Many Indian communities abroad offer Indian students a vast array of resources and connections while also fostering a sense of community. Communities can include individuals from diverse backgrounds, including students, professionals, and families, who come together to provide support for the student community and promote preservation of the Indian culture. For students pursuing an MBBS degree, they will often find that the Indian community abroad has created a network that provides a sense of emotional support, as well as practical help with challenges and a continuity of culture while studying in a foreign country.
Why Indian Communities Abroad Matter for MBBS Students
Emotional Support and Mental Health: Homesickness can have a profound impact on how well a person performs academically. Members of the Indian community who live outside of India can provide emotional support to those who feel a sensation of homesickness by providing the comforts of familiar faces, language, traditions, and foods of their culture. Participating in the Diwali festival, sharing home-cooked meals, and speaking in Hindi and other regional languages with one another also provide great emotional support to students who are experiencing high levels of stress due to exams and assignments.
- Practical Guidance
- Cultural Connection
- Network of Safety
- Networking Opportunities
Connections made by students while living in the Indian community abroad often continue well beyond the time spent as a student. Many of the friendships and professional relationships established while studying abroad can be a source of valuable contacts and career opportunities well after graduation.
Indian Communities Abroad in Popular MBBS Destinations
- Russia
- Moscow
Thousands of Indian students reside in Moscow, and they constitute one of the largest communities. The embassy has done an excellent job actively providing support to Indian students through regular meetings, events, and assisting students. The Indian Students Association in Moscow holds regular meetings, celebrates all the traditional Indian festivals, and organizes cultural events that showcase Indian music, dance, and customs.
There are several Indian restaurants in Moscow, such as Khajuraho, Maharaja, and Darbar, that serve authentic Indian food. These restaurants have become informal meeting locations for Indian students living abroad. Additionally, there are several Indian grocery stores in Moscow that carry Indian food products that students are familiar with, including spices, lentils, rice varieties, and snacks, which allow them to maintain their preferred diets.
- Kazan
Kazan is home to one of the largest Indian communities abroad, with a large student population. Kazan State Medical University is supportive of students celebrating diversity through cultural holidays and events. The Kazan Indian community organizes cricket matches, Bollywood dance competitions, and social gatherings that promote the growth of relationships among students.
China
- Cultural Institutions
In addition to regular cultural events and language exchange programs, as well as festivals organized by Indian students’ associations at Chinese universities, these Indian communities have served as a link between the two cultures, enhancing mutual knowledge and respect.
- Comfort and Food
Indian restaurants and grocery stores located within the larger Chinese cities had provided the Indian diaspora with access to comfort foods, which enabled students to combat homesickness. Students would prepare meals together in their common living quarters, facilitating both social bonding and the actual preparation of food.
- Embassy Communication
The Indian Embassy and Consulates in China kept a regular flow of communication with the Indian diaspora regarding their cultural celebrations and national holidays, and provided consular support when necessary.
Ukraine
Ukrainian universities have recognized the Indian student associations as official organizations, and they have provided resources to help facilitate cultural activities and build their community. The Indian communities living in Ukraine celebrate Diwali and Independence Day and hold social events regularly.
During the 2022 crisis in Ukraine, the Indian communities living in Ukraine came together to demonstrate their strength. Students communicated with each other and provided each other with information on safe passages and evacuation plans and kept in contact with their families in India. This unity among the Indian communities showed that they provide more than just cultural activities.
How to Connect with Indian Communities Abroad
In today’s world, the digital age allows the availability of Indian community connections outside of India to be enhanced. MBBS students can use these community networks for great benefit. Using the following resources, students can build connections and relationships within the Indian community abroad:
- University Indian Associations
Students can find and contact Indian student associations or groups within their universities by contacting their university’s international student office or searching for their Indian student association through social media before arriving.
- WhatsApp and Telegram
Students can use WhatsApp and Telegram to connect with Indian communities abroad, where there is a strong reliance on messaging platforms to communicate in real-time. Students can ask their friends and family or university Indian student associations to connect them with WhatsApp/Telegram groups of interest.
- Indian Embassy Connections
An Indian embassy or consulate will maintain a student registration database and regularly hold events for Indian students in their respective regions. Students can register with their local Indian embassy or consulate to receive information about the activities and support services available to Indian communities outside of India.
- Senior Student Networks
Students can connect with senior students from their home city/state who are studying at their new location. Students who come from similar backgrounds will have established personal and professional relationships and can guide incoming students.
- Indian Restaurants and Stores
Indian restaurants and stores can also serve as unofficial meeting places for Indian communities in other countries. Students can make new friends and establish greater connections through these types of places, as they are likely to know other Indians and can ultimately help to connect students with other members of the community.
EOCL India
What is so special about EOCL India that all students come to us? The simple answer is the genuine and transparent guidance that we provide to students, making their MBBS abroad journey completely stress-free. Contact us and get complete guidance regarding MBBS.
