Amit Sarwal

Delving into the historical narrative of medicine in colonial India and Australia, this article sheds light on a neglected aspect: the role of ‘Indian doctors,’ encompassing oculists and hakims, practitioners of indigenous Indian medicine, within the Australian landscape. Often marginalized in discussions of migration patterns and colonial medical history, these ‘Indian doctors’ possess a rich history intricately interwoven with the complex networks of the British Empire. Drawing upon the insights of scholars who have highlighted the mobility of ‘Indian doctors’ in Britain and Australia, this article underscores their significant presence and impact during the period spanning from 1880 to 1930. Through an analysis of contemporary Australian newspaper reports, the article unveils the popular representations of these practitioners and explores their influence across both regional outposts and urban centres within the confines of White Australia. By bringing the stories of these oft-forgotten healers to the forefront, this article aims to enrich our understanding of colonial medical dynamics and transnational networks.

Purpose: Academic scholarship on the White Australia Policy (WAP) has highlighted the history of Asian migration, early perceptions and policy-making initiatives. Prominent scholars have also pointed out the impact of the British Empire and WAP on Australia–India relations and early Indian migrants in Australia. Drawing on the debate concerning international students in Australia, our purpose in this article is to recover the role of Indian students in the story of Australian–Indian connections. Design/methodology/approach: The article aims to highlight the reasons behind the involvement of the Australian government in the provision of scholarships and fellowships to Indian students and researchers at Australian universities during the period of WAP. To achieve this, it uses contemporary Australian newspaper reports to explore the popular representations of sponsored Indian students and researchers in Australia from 1901 to 1950. Findings: The article concludes that the prevalence of this racially discriminatory immigration policy created a dissatisfaction among Indians, and some Australian sources of agitation, that helped chip away at the Australian government’s admission policies and the gradual demise of WAP. Originality/value: This article contributes to the historiography and the effects of colonialism on Australian–Indian relations and debates on policy formation based on ideas of whiteness.

Academic research on the White Australia Policy has spanned the history of Asian migration and policy-making initiatives in Australia. However, the role of popular transnational media images and stories of the past that inform the socio-cultural understanding of Australia–India cross-cultural relations has been under evaluated. In this paper, using unexplored archival material from popular newspaper reports and columns, I will examine the ‘goodwill visits’ of two Indian journalists, K. K. Lalkaka and Sir R. Srinivasa Sarma, to Australia in 1927 and 1947. By assessing the role of these two journalists, this paper will highlight transnational issues such as migration, ethnicity, race, class and trade between the two countries. Borrowing from Vineet Thakur’s research highlighting the role of first diplomats in the pre-independence era India, this article will contribute to the field of history in Indian diplomatic studies and historiography of Australian–Indian cross-cultural relations.

Academic research on White Australia Policy and the Colombo Plan has spanned across the history of Asian migration, policy-making initiatives and Australia–India relations. But the role of popular transnational media images and stories that informs the sociocultural understanding of these relations has been under evaluated. In this article, using newspaper reports and notes of the tours, I highlight the building of popular perceptions under the Colombo Plan (1950–1957). By focusing on Indian journalists and editors, E. P. W. da Costa, J. N. Sahni, Frank Moraes, and Durga Das, this article contributes to the historiography of Australian–Indian relations. As these culture exchanges created a dialogue between the two countries that still influences the public opinion. The article concludes that journalists from both India and Australia sought to play a key role in image-making process and wanted a fresh start in relationship––politically, economically, sociologically and technologically.

The ties between India and the countries in the Indo‐Pacific region go back to the pre‐Christian era. Even today, Indian influence on the language, customs, and rituals is visible in Southeast Asia. The Hindu concepts of kingship, administrative institutions, and ceremonies that became deeply embedded in the royal culture of Southeast Asia were disrupted with the arrival of the colonial powers. These traditional linkages have become the key element of India's diplomacy—the “Look East” and the “Act East” policies. This article studies the background of India's sustained public and cultural diplomacy policy in bridging the gap between India, East Asia, and the Indo‐Pacific countries in the context of the Act East policy. Using examples from Modi's yoga diplomacy, Bollywood, and Indian cultural festivals, the authors propose that these initiatives should be seen as part of a historical and traditional concept of “paraspara”—mutually sustainable and reciprocal diplomacy that taps into the opportunities in the Indo‐Pacific region.