Baghdadi Jews, who came to India in the late eighteenth century from Baghdad, Basra, Aleppo, and other Arabic-speaking portions of the Ottoman Empire, established large diaspora groups in Bombay and Calcutta. Baghdadi Jews in India were unique in that they followed Iraqi or Syrian traditions and rituals while also embracing English and Indian culture. Originally leading a more Middle Eastern lifestyle, the Baghdadi elite began to adapt more to the British in the second part of the nineteenth century, while the lower classes maintained a strong Judeo-Arabic cultural identity for a longer time. Many prominent Baghdadi Indian women were involved in philanthropy, Jewish and Zionist organizations, education, and film acting, with some, such as Sophy Kelly and Hannah Sen, using their leadership and political connections to advocate for Indian Jewry.
Source: https://www.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/baghdadi-jewish-women-in-india
