Indian Community in Birmingham

From family businesses on Soho Road to consultants in the city's hospitals, people of Indian heritage have helped to shape the modern city.

Where they come from

Most Indian families in Birmingham trace their roots to Punjab and Gujarat, with growing numbers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Many arrived in the 1950s and 1960s to work in the city's factories and foundries, while others came from East Africa in the late 1960s and 1970s, bringing business experience with them.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 66,870 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Indian or British Indian; and 27,704 people living in the city had been born in India.

Working for Birmingham

Indian doctors, nurses and pharmacists have been part of the NHS in Birmingham for generations, and Indian-heritage teachers, lecturers, engineers, accountants and lawyers work across the city. The community is known for enterprise, from corner shops and wholesalers to restaurants, jewellers and technology firms, and many families have built businesses that now employ people of every background.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Indian community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Diwali lights up Soho Road and homes across the city each autumn, and Vaisakhi brings huge crowds to Handsworth Park in spring. Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, Jain, Christian and Muslim congregations all serve Indian families, and Indian food, from street snacks to regional thalis, is part of Birmingham's everyday life.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Indian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.