# Irish Indians

An Irish Indian is an Indian-born person who is fully or partially of Irish descent, and an Irish-born person who is fully or partially of Indian descent. As per article 366(2) of the Indian Constitution, an Irish Indian can be categorized as an Anglo-Indian.

## History

Irish people were known to have traveled to India from at least the days of the East India Company. While most of the early Irish came as traders, some also came as soldiers. Prominent among them were the generals Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington who later became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his brother, Lord Charles Wellesley, both of whom were from the Protestant Anglo-Irish landowning class. During the 19th century, a number of missionaries and educationists were involved in setting-up educational, healthcare and other institutions in India. Later in the 19th century, a number of philosophers and Catholic Irish nationalists travelled to India, including the theosophist Annie Besant. It is widely believed that there existed a secret alliance between the Irish and Indian independence movements. Some Indian intellectuals like Jawaharlal Nehru and V. V. Giri were likely inspired by Irish nationalists when they studied in the United Kingdom. Indian Immigrants who have emigrated to Ireland in the recent years might have had their children born and raised here.

## Culture

One of the cultural activities that Indians of Irish descent (who are aware of their Irish ancestry) participate in is Saint Patrick's Day.

## Notable people

* Amala Akkineni – actress
* Annie Besant – theosophist and Indian independence activist
* James Cousins – writer
* Margaret Cousins – educationist, suffragist and Theosophist
* S. M. Cyril – internationally recognized educational innovator
* Arthur E. Kennelly – electrical engineer
* Spike Milligan – comedian, writer, poet, playwright and actor
* Cyrus Pallonji Mistry – former chairman of Tata Group
* Sister Nivedita – disciple of Swami Vivekananda
* Derek O'Brien – Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, author and quiz show host
* Leo Varadkar – former Taoiseach of Ireland
* Gavin Packard – Bollywood and Mollywood villainous actor, 3rd Generation Irish American

## Company and British India Officers of Irish and Anglo-Irish ancestry

* Barry Close - General, East India Company
* Eyre Coote (East India Company officer)
* Robert Rollo Gillespie - Major-general
* William Nassau Lees - Major-general
* Robert Montgomery (colonial administrator)
* John Nicholson (East India Company officer)
* Michael O'Dwyer - Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab
* Joseph O'Halloran - major-general, East India Company
* William Olpherts - General, Indian army
* Eldred Pottinger, Major East India Company
* Henry Pottinger - Lieutenant General, East India Company
* Abraham Roberts - General
* Richard Hieram Sankey - Lieutenant General
* Charles Stuart (East India Company officer)
* Ephraim Gerrish Stannus - Major-General, East India Company
* James Travers - General, East India Company
* Hugh Wheeler (East India Company officer)
* Frederick Young (East India Company officer)
* Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington - Major General, East India Company
* Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley - Governor-General of Bengal