ABSTRACT

The diverse and complex experiences of the Indian diaspora in Canada are defined by a range of social, political, and cultural parameters. This chapter examines how the recent dramatic increase in the rate of Indian immigration to Canada has intensified challenges related to identity crises, acculturation, discrimination, and racism. It argues that the concept of Indianness unites culturally distinct sub-groups to shape the diasporic community’s existence. Pro-immigration policies often serve political agendas, influenced by Eurocentric biases. The reality of Indian life in Canada restructures transnational Indianness and diasporic existence, and the discourse of immigration plays a significant role in the construction of popular beliefs, which are often misconceptions based on falsehood.