When did the Indian indenture system begin and end?
The Government of Réunion laid down terms for Indian labourers to enter their colony on the 18th of January 1826. The British-led Indian indenture system finally ended in 1917.
Questions about Indian indenture system
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many Indians emigrated under the indenture system between 1842 and 1870?
Between 1842 and 1870 a total of 525,482 Indians emigrated to British and French Colonies. This figure does not include 30,000 who went to Mauritius earlier or illegal recruitment to French colonies.
What were the working conditions like for women during the Indian indenture system?
Women endured particularly severe hardships including sexual exploitation by overseers and colonial officials. Early voyages had extremely skewed gender ratios with as few as one woman for every 40 men on some ships.
Which countries received the highest number of Indian indentured labourers?
Of those transported, 351,401 went to Mauritius while 76,691 went to Demerara and 42,519 went to Trinidad. A total of 1,601,935 people reached destinations including Jamaica, Natal, Suriname, and Réunion.
Why did the Indian indenture system end in 1917?
The Imperial Legislative Council finally ended indenture because pressure from Indian nationalists and declining profitability rather than humanitarian concerns. The Economist stated that the decision was driven by economic factors instead of moral considerations.