1901 video of China's great port Shanghai narrates story of India's Sikh soldiers abroad

As countries continue to define and deepen geographical boundaries, dividing lines and marking borders, a shared history of India's Sikh soldiers in China highlights how ethnic diaspora transcended these boundaries contributing their bit to the history of the two countries as well as the globe.

In a black and white video shared by former diplomat Shivshankar Menon, which is said to be from the year 1901, Shanghai's Nanking Road can be seen hosting a mixed culture of people, from Indians to Chinese, to Sikh soldiers who were one of the most high-ranking and sought-after soldiers employed by the British-administered Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP). 

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According to Chinese historian Tong Bingxue who posted the original video sourced from the BFI's national archives, Sikhs were one of the earliest groups that landed in Shanghai to enforce laws of the British administration. They not only witnessed the Taiping rebellion but also the Bozer uprising contributing their bit to enhancing the history and culture of both China and the globe.

In fact, according to sources, port cities like Hong Kong and Shanghai proved to be one of the first pit stops that kickstarted the global immigration of the Sikh community which initially started with them being employed across ranks in the British Indian Army. 

While modern Chinese history may only record scare accounts on the contribution of the Sikh forces in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Sikh soldiers in China, not only modernised the police force but also contributed their bit in building China's nationalism movement back in the 1920s. Even if forgotten, constituting almost 1/3rd of Shanghai's police force back in the early 1900s, they do remain a significant part of both India and China's history. 

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(Officers of the Sinza Police Station in Shanghai, December 1933. Source- Historical Photographs of China)