Remittances and transnational housing among the Indian diaspora: home as a project

The Indian diaspora has a century-old legacy of migration in their economic pursuits. Migration plays a crucial role in India as remittances are one of the key pillars in bolstering the economy. The chapter discusses the recent Indian trends and patterns on remittances and 'home' as a project behind migration with a particular emphasis on Kerala, which has an inveterate, firm bond with the world economy. A copious amount of remittances in this state is spent towards the purchase of land, construction of new houses and modification of old houses. Drawing on in-depth interviews and various rounds of Kerala Migration Surveys, the chapter explains the influence of remittances along with family ideals, the notion of status and house as a manifestation and establishment. Besides, the chapter looks into the narrative of 'leaving' home for building a house. Last, it delves into international migrants' perceptions of spaces and localities, including their emotional attachment to home and belonging.