Sindhis

Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group originating from and native to Sindh, a region of Pakistan, who share a common Sindhi culture, history, ancestry, and language. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by southeastern Balochistan; the Bahawalpur region of Punjab; the Marwar region of Rajasthan; and the Kutch region of Gujarat.

Sindhis are the third-largest ethnic group in Pakistan, after the Punjabis and Pashtuns, forming a majority in Sindh with historical communities also found in neighbouring Balochistan. They form a significant diasporic population in India, mostly partition-era migrants and their descendants. Sindhi diaspora is also present in other parts of South Asia; as well as in the Gulf states, the Western world and the Far East.

Sindhis are a diverse group in terms of religious affiliations and practices. Approximately 94% are adherents of Islam, primarily the Sunni denomination with a significant population also following the Shia denomination. A large minority of approximately 5% adheres to Hinduism; with smaller groups, each constituting a population of less than 1%, adhering to Christianity, Sikhism and Jainism. The Muslim population forms a majority in Sindh; with Hindus mainly concentrated in eastern Sindh, forming a majority in Umerkot district with significant populations in other districts as well. Sindhis in India are predominantly Hindu with smaller Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Jain minorities. Despite being geographically separated, Sindhis still maintain strong ties to each other and share similar cultural values and practices.

Sindhis have largely been isolated throughout their history; due to which Sindhi culture has preserved its uniqueness. Belonging to various tribes and clans, Sindhis are closely related to other Sindhic-speaking groups.

The name Sindhi is derived from the Sanskrit Sindhu, which translates as "river" or "sea body"; the Greeks used the term "Indos" to refer to the Indus River and the surrounding region, which is where Sindhi is spoken.

The historical spelling "Sind" (from the Perso-Arabic سند) was discontinued in 1988 by an amendment passed in the Sindh Assembly, and is now spelt "Sindh." Hence, the term "Sindhi" was also introduced to replace "Sindi".^{[citation needed]} The Sindhi have a historic relationship with the Sinti people in Europe.

In the Balochi language, the traditional terms for Sindhis are Jadgal and Jamote. They are derived from the prefix Jatt referring to the tribe by that name, and the suffix gal meaning "speech". Thus, it signifies someone who speaks the language of the Jatts, i.e. a Jatt. The term Jatt historically encompassed Sindhis and Punjabis, and was frequently used by the British for Sindhis in their census records.

Sindh has been an ethnic historical region isolated from the rest of India; unlike its neighbors Sindh did not experience violent invasions. Boundaries of various Kingdoms and rulers in Sindh were defined on ethnic lines. Throughout history the geographical definition for Sindh referred to the south of Indus and its neighboring regions.