There is a large community of Nepalese in Singapore, consisting mostly of
Gurkhas
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recru ...
recruited from
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
and their families.
Overview
Gurkhas
The Gurkha Contingent was formed in Singapore on 9 April 1949 in the wake of
Indian independence from the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
, where
Gurkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Go ...
s battalions from the
British Indian Army were divided between the Indian Army and the British Army. Those transferred to the British Army were posted to other remaining British Colonies. In
Malaya and
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, their presence was badly needed to battle the worsening
communist threat
A threat is a communication of intent to inflict harm or loss on another person. Intimidation is a tactic used between conflicting parties to make the other timid or psychologically insecure for coercion or control. The act of intimidation for co ...
, and to replace the
Sikh unit in Singapore which reverted to the Indian Army on Indian independence. Just a year after their formation, their presence became an asset when racial riots between the Malay and European communities broke out over the
disputed custody of Maria Hertogh. The GC troopers were again activated when major rioting erupted all over the country between the ethnic Malays and Chinese on Prophet
Mohammed's birthday from 21 July 1964 till September that same year.
Ultimately, the officers know they are here only on a temporary basis, further enforced by the fact that they are disallowed from integrating too much with local society. Due to their chief purpose as a neutral presence here, they are not allowed to marry Singaporean women, hence the allowance to bring their wives and children from Nepal to their base camp in
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
. At the end of their contract, they are expected to return to their country and most of them start their own business and get along with their lives. Only a handful have ever been known to have broken this tradition and chosen to stay in the city-state.
Other groups
A small number of Nepalese in Singapore also consists of domestic helpers from Nepal. Nepalese helpers, along with Sri Lankan and Burmese helpers, lack any sort of cohesive organization and are usually exploited both by their employers and the agencies that recruit them compared to Filipino and Indonesian helpers.
Indentured in Singapore's Little India
/ref>
Notable people
* Paras, Ex-Crown Prince of Nepal - Former Nepalese prince in exile
* Prabal Gurung
Prabal Gurung ( ne, प्रवल गुरुङ) (born 1979) is a Singapore–born Nepalese–American fashion designer based in New York City.
Early life and education
Gurung was born on March 31, 1979, in Singapore to Nepali parents and ...
- Nepalese-American fashion designer (born in Singapore)
See also
* Gurkha Contingent
The Gurkha Contingent (GC) is a line department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) consisting primarily of Gurkhas from Nepal, recruited by the British Army with the purview of the Government of Singapore. The contingent's roles are as a spe ...
* Indians in Singapore
Indian Singaporeans (Tamil: ') are Singaporeans of Indian or South Asian ancestry, who constitute 9.0% of the country's citizens, making them the third largest ancestry and ethnic group in Singapore.
While contact with ancient India left a de ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nepalis In Singapore
Ethnic groups in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
Immigration to Singapore