ABSTRACT
Considering the growing number of casualties of Indian workers in the Gulf, India needs to further scrutinise some of the provisions of the labour agreements with GCC countries. In this regard, both countries need to develop a fresh perspective to deal with health and welfare issues of the workers. The living and working conditions of the unskilled and semi-skilled Indian workers in the Gulf leaves much to be desired. Those who do not earn enough to sponsor their families are referred to as “bachelors” in the Gulf parlance, even if they are actually married. This means a vast majority of expatriates have to suffer the pain of singleness. Their solitary existence, in addition to dumping them to the lowest stratum in the Gulf social structure, also subjects them to other inequities of life – like mental trauma, the absence of a social life and the lack of economic mobility. They work in low-paid jobs since they have mostly stagnant salaries that do not keep up with rising inflation and the cost of living both in the Gulf and back home. This research highlights the narratives of 300 single male migrants from Tamil Nadu living in United Arab Emirates, centered on their work, living and health aspects.
