Pravasi Setu Foundation (PSF) has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Girmitiya Foundation (GF), marking a significant step towards strengthening academic, research, and outreach initiatives focused on the Girmitiya (indentured labour) diaspora and broader Indian migration histories.
The MoU was signed on 19 January 2026 in New Delhi, establishing a structured, non-financial, and non-exclusive framework for long-term collaboration between the two organisations. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ethical research practices, historical responsibility, and public scholarship on one of the most consequential yet under-documented chapters of global Indian migration.
About the Collaborating Institutions
Pravasi Setu Foundation (PSF) is a Section 8, not-for-profit research and policy think tank based in India, working on Indian migration and diaspora studies with a strong focus on evidence-based research, policy relevance, and public engagement.
Girmitiya Foundation (GF) is an Indian non-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting descendants of the Girmitiya (indentured labour) diaspora by helping them trace their ancestral roots in India and preserve their shared history, heritage, and lived experiences.
Together, the two institutions bring complementary strengths—PSF’s research and policy orientation and GF’s community-based heritage and archival engagement—to address historical gaps in scholarship on indenture and post-indenture societies.
Purpose of the MoU
The primary objective of this MoU is to establish a collaborative framework for academic, research, archival, and outreach cooperation, with a shared commitment to advancing:
- Scholarly knowledge on the Girmitiya diaspora
- Public awareness of indenture histories and post-indenture trajectories
- Policy-relevant research on migration, labour, and diaspora studies
This collaboration aims to strengthen global understanding of the Girmitiya legacy across regions such as the Caribbean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific.
Key Areas of Collaboration
Under the MoU, Pravasi Setu Foundation and Girmitiya Foundation have agreed to collaborate in the following areas:
- International Conferences and Seminars
Joint organisation of international and national conferences, academic seminars, workshops, lectures, and dialogues focusing on the Girmitiya diaspora, indentured labour systems, and post-indenture societies. - Joint Research and Publications
Collaborative research projects leading to policy briefs, reports, books, journal articles, and working papers on Girmitiya histories and broader Indian diaspora themes. - Archiving and Documentation
Joint efforts to document and preserve Girmitiya history through oral histories, interviews, archival records, photographs, audio-visual materials, digital repositories, and documentary initiatives. - Academic and Institutional Partnerships
Development of partnerships with universities, research institutions, libraries, archives, and cultural bodies in India and abroad to expand scholarly networks and institutional cooperation. - Capacity Building and Outreach
Engagement of researchers, students, interns, and community stakeholders through training programmes, fellowships, exhibitions, and public outreach initiatives.
Nature and Duration of the Agreement
The MoU is non-financial and non-exclusive in nature. Any specific project funding, publication arrangements, or financial commitments will be governed by separate written agreements mutually agreed upon by both parties. Each organisation retains its independent identity, governance structure, and intellectual autonomy.
The agreement is valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of signing and may be extended or modified through mutual written consent.
A Shared Commitment to Ethical and Inclusive Scholarship
Both PSF and GF affirm their commitment to ethical research practices, academic integrity, inclusivity, and historical responsibility. This partnership is envisioned as a meaningful step toward strengthening global scholarship on the Girmitiya diaspora and ensuring that the voices, experiences, and contributions of indentured labour descendants receive sustained academic and public attention.
Through this collaboration, Pravasi Setu Foundation and Girmitiya Foundation aim to contribute to a more nuanced, historically grounded, and globally connected understanding of Indian indentured migration and its enduring legacies.
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