Center For Hadhrami and Diaspora Studies

Migration from Southern Arabia to Malabar predates the 7th century CE, but it was from the 16th century onward that Sayyids—families of Prophetic descent—emerged as a distinct diaspora. Their presence shaped the socio-religious, cultural, and political landscape of the region and enriched South India's knowledge traditions. The Centre for Hadhrami and Diaspora Studies is dedicated to locating, cataloguing, and digitising this rich scholarly legacy.