‘Lending a helping hand to my people back home in times of crisis’: Kerala diaspora network’s presence in times of crisis in the Gulf migration corridor

ABSTRACT Diaspora philanthropy is integral to the development of India and generations of emigrants have made significant contributions to propel the growth of the country. Its intensity was evident during the Kerala floods in 2018 that resulted in numerous fatalities, property damage and displacement of millions of people. The Malayalee Diaspora was integral in rebuilding Kerala by aiding the rescue operations that were happening on the ground through their global network support. A similar outreach was also observed during COVID-19, where in the diaspora also supported stranded migrants in different parts of the world. The article focuses on the nuances of diaspora philanthropic scholarship and how it helped Kerala recover from the floods and COVID-19. Semi-structured in-depth interviews using snowball sampling with migrants, migrant organisations and beneficiaries from diaspora in the understanding of the impact of diaspora philanthropy during times of crisis.