Tamil Nadu diaspora

The Tamil Nadu diaspora (Tamil: அயலகத் தமிழர் (Ayalakat Tamiļar)) also known as Madrasi diaspora (after Madras, erstwhile name of Tamil Nadu) comprises people who have emigrated from South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, (and other adjacent Tamil speaking areas) to other non-Tamil Indian states and other countries, and people of Tamil Nadu descent (and other adjacent Tamil speaking areas) born or residing in other non-Tamil Indian states and other countries.

Many of Tamil emigrants who left shores of Tamil Nadu before 18th Century and mixed with countless other ethnicities. In medieval period Tamilians emigrated as soldiers, traders and labourers settled in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and intermixed well with local population, while few communities still maintain their language and culture. Many groups still claim descent from this era Tamil emigrants such as Kaikadis of Maharashtra, Thigalas, Hebbars of Karnataka, Velamas of Northern Andhra, Chittys of Malaysia, and some section of Sri Lankan Tamils such as Sri Lankan Chetties, Bharatha people, Batticalao Mukkuvars, Negombo Tamils, Jaffna Saiva Vellalars.

During this period British, Dutch, French, Portuguese and Danish colony administrators recruited a lot of local Tamilians and took them to their overseas colonies to work as labourers, petty administration officers, clerical and military duties.

In the 19th century, Madras Presidency (of which the Tamil Nadu region was a core part of) faced brutal famines. Great Famine of 1876–78. Tamil Nadu was both politically and economically weak. Britishers thus made use of Tamil workers for their plantations to all over the world - significantly in Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Sri Lanka (distinct from the Sri Lankan Tamils) and also as far as Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad.

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