Anglo-Indians forum seeks uniform enumeration

Anglo-Indians’ forum seeks uniform enumeration of community identity in upcoming Census

Published - August 25, 2025 04:37 pm IST - CHENNAI

The Hindu Bureau

Members of the Anglo-Indian community have urged the Centre to clarify the religion and caste category under which they will be enumerated in the upcoming population census, noting that their identity was erroneously recorded in the 2011 Census.

Anglo-Indians Welfare Federation of India national president Augustine Roy Rozario said the community was wrongly listed under a separate category, ‘Anglo-Indian religion,’ in the 2011 Census. He said that since 1971, Anglo-Indians had consistently been enumerated as Christians. However, in 2011, while about four lakh members were correctly recorded under the Christian religion, 296 were erroneously shown under a separate religion.

World Anglo-Indian Day celebrated in Perambur, Chennai

The Anglo-Indian Suburban Front in Chennai commemorated World Anglo-Indian Day and its Annual General Body Meeting on August 2, 2025, at the residence of Mr. Godfrey Misquith, situated in Jaganathan Colony, Perambur, Chennai.  Mrs. Petula Pinheiro, the secretary, extended a warm welcome to the attendees.

Dr. A. Roy Rozario, the Founder and President, discussed the various activities and accomplishments of the association over the preceding years. He emphasized his unwavering commitment to addressing the challenges confronting the Anglo-Indian community and reaffirmed his dedication to working towards the welfare and advancement of the community.

Dr. Roy particularly underscored the necessity and significance of joining the association to ensure that no individual feels excluded, especially in times when the community faces potential challenges. For more details, contact Dr. Roy Rozario on 7904869829.

"Smoke on the Backwaters" Ignites the Imagination

Madras Book Club and Anglo-Ink hosted a function on June 4, 2025, to help Leslie Carvalho launch his novel titled Smoke on the Backwaters at CP Arts Convention Centre in Chennai. Broadcast journalist Jennifer Arul had a lively conversation with Carvalho, and Britiny Catherine Barren read excerpts from the book. 

The story follows a twenty-year-old girl whose life changes after a single incident causes her to leave her coastal town in Mangalore, South India. Her journey across continents helps her heal, but upon her return after seven years, she finds her town unchanged. She seeks to find meaning and purpose in her life. Anglo-Ink is India's first Anglo-Indian book publishing company, founded by Harry MacLure.

                                                                                                                   Contributed by ELWYN

Perambur on Tracks: Anglos of Perambur | Episode 2

Restoration of Anglo-Indian Nominations to Parliament &State Assemblies

On 2^nd December 2021, Dr.A.Roy Rozario, President of Anglo-Indian Suburban Front accompanied by Assn Secretary-Mrs.Petula Pinheiro and Treasurer-Mrs.Patricia Archer,  had the privilege of meeting Shri.R.N.Ravi, His Excellency-Governor of Tamil Nadu and submitted a Memorandum seeking his kind intervention with the Tamil Nadu State Government and the Central Government on various issues affecting the Anglo-Indian Community ,especially relating to restoring the post of Inspector of the 40 odd Anglo-Indian Schools, reservation of a  seat for Anglo-Indians in Engineering Courses as existed prior to 2002,and as available in neighboring Southern States, providing jobs to 100 Anglo-Indians in State Govt services @20 per year for the next 5 years and passing a Resolution in TN Assembly for restoring the Anglo-Indian Nominations ,discontinued wef 26^th January 2020 by the Centre under the 104^th Constitutional Amendment Act 2020.

Moreover Dr.A.Roy Rozario highlighted the erroneous enumeration of a fraction of 296 Anglo-Indians as the total population of Anglo-Indians in the 2011 Census and Reviewing/Extending the restoration of Anglo -Indian Nominations to Parliament &State Assemblies for further 10 years till 26 th January 2030 ,on the basis of the Affidavit filed by the Central Government  in Supreme Court that the 2011 Census was technically flawed, unreliable and unusable for any official purpose . Roy also pointed out of awarding the Anglo-Indian Community as a separate Minority Community under the NCM Act'1992 and appointing a National Commission for Anglo-Indians by the President of India under Article 338(10) of the Indian Constitution as done in the case of SC&ST Communities.

11th World Anglo-Indian Reunion

A wonderful preparatory launch for the 11th World Anglo-Indian Reunion (January 2019) was held on 7th May 2016 at Ambassador Pallava Hotel, Egmore,Chennai. Prof. Eugenie Pinto appreciated and wished Harry MacLure and the Anglos In The Wind team the very best and success. An informative presentation was given by Richard O’Connor. The event which had speeches by eminent personalities was hosted by Joe Bailey.

Setting up a museum at Royapuram Railway Station

The Royapuram Railway station is the oldest railway station in Chennai city. The first train in South India started operation in June 1856 from the Royapuram Railway Station. The station also remained the headquarters of the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway till 1922. As per the city’s list of heritage structures, the station is under the Grade I category. Augustine Roy Rozario, Founder-President of Anglo-Indian Suburban Front while keeping in mind preservation of railway history stated that the railway authorities can convert the heritage building into a valuable and informative museum having historic photographs and models of steam engines, just like the ICF Regional Rail Museum.Roy said that setting up a museum will not only bring Royapuram station to the spotlight once again but will also be a source of good income for the Southern Railway authorities.

Harry MacLure, a well-known Anglo-Indian personality in Chennai who publishes Anglos In The Wind, International magazine stated that for many Anglo-Indians, Royapuram station always holds a special place in their hearts, especially all the railway colony families. Harry Maclure stated that only prayers have saved the Royapuram station from demolition and its now become a heritage structure.From 1873, trains towards the northern regions of the country were operated from Chennai Central and those towards the southern regions of the state were operated from Royapuram station.On 9th August 1979, the lines at the station were electrified with the electrification of the Chennai Beach–Basin Bridge section. The lines from Royapuram to Korukkupet were electrified on 26 September 1987.With the Korukkupet railway station becoming functional as the container terminus, the Royapuram station started functioning as one of the suburban stations in the Chennai Beach-Arokkonam section of the Chennai Suburban Railway network.Royapuram railway station ranks second in India in terms of space availability with 246,000 sq m, next to the Howrah station in Calcutta, India.