India’s President Smt Droupadi Murmu visited Gir National Park in Sasan, Gujarat, on October 10, 2025. The first presidential visit to Gir National Park was made by Dr Rajendra Prasad in the 1950s, accompanied by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Subsequent visits by Presidents Pratibha Patil and Ram Nath Kovind, continued this tradition.
President Droupadi Murmu furthered this legacy, reaffirming Gir’s importance as both a natural treasure and a symbol of India’s environmental heritage. This visit is remarkable as the President interacted with members of the Siddi community, a tribal group with African roots, in Gujarat's Junagadh district, at 'Sinh Sadan'.
This recent significant visit by the President of India has brought national attention to the Siddi community. The President assured support and urged them to focus on education and welfare schemes like the “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan” launched in 2021, for holistic tribal area development.
Contemporary population and settlements of the Siddi community
The Afro-Indian Siddi community of India is a diasporic community with ancestral connections to Eastern Africa. The Siddis are concentrated primarily in western India, with the largest demographic concentration in Gujarat and Karnataka. Today, they have integrated with the Indian society, from the clothing to the linguistic patterns.
They fluently speak Hindi, Gujarati, Konkani, Kannada and perform Dhamal and Dammam folk dance, which has syncretism of Indian dialects, and Swahili terms.
This Afro-Indian community has been living in India since the 12th century, and is the sole diasporic tribe recognised as the Scheduled Tribe (ST) under Article 342 of the Constitution of India, which uplifts them socially and educationally.
According to the 2011 Census, only about 19,500 Siddis were recorded in Gujarat and Karnataka, though researchers have estimated the actual population can be more than 1,00,000 spread across India. The Census data for Karnataka state reveals that 41.8% of Siddis are Hindus, while 30.6% identify as Muslims and 27.4% as Christians.
Presently, their population has increased, and they have largely assimilated into local cultures, often with syncretic elements like ancestor worship (Hiriyaru, Karntaka) and the cult of Bava Gor (Gujarat). In Gujarat, Siddis reside in villages around the Gir Forest region of Junagadh, such as Jambur, and nearby hamlets adjacent to the lion sanctuary, such as Sasan, Sirwan, Talala, Mendada, Chitrawad, Bherada, Veraval, Moruka, Hadmatiya, Surwa, and Sangodra, with around 20,000.
In Karnataka’s Ankola, they reside in villages such as Bidroli, Duggamane, Halvalli, Hebbargundi, Kaigadi, Kakasi, Kalleswar, Kamani, Malgaon, Ramanguli, and Satunbail, while in Yellapur, they are found around Alvegadde, Arbail, Arlekoppa, Gundundur, Gullpapur, Hacholkop, Hadlikere, Harthibail, Hasangi, Hosalli, Hubnalli, Hukkali, Hulgad, and Hullarmane.
Smaller and scattered pockets are found in Goa, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Telangana/Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, reflecting the wide dispersion of this group. Locally, the Siddi people are known by various names such as Siddi, Sidi, Habshi, and Siddi Badshah.
Historical background
The Afro-Indian Siddi community have roots tracing back to East Africa, and has integrated into Indian society for centuries. Initially brought by Arab traders and later as part of the Portuguese slave trade in the 7th and 17th centuries, respectively.
They arrived from countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Zanzibar, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Mozambique. Afro-Indians had established their own ruling dynasties, with kingdoms at Janjira (Maharashtra) and Jafrabad (Gujarat).
Figures like Malik Ambar in 17th-century Ahmadnagar and dynasties in Janjira and Sachin highlighted their influence in Indian history. Afro-Indians integrated into Indian society, contributing to its cultural diversity beyond slavery and servitude. There is evidence of African’s role in socio-political and military life during the period of the Delhi Sultanate, Nizamshahi, Adilshahi, Qutbshahi, Imadshahi, Mughal India and Hyderabad till India’s independence.
Government and NGO efforts to support
Since India’s independence, both the government and NGOs have worked to improve the lives of the Siddi community. A big step was giving them Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which allowed them to access special welfare schemes. In Gujarat, they got this status in the 1950s, and in Karnataka, they were declared the 50th ST group.
In some very poor and remote areas, Siddi villages were also given the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) status. To help them earn a living, training programs were started. For example, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute taught Siddi people how to farm fish and lobsters using modern methods.
They also received training in farming and handicrafts. Schools like Eklavya Model Residential Schools were set up to give children English-medium education. There is a strong push to encourage girls' education as well. In 1987, the government launched a sports program to train talented Siddi youth in athletics, but it was later stopped. In 2020, Shri Shantaram Siddi became the first Siddi member of the Karnataka Legislative Council.
NGOs also support the community through women’s groups and cultural programs. Smt.Hirabai Lobi, a Siddi woman, even received a Padma Shri for her efforts in empowering women.
Socioeconomic progress
The Afro-Indian Siddi community has made notable progress in government jobs, sports, business, and politics. Young Siddis have won medals in judo, boxing, athletics, and wrestling, while Kabaddi has grown as a community sport in Karnataka. In Gujarat, leaders like Altaf Bhai Chotiyara, and Rajak Ibrahim Bhai Lobi are working for community rights and political representation. With rising school enrolments and support from government schemes like PM Awas Yojana and ST scholarships, the Siddis are moving forward. Cultural identity is also preserved through classes at Karnataka Folklore University. Together, these steps are shaping a stronger, more visible future for the Siddis.
Way forward
Despite visible progress, the Siddi community continues to face serious gaps in two critical areas, i.e., health and education, both are indispensable for their long-term empowerment, as Siddi settlements are situated in remote forested areas or rural zones, where access to public healthcare is minimal.
While they hold rich traditional healing knowledge, modern medical support, like mobile clinics and telemedicine, is much needed. Education, particularly for girls, remains low due to a lack of nearby schools, poverty, and early dropouts. Building local schools, hostels, and offering scholarships can make a big difference. Restarting the Special Area Games can help Siddi youth shine in sports. Lastly, fair implementation of Forest Rights is vital to balance conservation with their right to land, livelihood, and dignity.
(Written by Dr Manish Karmwar, Department of African Studies, University of Delhi)
