Sindhis
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This article is about the ethnic group. For their language, see Sindhi language.
language For
information on the homeland of Sindhis, see Sindh. For other uses, see Sindhi
(disambiguation).
"Sindhi people" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Sinti people.
Sindhi
سنڌي
िस ी
Sindhi Women in Traditional Libas with Peshani Patti on head
Total population
c. 37 million
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan 34,252,262[1][2]
India 2,772,364[3][4][5][a]
Saudi Arabia 180,980[citation needed]
United Arab Emirates 94,620[6]
United Kingdom 51,015[7]
United States 38,760[8]
Afghanistan (Sindhis
Sindhis in Afghanistan
Afghanistan) 15,000[citation needed]
Hong Kong 20,000[9]
Bangladesh 15,000[citation needed]
Canada 12,065[10]
Singapore[11] 11,860[12]
Kenya 3,300[citation needed]
Australia 2,635[13]
Sri Lanka 1,000[citation needed]
Oman 700[citation needed]
Gibraltar 500[14]
Languages
Sindhi
Urdu/Hindi, English, Sanskrit/Arabic (as liturgical languages
languages) and numerous
other languages widely spoken within the Sindhi diaspora
Religion
Majority::
Islam
Minority::
Hinduism (incl. Nanakpanthi
Nanakpanthi)[15]
Related ethnic groups
Gujaratis, Punjabis, Rajasthanis
Rajasthanis, Balochis
Arabic); िस ी
Sindhis (Sindhi: ( سنڌيPerso-Arabic
(Devanagari); /ˈsɪndiːz/ sˈɪndhiː
[16]
ˈɪndhiː, romanised as sin-dhee) are an Indo-
Aryan[16] ethnolinguistic group who speak the Sindhi language and are native to
the Pakistani province of SindhSindh.. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by the
southeastern part of Balochistan
Balochistan, the Bahawalpur region of Punjab and the Kutch
region of Gujarat.[17][18] Having been isolated throughout history unlike its neighbours,
Sindhi culture has preserved its own uniqueness. [19][20]
After the partition of British India in 1947, many Sindhi Hindus and Sindhi
Sikhs migrated to the newly independent Dominion of India and other parts rts of the world;
some Sindhis fled and formed diasporas settling around countries
like England[21] and United States
States. Pakistani Sindhis are predominantly Muslim with a
smaller Sikh and Hindu minority that are concentrated mostly in the eastern Sindh, Sindh
whereas Indian Sindhis are predominantly Hindu with a
sizeable Sikh, Jain and Muslim minority.[citation needed] Despite being geographically
separated, Sindhis still maintain strong ties to each other and share similar cultural
values and practices.[22][23]
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Etymology
See also: Jadgal people
The name Sindhi is derived from the Sanskrit Sindhu which translates as "river" or "sea
body" and Greeks used to call it "Indos" [24] which are names given to the Indus River and
the surrounding region, which is where Sindhi is spoken. [citation needed]
The historical spelling "Sind" (from the Perso-Arabic ))ﺳــﻨﺪwas discontinued in 1988 by
an amendment passed in the Sindh Assembly,, and is now spelt "Sindh." Hence, the
term "Sindhi" was also introduced to replace "Sindi". [citation needed]
In the Balochi language,, the traditional terms for Sindhis are Jadgal and Jamote.
Jamote They
are derived from the prefix Jatt referring to the tribe by that name, and the
suffix gal meaning "speech". Thus, it signifies someone who speaks the language of the
Jatts, i.e. a Jatt. The term Jatt historically encompassed Sindhis and Punjabis,
Punjabis and was
frequently used by the British for Sindhis in their census records.[25][26]
Global distribution of Sindhis population
Geographic distribution
Sindh has been an ethnic historical region isolated from the rest of India, unlike its
neighbors Sindh did not experience violent invasions, [27] Boundaries of various
Kingdoms and rules in Sindh were defined on ethnic lines. Throughout history
the geographical definition for Sindh referred to the south of Indus and its neighboring
regions.[28]
Pakistan
See also: Sind Province (1936
(1936–1955), Pakistan Resolution in Sindh assembly,
assembly Bombay
Presidency, Sindhudesh,, and Insurgency in Sindh
Northern portion of Bombay province.
Sindh (then under Bombay Presidency
Presidency)
Khairpur State
Afterwards the British conquest
conquest, Sindh was integrated into the Bombay province and
the Khairpur state remained
ained a British suzerain and Sindhis had almost no
representation in the government of Bombay State to the point that only after 1890
was Sindh represented for the first time with only four members
representing Sindh however this didn't satisfied Sindhis and soon a movement began
for a separate province that resulted in the format
formation of Sind province in 1936 this was
also supported by Muslim League which saw it necessary for the creation of Pakistan in
future. Sindhis had contributed massively[29] to Pakistan movement specially by
passing Muslim state resolution in Sindh assembly on 10 October 1938 under the
condition for a self-government
government[30] under leaderships of GM Syed and Ghulam Hussain
Hidayatullah,, by this Sindh became the first province of British India to openly support
a Muslim state in India and later Pakistan and its creation. Despite all of this the
movement faced fierce political resistance from Sindhi nationalists such as Allah Bux
Soomro and the Indian congress which were against Sindh joining Pakistan.[31]
After the breakup of Pakistan in 1971, G. M. Syed and other nationalists inspired
by Bengali nationalism launched Jeay Sindh Movement[32] which aimed for autonomy
initially but later on had separatist demands.[33] This movement reached its peak
following assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007, starting from 2008 and lasting till
2012 till the death of Bashir Khan Qureshi.[34]
In Pakistan as per 2017 census,[35] Sindhis are the 3rd largest ethnic group
below Pashtuns and followed by Saraikis, Sindhis account for 14% of Pakistan's
population with estimated 34,250,000 people. Sufism has been an important aspect in
the spiritual life of Muslim Sindhis as a result Sufism has become a marker of identity in
Sindh.[36][37] Sindhis in Pakistan have province for them, Sindh, It also has the largest
population of Hindus in Pakistan with 93% of Hindus in Sindh and rest are in
other provinces.[38][39]
