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The study focuses on the most pressing contemporary concerns concerning
the culture and identity of Indian-Origin Tamils (IOTs) in Sri Lanka. During 1823,
migrated Indian Tamils created a new socioeconomic group in the country and
formed as were forced to focus primarily on the plantation sector, which had been
developed by the British to gain foreign cash through exports of plantation
production. As of now, 1.3 million of the IOTs are living in the country. The country
greatly benefited from foreign exchange through the export of plantation
production to the global market. However, the estate workers of the IOTs were
separated by rigorously adhering to the social welfare system of the Estate Labour
(Indian) Ordinance, which was introduced in 1889 and did not allow them to benefit
from the public sector even now.

The study is based on primary data collected from 400 Caritas project users
in nine plantation areas in Sri Lanka. The sample is indicative of IOT populations
found in almost every plantation district in the country. Aside from that, the research
team is acquiring critical data from key informants and revising previously supplied
data through Focus Group Discussions (FDG). The numerical data received from
the field and meetings were assembled using simple computations. My heartfelt
gratitude should be conveyed to the study team for their genuine presentation.
The study revealed numerous intriguing cultural and identity phenomena,
including the fact that 55 percent of IOT youth learn traditional features from their
elders or parents and continue to practice them in their daily lives on the estates.
According to the report, 41 percent of IOT do not wear their traditional dress at
their festivals. The survey also discloses their level of education, participation in
political debate, religious activities, and so on, attempting to provide a
comprehensive picture of the IOT community’s challenges in the country. On the
one hand, a significant number of IOT are attempting to unite their culture and
identity; nonetheless, integration into the dominant culture is also common.
The facts offered in this study would be extremely valuable to students,
young researchers and members of states who are developing new approaches to
development strategies that would allow for the exchange of moral advantages.
Furthermore, the data presented here will contribute to the development of a
discussion about integration among the country’s people.