BharatNotes Diaspora
noun (countable and uncountable)Usage in a UPSC answer
India's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, inaugurated in 2003 on the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa, reflects New Delhi's systematic effort to leverage its vast diaspora as a bridge community that simultaneously reinforces cultural identity and advances bilateral trade and investment interests.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
diaspora (n), diasporic (adj), diasporan (n), diasporation (n, rare)
Root
Greek diasporā = dispersion; dia- = across + speirein = to scatter, sow
Etymology
From Greek diasporā, from diaspeirein ('to scatter about'), formed from dia- ('across, through') + speirein ('to scatter, sow'). The term was originally used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, c. 3rd century BCE) to describe the scattering of the Jewish people after the Babylonian exile. It entered modern English usage in the late 19th century and was generalised beyond Jewish contexts to describe any people dispersed from their homeland.
Memory Hook
Greek dia- (across) + speirein (to sow/scatter): the diaspora is a people 'sown across' the world like seeds scattered by the wind. Think of a farmer's hand flinging seeds — they land in distant soils but grow from the same original grain.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Mains 2023 · GS2 · 10 marks — International Relations
- Mains 2020 · GS2 · 10 marks — International Relations
- Mains 2017 · GS2 · 15 marks — International Relations
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Diaspora” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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