Information AboutBritish Asian |
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The term British Asian is used to denote a person of South Asian ancestry or origin, who was born in or is an immigrant to the United Kingdom . USAGE In British English the word " Asian " usually refers to those of South Asian ancestry; those of East Asia n origin such as Chinese or Japan ese are usually not included in the term; this is reflected in the "ethnic group" section of UK Census forms and other government paperwork, which treat "Asian" and "Chinese" as separate. Although increasingly common, the term is, like " Black Briton ", somewhat contested. Some consider the term "Asian" somewhat vague given the wide variety of religious, ethnic, and racial groups in both South Asia and Britain, although others see a certain degree of unity in the South Asian Diaspora . The term Desi is sometimes used to name a South Asian person in a manner that avoids any allusion to the specific state of origin, pointing to a common identity, but is more often a word used within the Asian community. DEMOGRAPHICS According to the 2001 Census there are 2.33 million British Asians, making up 4% of the population of the United Kingdom. This further subdivides to 1.05 million of Indian origin (1.8% of the population), 747,000 of Pakistani origin (1.3%), 283,000 of Bangladeshi origin (0.5%), and 247,000 from other Asian origins (0.4%) (largely of Sri Lankan origin). British Asians make up 50.2% of the UK's non-white population. British Indians tend to be religiously diverse, with 45% Hindu, 29% Sikh, and 13% per cent Muslim, while their counterparts of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin are much more religiously homogeneous, with Muslims accounting for 92% of each group. British Indians tend to originate mainly from two Indian States, Sikhs are largely from the Punjab Region whilst Hindus and Muslims tend to originate from the Gujarat region. In recent years, there has been significant immigration from South India . British Pakistanis originate largely from the Punjab region, with the remainder originating from other parts such as the NWFP and Sindh . A number of British Asians originate from Azad Kashmir (many from Mirpur and surrounding areas), the Pakistan-administered part of the disputed Kashmir region. British Bangladeshis largely originate from the Sylhet region of the country. HISTORY OF ASIANS IN THE UK Although some Asians had settled in the United Kingdom, either temporarily or permanently, before the Second World War (including, most notably, the young Mohandas Gandhi ), most Asian immigration to the UK took place in the 1950s and 1960s from Commonwealth Of Nations countries such as India , Pakistan and Bangladesh , at the same time as immigrants from former Caribbean colonies were also moving to Britain. Although this immigration was continuous three distinct phases can be identified:
The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 and Immigration Act 1971 largely restricted any further Primary Immigration , although family members of already-settled migrants were still allowed. In addition, much of the subsequent growth in the British Asian community has come from the births of second- and third-generation Asian Britons. ASIAN COMMUNITIES Although there are Asian communities all over the UK, towns and cities with particularly significant Asian populations include:
THE BRITISH ASIAN INFLUENCE ON POPULAR CULTURE The biggest influence of British Asians on popular culture has probably been the Indian restaurant, though the majority of these are run by people of Bangladeshi origin. A recent poll found that Chicken Tikka Masala has surpassed Fish And Chips in terms of popularity as the national dish. Chicken tikka masala, like the popular Balti , is itself a British Asian invention. These dishes were unknown in the Indian sub-continent until requests from British holiday-makers led to their introduction. Since the 1970s , British Asian performers and writers have achieved significant mainstream cultural success. The first British Asian to gain wide popularity in the UK was the late Freddie Mercury , who led the rock band Queen . The TV Show '' The Kumars At No. 42 '' and the Film '' Bend It Like Beckham '' have both managed to attract large, multi-ethnic audiences. The comedians Sanjeev Bhaskar , Meera Syal and Shazia Mirza are all well-recognised figures in British Popular Culture , while the Actress Parminder Nagra has a prominent role in the US show '' ER ''. The broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy , meanwhile, presents the respected '' Channel 4 News ''. SEE ALSO |
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