Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples

Overview: Aside from the larger castes—Ansari, Arain, Pashtun, Sayyid, and Shaikh—there are numerous other Muslim groups classified as OBC (Other Backward Class), a collective term used by the Indian government to classify castes which are educationally or socially disadvantaged, considered the fourth Varna in the Brahmanical pecking order of human beings. By some accounts, OBCs comprise over 40% of India's population. This cluster is a collection of various smaller Muslim OBCs.

Peoples within this cluster: Abdal; Ahangar; Ahmadi; Atari; Atishbaz; Bafan; Bafinda; Baig; Bajandar; Bakho; Bandhamati, Hindu; Bateri; Bawarchi; Bhadela; Bhattiana; Bhisti; Bisati; Bohra; Bomba; Borewale; Budhan, Muslim; Burusho; Chakketakare; Chamai Chamela; Chamma; Changar; Chittagonian; Chopan; Chudigar; Churaute; Dafer; Dalu; Damel; Dhawa; Dhund; Divehi; Dogri; Domal; Dudekula; Dudhwala; Dumaki; Faqir; Gabare; Gadhai; Gadihar; Galiara; Galleban; Galo; Ganai; Gantisayebulu; Ganz; Garodi; Gorkun; Hajjam; Hajjam, Assamese; Hajjam, Bengali; Hajjam, Gujarati; Hajjam, Haryanvi; Hajjam, Hindi; Hajjam, Jharkhandi; Hajjam, Kannada; Hajjam, Kashmiri; Hajjam, Maithili; Hajjam, Telugu; Halaypotra; Hanji; Helava; Hingora; Hingorza; Hiranbaj; Jatigar; Juneja; Kaghzi / Kanai; Kalash; Kalkoti; Kankali; Kasbati, Muslim; Kashmiri; Kavoj; Kayalar; Khadim; Khalifa; Khaskeli; Khetrani; Kho; Khoja; Kohistani; Kolai; Konkanese; Kraal; Labbai; Lassi; Maimal; Majothi; Maldivian; Mallik, Muslim; Manihar; Manjygur Muslim; Mappila; Mawalud; Memon; Miana; Mir, Gujarati; Mirzakhani; Moghol; Moghol, Dogri; Moghol, Gujarati; Moghol, Marwari; Moghol, Telugu; Molesalam; Mondivogula; Mondiwar; Munji; Murhid; Mussali; Mutwa; Naita; Najjar; Nalband; Namdagur; Nanbai; Naqqas; Navait; Nikari, Muslim; Node; Noor Basha; Northern Hindko (Hindki); Nyaria; Pajabgar; Panar; Pankhiya; Pashayi, Northwest; Patni Jamat; Pendar; Pindara; Pinjara; Pinjara (Magahi); Pinjara, Bengali; Pinjara, Gujarati; Pinjara, Hindi; Pinjara, Kannada; Pinjara, Marathi; Pinjara, Marwari; Pinjara, Panjabi; Pohul; Putliwale; Qassab; Qazi; Rajkoti; Rangpuri; Rathia, Muslim; Rawther; Raysipotra; Rohingya; Royma; Sahisia; Saifi; Sain; Sais; Sandhai; Sau; Shakhsaz; Shershabadia; Shina; Shumashti; Sofi; Sonavar; Southern Hindko; Sri Lankan Moor; Sudhan; Tai; Takari; Tarakhehas; Thakuria; Theba; Thulukkan; Tirugatigantla; Turvali; Ushojo; Usta; Vyapari; Waza; Yashkun; Yidgha; Zimbabwean Gujarati

Countries where they are found: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Canada; France; India; Malaysia; Maldives; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Sri Lanka; United Kingdom; United States; Zimbabwe