the U.S., and the numbers dwindled.

This was the only community which had the constitutional provision to be represented in Parliament and in the Legislative Assemblies, which had ensured that their rights and guarantees as citizens had always been recognised and promoted a dynamic exchange of culture and social values between them and the other communities.

Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, who inaugurated the conference, also recalled the services of many illustrious Anglo-Indians who had left their indelible footprints on the history of Bangalore, and indeed the entire country. People who built schools and other institutions, great writers and musicians, and in cinema, and in every other field who had done India proud came from this community, and it was a good sign that they wished to contribute more effectively to its development, he said.

Archbishop of Bangalore Ignatius Pinto reminded the Anglo-Indians that it was not enough to merely seek benefits from the Government, but demonstrate its own resilience and worthiness by showing itself as capable.

"Learn the languages, learn the culture and try to build bridges, and you will excel and be better than the major communities in all fields, and you cannot be ignored when opportunity is extended", he said.

Minister for Municipal Administration S.R. Morey, Anglo-Indian MP Frank Fanthome and the former MP Beatrix D'Souza were among those present.

Governor's birthday

It was pleasant surprise for Mr. Chaturvedi when the compere announced that it would be the Governor's birthday in three days, and led the gathering in singing "Happy birthday" in the very charming Anglo-Indian way.

A very delighted Mr. Chaturvedi said he had almost forgotten that his birthday was coming up.

Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, who was to have participated in the conference, could not be present.

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