Check it out!!

  

 

Nigel filmed the annual CTR fundraiser dinner dance, which was held in Melbourne on the 23rd of May 2009.  As usual the event lived up to its fantastic reputation, with great music, great food, and great people supporting a great cause.  Many thanks to all those whose kindness, generosity & great organisational skills combined to make this year's dance such a huge success.  Looking forward to seeing you all there again next year, folks!  Enjoy!!

 Here it is, folks...our latest Anglo-Indian Stories episode with Noel Thomas from Vizag, India. Nigel Foote interviewed Noel in Melbourne while Noel was on holiday in Australia, visiting family.  

Noel Thomas tells us about his family and early days, his job on the Indian Railways and India’s Independence.  

This interview is not just a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but is one mans insightful and true story about life, family and allegiance to community and country.

Noel and Nigel also discuss what the future may hold for the community in India and the efforts of individuals who promote Anglo-Indian culture.

*Note:

Folks, you will need to adjust the volume slide control on the lower, right hand side of the video viewer box.


We are very proud to present the first video in our Anglo-Indian Stories series: an interview with the charming and delightful Zelma Phillips. 

To purchase Zelma's book please contact her directly via email at:

admin@caringbynature.com

“The Anglo-Indian Australian Story, My Experience” costs $15.00 AUS plus postage.
Lynne and I highly recommend having a copy in your collection and the book makes for a great gift...anytime.  Nigel.


 Sorry, folks, but due to a technical hitch on Revver, the second in our Anglo-Indian Stories series - Nigel's interview with Noel Thomas - is temporarily unavailable.  We will re-post it as soon as the glitch is ironed out, so please hang in there...it shouldn't be long before it's back again. 


Face2Face Contemporary Indian Art


Nigel Foote's video of the Feast of the Divine Mercy mass at the Velankanni Shrine at Bacchus March.

"Eurasian Anthem"

Somebody living in Madras in 1826, was in no doubt as to who Anglo-Indians were, when he penned the following lines:

Eurasian Anthem

WHEN Britain, from the azure sea
First rose, the Land of Liberty,
This was her great commission! 
Go forth to India's distant strand,
Subdue and civilize the land.
And better her condition.
And when thou art established there,
Grant her thy laws, dispense them fair,
And bless the sable nation ;
To all and each extend thy grace,
But chiefly to an unborn race,
That shall be called Eurasian.
Allied to both tlie black and white.
They shall both interests unite,
And form the central props
Of all thy future ample may
O'er this bright region of the day,
This land of golden crops.
With haughty hearts, aud souls of fire,
To equal rights they shall aspire,
And equal honours too ;
Nor should'st thou disallow their claim,
For, recollecting whence they came,
They shall demand their due !'
Such was the great commission given
To Britain, by the voice of heaven ;
Bear witness, church and state !
Let her fulfil the high decree,
Writ in the book of destiny,
The unerring page of fate.
Nor let her more affect to scorn.
But play us fair in India bom.
Nor the great work delay ;
For since we are her flesh and bone,
Now let her make us all her own,
And join us in her sway.
Thus let her prove that she is just,
A faithful guardian to her trust.
While every true Eurasian,
Obliged by more than filial ties,
The bulwark of her power shall raise
Against each hostile nation.
All hail to Britain and her laws!
Heaven prosper India and her cause.
All hail to both the nations !
As Britain, so let India be,
A land of equal liberty,
To Britons and Eurasians. 

Support our project

We are delighted at the in-kind support...i.e. albums, articles, stories & other material...which Anglo-Indians have so generously donated to the AIHC Project via our website.  With your contributions, you have helped to bring the Project to life & for this, you have our undying gratitude.

But realistically, the AIHC Project cannot come to fruition without your ongoing support, both financial & in-kind.  And in seeking your support, we have a responsibility to keep you informed of the progress of the Project.  We are therefore desperately in need of your assistance if we are to maintain the AIHC website to a high standard & keep you up to date as to the progress of the AIHC Project. 

For this reason, we are calling upon the Anglo-Indian Community to donate to the:

AIHC Website Fund

AIHC Monument

We'd love to have your feedback!

Folks, we really would love to have your feedback concerning the AIHC's proposed AI monument.  What form do you think it should take?  What should be included on it?  We are currently setting up a site to deal specifically with the monument but meanwhile, if you have any ideas, please feel free to contact us........we'd love to hear from you. 

My AI Radio

To listen, you must have the Winamp 5.5 Media Player installed.  Download the free Winamp Media Player 5.5


Anglo-Indian Culture

  • A mixture of Indian & European descent, the Anglo-Indian Community can trace their roots back to the 16th Century, well before the advent of the British Raj, when Britain finally established colonial rule in India.

  • The first Anglo-Indians were the progeny of merchants and adventurers who travelled to India to "shake the pagoda tree", i.e. to exploit the great natural wealth of the country.  But on the 8th of April 1687, the Court of Directors of the British East India Company issued a directive stating that: "The marriage of our soldiers to the native women of Fort St. George [Madras] is a matter of such consequence to posterity that we shall be content to encourage it with some expense, and have been thinking for the future to appoint a pagoda [i.e. 8-9 shillings] to be paid to the mother of the child, that shall hereafter be born of any such future marriage."

Madras mint gold pagoda c.1687

  • And so, a culture was officially born.  A culture which today, despite its minute size, can lay claim to being one of the most diverse cultures in the world.  These are the Anglo-Indians.