Impossible Citizens: The Dubai Indian Diaspora

The Melting Pot of Cultures

One cannot talk about the multiculturalism of Dubai without mentioning the significant presence of the Indian diaspora. Dubai is a melting pot of cultures, attracting people from various backgrounds and nationalities. Among them, the Indian community stands out for its vibrant contributions to the city's growth and development.

A Home Away From Home

For thousands of Indians, Dubai has become a second home. They have set up businesses, established families, and found a sense of belonging in this land of opportunities. What once started as a city of sand and dreams has transformed into a thriving metropolis where individuals can realize their aspirations.

A Historical Perspective

The presence of Indians in Dubai is not a recent phenomenon. Historical records can trace back their involvement in the region to the time of the maritime Silk Road. Indian traders established trade links with the Arab world, setting the foundation for a long-lasting connection between the two regions.

Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora

by Neha Vora(Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3270 KB
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Screen Reader	:	Supported
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Print length	:	254 pages

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Contributions to Dubai's Growth

The Dubai Indian diaspora has played a crucial role in the city's remarkable growth. Whether it is through their entrepreneurial ventures, educational institutions, or workforce participation, Indians have made significant contributions to various sectors of the economy. They have helped shape Dubai into the global hub it is today.

Preserving Cultural Identity

Despite living miles away from their homeland, Indian expatriates in Dubai take pride in their cultural heritage. They actively engage in celebrating traditional festivals, organizing cultural events, and promoting the arts. Through these activities, they not only preserve their own identity but also enrich the multicultural fabric of Dubai.

Challenges and Success Stories

Living abroad comes with its own set of challenges, and the Dubai Indian diaspora is no exception. From adapting to a different lifestyle to facing cultural assimilation, Indians have encountered various obstacles on their path to success. However, countless success stories illustrate their perseverance, resilience, and ability to overcome adversities.

An Engine for Change

Indian expatriates in Dubai are not just individuals seeking personal growth; they are also agents of change. Many of them actively participate in social initiatives, supporting causes ranging from education and healthcare to environmental sustainability. Their philanthropic efforts contribute to the betterment of both Dubai and India.

Future Prospects

As Dubai continues to evolve and diversify its economy, the Indian diaspora will undoubtedly play a critical role in shaping its future. The strong business ties between India and the UAE, coupled with the shared cultural affinity, will foster further growth and collaboration. The Dubai Indian diaspora is poised to thrive and leave an indelible mark on the city's ongoing development.

Dubai has become a gateway for countless Indians who seek opportunities, adventure, and a better life. The Indian diaspora in this city has surpassed mere existence; they have thrived and become an integral part of Dubai's remarkable story. From contributing to the economy to preserving their cultural identity and making a difference in society, they have defied the odds, shattered stereotypes, and truly become "impossible citizens" in the most inspiring way.

Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora

by Neha Vora(Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3270 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	254 pages

FREE

Indian communities have existed in the Gulf emirate of Dubai for more than a century. Since the 1970s, workers from South Asia have flooded into the emirate, enabling Dubai's huge construction boom. They now compose its largest noncitizen population. Though many migrant families are middle-class and second-, third-, or even fourth-generation residents, Indians cannot become legal citizens of the United Arab Emirates. Instead, they are all classified as temporary guest workers. In Impossible Citizens, Neha Vora draws on her ethnographic research in Dubai's Indian-dominated downtown to explore how Indians live suspended in a state of permanent temporariness.

While their legal status defines them as perpetual outsiders, Indians are integral to the Emirati nation-state and its economy. At the same time, Indians—even those who have established thriving diasporic neighborhoods in the emirate—disavow any interest in formally belonging to Dubai and instead consider India their home. Vora shows how these multiple and conflicting logics of citizenship and belonging contribute to new understandings of contemporary citizenship, migration, and national identity, ones that differ from liberal democratic models and that highlight how Indians, rather than Emiratis, are the quintessential—yet impossible—citizens of Dubai.