CHAPTER б
ISSUES OF SIZE AND ETHNICITY IN THE
ANGLO-INDIAN COMMUNITY IN INDIA -
1990
1. Introduction
The purpose of this chapter is to establish the size of the
Anglo-Indian community using the precise definition of an
Anglo-Indian in Article 366(2) of the Constitution of
India, 1950:
. . . Anglo-Indian means a person whose father
or any of whose other male progenitors in the
male line is or was of European descent but
who is domiciled within the territory of India
and is or was born within such territory of
parents habitually resident therein and not
established there for temporary purposes only.
The argument is two-fold. First, the problem of
identifying who is an Anglo-Indian is historical, (c.f.
discussion above Ch.l p.30). This chapter is arguing,
that, the ethnicity of the Anglo-Indian as defined by the
Constitution of India, is inextricably linked with the size
of the community. If the community could agree on this
issue, it could seek to implement educational policies
which would offer equal opportunities to all Anglo-Indians
in their schools.
Second, the Anglo-Indian mixed race has existed since the
fifteenth century. It has been officially recognised for
only fifty years, that is from 1911-1961. (1) It ceased to
be officially recognised as a separate community by the
Indian government after the 1961 census of India. (2)
203