In a significant development, dozens of Sri Lankan Tamils who have lived in India for decades have applied for Indian citizenship, raising hopes for long-awaited integration into Indian society. Many of the applicants were born on Indian soil and have been residing in government-run rehabilitation camps for more than thirty years.

According to officials from the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, a preliminary verification process has revealed that nearly 300 individuals are eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

This comes after the Commissionerate recently conducted a demographic survey covering 57,500 residents in the rehabilitation camps across Tamil Nadu, where most of the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have been housed since the outbreak of civil war in their home country.

Long stay in India with no citizenship

The Sri Lankan Tamil community in India, largely displaced by the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka that intensified in the 1980s, has lived in limbo for decades, without formal citizenship status. Despite being born in India and living all their lives here, thousands of them remain stateless, limiting their access to education, employment, property ownership, and government schemes.

Officials now say that citizenship applications have begun to pour in, following awareness drives and assurances from the state government to support their cause. The Commissionerate is processing these applications and will forward eligible cases to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for final approval.

Who qualifies for Indian citizenship?

As per the Citizenship Act, those born in India between July 1, 1987 and December 3, 2004 are eligible for Indian citizenship if one parent is an Indian citizen and neither is an illegal migrant.

Several applicants fall into this category, being children of Tamils who arrived in India during the Sri Lankan civil war. These individuals were born and raised in Tamil Nadu, and consider India their only home.

There are also applicants who are Tamils of Indian origin, having migrated back to India under the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreements of 1964 and 1974. These repatriates were issued Indo-Sri Lanka passports by Indian missions in Sri Lanka, and their descendants are now applying to convert their residency into full-fledged Indian citizenship.

Rehabilitation camps: life in uncertainty

Tamil Nadu is home to more than 100 government-run rehabilitation camps, where approximately 57,500 Sri Lankan Tamils reside. These camps were set up primarily in the 1980s and early 1990s, when waves of Tamil refugees fled Sri Lanka due to the prolonged ethnic war between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Residents in these camps receive basic amenities, educational access, and limited work permits, but without citizenship, they cannot participate fully in Indian civic life. For decades, these individuals have waited for an opportunity to gain legal recognition as Indian citizens, particularly as many of them have never set foot in Sri Lanka and possess no familial ties there.

The lack of documentation and legal clarity about their status has made it difficult for them to access higher education, government jobs, and formal housing rights.

Government action after demographic study

The surge in citizenship applications is the result of a recent demographic study conducted by the Commissionerate, which covered all camp residents and sought to document the birth history, parentage, and residency patterns of Sri Lankan Tamils living in the State.

The findings indicated that several hundred residents clearly met the legal criteria for Indian citizenship under existing laws. The Commissionerate assured these eligible individuals that their applications would be facilitated and forwarded to the Union Government after due verification.

This proactive step by the state authorities has rekindled hope among the Tamil refugee community, many of whom have lived in the shadow of uncertainty since birth.

Community response and hopes for the future

The community has responded positively to the process. Several applicants have expressed relief and cautious optimism, saying they feel closer to being accepted as full-fledged citizens of the country they call home.

"We were born here, went to school here, and speak the language like any other Tamil. India is the only country we know. We just want a dignified life," said a young applicant from a camp in Trichy district.

Activists and legal experts have also welcomed the move, stating that it aligns with India’s humanitarian tradition and obligations to long-term residents.

“Many of these refugees have been in India for more than three generations. It’s time their status is regularised and they are allowed to integrate into Indian society,” said G. Vasanthi, a Chennai-based legal activist who has worked extensively on refugee rights.

Political and legal implications

The process of granting Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils is also politically sensitive. Successive governments have supported repatriation in principle, but actual implementation has been slow and bureaucratic.

The Tamil Nadu government’s initiative may put pressure on the Union Government to fast-track citizenship applications and offer clarity on policy, particularly for those born in India.

Given that these individuals are not illegal migrants, and many fall within the definition of citizenship by birth, legal experts argue that the Centre has little ground to reject their applications.

Conclusion

The move to grant Indian citizenship to long-residing Sri Lankan Tamils born in the country represents a significant step forward in addressing one of India’s long-standing humanitarian challenges. It marks a shift towards recognition, dignity, and legal inclusion for thousands who have lived for decades in camps and contributed to the local economy and society.

As the applications are processed and sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, thousands of families await a positive outcome — one that could transform their legal status and open the doors to a better future in India, the country they have always called home.

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