Indian Hindu Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Hinduism is one of the world's oldest faiths, with its roots in India. Hindu families in Birmingham come from Gujarat, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and every region of India, and many came via East Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. Newer arrivals include students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 19,132 Birmingham residents of Indian heritage gave their religion as Hindu; and 21,997 residents gave their religion as Hindu.

Working for Birmingham

Hindu Brummies work as doctors, pharmacists, dentists, accountants, lawyers, engineers, teachers and IT professionals, and many run successful businesses. Temples and Hindu charities run food banks, youth programmes and support for people of all backgrounds.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Indian Hindu community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Diwali, the festival of lights, and Navratri, with its nights of dance, are the highlights of the Hindu year, along with Holi in spring. Temples such as Shree Geeta Bhawan in Handsworth are at the heart of community life, and vegetarian food, music and dance are proudly shared.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Indian Hindu community adds another voice to the conversation. Its members, old and new, are helping to make Birmingham the confident, outward-looking city it wants to be.