We Are Girmitiyas — From India To The World: A Tribute to the Indentured Labourers and Their Generations

This song is my humble and emotional tribute to the countless Girmitiya indentured labourers who endured unimaginable suffering, separation and hardship after leaving India for distant lands. They left behind their homes, families, villages, fields, rivers, language and motherland, crossing oceans into an uncertain future. Yet, through pain and sacrifice, they built new lives and gave their children the dream of a better tomorrow. This is not only their story of suffering. It is their story of courage, resilience, dignity and triumph. Their descendants went on to contribute enormously to Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion, Seychelles and other communities around the world. From plantation labourers, their descendants became teachers, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, artists, academics, diplomats, political leaders and nation-builders. I salute every Girmitiya. Your suffering became the foundation for the dreams of generations. Your tears became the strength of your children. Your sacrifice became part of the history of nations. Dedicated to My Guru With deepest reverence, I dedicate this song to my Guru, Sadguru Shri Swatantra Deoji Maharaj, from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, a land deeply rooted in Bhojpuri language and culture. His Ashram has opened its doors to people of Girmitiya heritage from around the world who are searching for their roots and a connection with India. Gurudev, this song is my humble offering at your feet. With Gratitude to South Africa My heartfelt thanks to the people of South Africa with whom I have worked through Sadafal Foundation and various social and community activities. Their affection, encouragement and shared experiences inspired me deeply and helped me understand that the Girmitiya story is not merely history—it is a living connection between generations and continents. A Special Thanks I express my deepest gratitude to Ambassador Prof. Anil Sooklal, whose continued efforts are helping bring greater recognition to the historical contributions of the Girmitiya and wider Indian-origin communities and strengthening the connection between India and its global diaspora. My sincere thanks also to Shri Pradeep Ramlall Ji for his extraordinary passion and determination to keep this important cause moving forward. I am grateful to Alok More for the videography and visual storytelling, and to Abhinav More for the picture generation and visual creation that helped bring these stories to life. My heartfelt thanks to IndiGenius Group Pty Ltd, South Africa, for being the Producer of this project and supporting this journey. A Humble Apology This has been a deeply emotional journey for me. While writing every word and watching every image during the editing, I repeatedly imagined the suffering of our Girmitiya ancestors. Many times, I could not hold back my tears. Because this is such a vast history, some names, photographs, people, places or important stories may have been missed despite our sincere efforts. If we have missed anyone or anything, we sincerely apologise and ask for your forgiveness. No omission is intentional, and no individual or community's contribution is meant to be diminished. This song is only one humble attempt to honour a history of enormous magnitude. I hope you will forgive any shortcomings with the same love and affection you have given to this journey for decades. To Every Girmitiya — My Salute You suffered, but you did not surrender. You were separated from your roots, but you kept your culture alive. You faced hardship, but you educated your children. You started with almost nothing, yet you built communities, businesses and futures. You planted the seeds of generations yet unborn. Today, your descendants stand proudly in many nations of the world. Your pain must be remembered. Your sacrifice must be honoured. Your achievements must be recognised. And your story must never be forgotten. WE ARE GIRMITIYAS. WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SOIL. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Times Now Digital.