The Deoliwallahs sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Indian history—the internment of Chinese Indians following the 1962 Sino-Indian War. During the war, around 3,000 Indians of Chinese descent were detained in a camp in Deoli, Rajasthan, under suspicion of espionage. Many of these individuals had deep roots in India, with families that had lived there for generations. The book recounts their harrowing experiences, including abrupt arrests, harsh conditions in the camp, and the emotional toll of being ostracized by their own country.
Alternating between historical context and the personal stories of survivors, authors Joy Ma and Dilip D'Souza weave together a compelling and emotional account of a nearly forgotten community of people interned against their will. The book draws parallels with other instances of internment, such as the Japanese American experience during World War II, highlighting the universal themes of identity, citizenship, and the consequences of fear-driven policies.
Complimenting this new edition of The Deoliwallahs is a documentary, produced by Joy Ma and directed by Lulu Men, called Voices of Deoli. The film also shares the stories of survivors and, like the book, is a powerful reminder of the fragility of rights and the impact of prejudice.
“The Deoliwallahs collects the stories and reveals the practical and ethical facets of internment, which could not be more relevant to us today.”
Contents
Foreword by Shashi Tharoor
Authors’ Preface
Chapter One: Origins
Chapter Two: Ying Sheng Wong: Within Barbed Wires
Chapter Three: A Contested Line
Chapter Four: Andy Hsieh: “To Be Imprisoned Like This”
Chapter Five: War
Chapter Six: Steven Wan: A Cold First Night in Deoli
Chapter Seven: Foreigners in Our Land
Chapter Eight: Michael Cheng: A Single, Defining Act
Chapter Nine: Yeeva Cheng: The Dark Cloud of Memories
Chapter Ten: Deoli
Chapter Eleven: Effa and Jack Ma: This Side or the Other
Chapter Twelve: Victim of Circumstance
Chapter Thirteen: Parallel
Chapter Fourteen: Kwei Pow Chen: A Year of My Childhood
Chapter Fifteen: Yin Marsh: A Great Darkness
Chapter Sixteen: Scars
Chapter Seventeen: Aftermath
Afterword
Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibliography
JOY MA was born in Deoli Camp where more than 3,000 people of Chinese origin were interned in Rajasthan. She is the producer of the associated film, Voices of Deoli. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
DILIP D'SOUZA is a Mumbai-based writer and journalist. He is the author of seven books, including Roadrunner: An Indian Quest in America and Branded by Law: Looking at India's Denotified Tribes.
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