“Voices of Deoli” Crowdfunding Campaign Launches!
By Joy Ma
I am so excited to announce the launch of the crowdfunding campaign for our film “Voices of Deoli!” This documentary directed by Lulu Men tells the story of the nearly 3,000 Chinese Indians who were incarcerated in a prison camp in Deoli in 1962. If you’ve never heard of this story you are not alone. The history of my community is unknown and buried deep in memories. This film is about the survivors’ attempts at justice over the years and how the experience of the internment impacts their everyday lives now even 60 years later.
What is the history behind Chinese Indians in India?
Briefly, the Chinese Indians migrated to India during the late 1800s to work at Calcutta’s port. Some settled in West Bengal and others went to the northeast townships like Shillong, Makum and Tinsukia to work in the tea gardens as the East India Company under the auspices of the British Empire started producing tea in their colony, India following the Opium War. In Kolkata Chinese Indians went on to dominate the city’s leather trade. In addition to their contributions in the leather industry and tea gardens, Chinese Indians notably invented delicious fusion Indo-Chinese food crafted from Hakka recipes.
What happened in 1962 between India and China?
After the 1962 India-China war, thousands of Chinese Indians were detained and sent to prison camps, mostly they were sent to Deoli Internment Camp. My family was also interned, along with several survivors whose stories are in “Voices of Deoli.” The background and stories of some survivors, including my family are in “The Deoliwallahs” which I co-wrote with Dilip D’Souza.
Join us!
“Voices of Deoli” is an immigrant story of our small community. For the team, this film is a work of passion. We are each deeply connected to the story. This campaign funds postproduction. Read more about our journey.
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Further reading and sources
India's Forgotten Chinese Internment Camp
How the East India Company Became the World’s Most Powerful Monopoly