Indians in Tanzania

Indian Tanzanians constitute a significant minority within the demographic landscape of Tanzania, over 60,000 Tanzanian citizens of Indian descent reside in the country. Many among them are wealthy traders and entrepreneurs, and despite forming only 0.2% of the population, they are considered by the Hindu Council of Tanzania to have disproportionate ownership of Tanzanian companies. Indians also have a long history in Tanzania, starting with the arrival of Gujarati traders, and they gradually came to control the trade in Zanzibar. Several buildings from that period still stand in Stone Town, the primary trading center on the island.

History

Indian merchant and artisan community settlements are attested in both archaeological and literary sources. During the 13th and 14th centuries, Indian craftsmen utilized tube drawing technology to produce glass beads in Zanzibar. Trade between Malindi and Bengal is also attested during the Early Middle Ages. When Vasco da Gama landed on the East African Coast, he had encountered Indians residing in Kilwa Kisiwani, Mombasa and Mozambique.

Notable people

Freddie Mercury, rock musician (of Parsi descent)
Amir H. Jamal, former Minister of Finance
Al Noor Kassum, former Energy Minister
Abdulkarim Yusufali Alibai Karimjee, Speaker of the National Assembly
Andy Chande, businessman and philanthropist
Mustafa Jaffer Sabodo, economist and philanthropist
Shamim Khan, former Member of Parliament
Ian Iqbal Rashid, filmmaker
Sangita Myska, BBC journalist, documentary maker, TV & Radio presenter
Mohammed Dewji, CEO of MeTL, Member of Parliament (2005–2015)
Ismail Jussa, opposition politician
Mohamed Raza, Member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives
Issa G. Shivji, author and academic
Abdul Sheriff, historian
Richa Adhia, Miss Tanzania 2007
Mustafa Hassanali, fashion designer
Ally Rehmtullah, fashion designer
Ammaar Ghadiyali, 2012 Olympic swimmer
Deepak Obhrai PC MP, longest continuously-serving Conservative Member of Canadian Parliament
Rakesh Rajani, civil society and global development leader
Raheem Kassam, conservative British political activist. His parents were Tanzanian immigrants of Indian origin.
Benjamin Fernandes, Tanzanian entrepreneur
Sonia Tumiotto, athlete and influencer