When the first large waves of Indian immigrants began arriving in the United States in meaningful numbers after the mid-1960s, most came with little more than suitcases, degrees, and an almost stubborn faith that hard work could outrun hardship. They entered a country that often knew little about India beyond vague stereotypes—curry, cows, “exotic” spirituality, and Bollywood caricatures. In many towns, an Indian face drew curious stares. In some workplaces, an Indian accent drew quiet prejudice. In too many neighborhoods, an Indian name was mispronounced so routinely that families learned to answer to a shortened version just to make life easier.

“Yet something remarkable happened over the next half century. Indian-Americans did not merely “assimilate.” They achieved it. They built. They contributed. And now—most strikingly—they lead.”the 

Today, Indian-Americans sit in America’s most influential boardrooms, help shape public policy, run major institutions, and define the cutting edge of technology and medicine. They are entrepreneurs who create jobs, physicians who heal communities, professors who guide generations, and public servants who steward civic life. Indian-Americans have transformed from a small, often invisible immigrant group into one of the most visible—and impactful—communities in the modern American story.

This is not a simple success narrative. It is a complex, multi-generation rise—anchored in sacrifice, education, and family values, yet tested by shifting politics, cultural pressures, and new waves of backlash. It is a rise that continues, even as the winds change.

This is the rise—and rise—of Indian-Americans.

A Community Built on Courage and Calculation

To understand Indian-American influence today, one must first understand Indian-American beginnings in the U.S.—especially after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 reshaped who could legally enter America and on what basis. “The earliest post-1965 arrivals tended to be highly skilled: doctors, engineers, scientists, teachers, and researchers.” Many entered through pathways that favored professional qualifications. Their first decades in America were not glamorous. They were full of long hours, frugal living, and cultural adjustment.

For many families, the American dream did not begin with a big house. It began with a rented apartment, a used car, and a strict household budget. Parents worked double shifts. Mothers and fathers—often both—took on jobs that matched neither their talents nor their aspirations while they studied for licensing exams, built credentials, and navigated unfamiliar systems.

And they did all of this while carrying a heavy emotional burden: the responsibility to prove that leaving India was not a mistake.

This pressure shaped a powerful ethic in the community: do not waste opportunity. Education was not simply encouraged—it was revered. Discipline was not merely a virtue—it was survival. Family unity became both emotional support and strategic advantage.

Education: The Great Elevator

If there is one pillar beneath Indian-American success, it is education.

In Indian-American households, school was not optional. It was central. Report cards were discussed the way other families discussed sports. Math was treated like a language of advancement. Science fairs became family projects. College admissions were approached like long-term planning.

This cultural emphasis did not come from vanity—it came from understanding. For immigrants, education offered the most reliable protection against discrimination and instability. A degree could not be taken away by a biased boss or a suspicious neighbor. Credentials created leverage.

Over time, this focus yielded results that became statistically visible. “Indian-Americans increasingly emerged as one of the most highly educated groups in the United States, which translated into higher professional representation and higher income levels.” Education did more than create individual success. It created community positioning—placing Indian-Americans in sectors that influence national direction: medicine, technology, academia, and finance.

Medicine, Motels, and the First Wave of Economic Stability

Two early and iconic Indian-American pathways became symbols of immigrant adaptation: medicine and hospitality.

The Medical Backbone

Indian-American doctors and healthcare professionals became essential to America’s health infrastructure. Many served in underserved regions—rural towns, inner cities, and areas where physician shortages were severe. Hospitals across the U.S. came to rely on immigrant doctors, and Indian-American medical associations grew in size and stature.

The Motel Revolution

At the same time, another phenomenon took root: Indian-American dominance in the motel and hospitality sector. Families invested in small motels, worked them around the clock, lived on the property, and gradually expanded. It was not an easy life—but it created economic stability. It also demonstrated something deeper: Indian-Americans could succeed not only through degrees, but through grit, entrepreneurship, and family labor.

That first wave built the foundation. The next wave built influence.

Silicon Valley, Startups, and the Leap into National Power

As technology surged and America bec qdcame increasingly digital, Indian-Americans entered the field not as spectators, but as architects. The community’s strong STEM representation met a historic moment: the growth of the internet, software, cloud computing, AI, and the startup economy.

Over time, Indian-Americans rose into leadership positions in major corporations and became prominent founders in the startup ecosystem. The tech pathway became a second major engine of upward mobility—especially for the second generation, which had U.S. cultural fluency alongside inherited discipline.

By the 2000s and 2010s, Indian-American presence in technology was widely acknowledged. By the 2020s, it became unavoidable.

The shift was not merely economic. It was symbolic. When Indian-Americans lead companies that influence how billions of people communicate, learn, shop, and work, they are not just “successful.” They are shaping modern civilization.

Technology and Innovation: The Silicon Valley Powerhouse

Few communities have had as transformative an effect on the tech world as Indian Americans. From the circuit boards of the 1980s to the cloud computing empires of today, Indian-origin technologists have been central to the growth of the U.S. tech industry.

Leading tech giants are helmed by Indian-origin CEOs:

• Sundar Pichai of Google (Alphabet),
• Satya Nadella of Microsoft,
• Shantanu Narayen of Adobe,
• Arvind Krishna of IBM, and
• Parag Agrawal, former CEO of Twitter.

Their ascent is not just a personal achievement—it reflects a deep cultural reverence for STEM education, dating back to post-independence India’s focus on engineering and science. Many of these executives are alumni of India’s prestigious IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology), and they bring a global, innovation-first mindset that has helped shape Silicon Valley’s future.

“Indian Americans are not just CEOs—they are also startup founders, investors, and engineers. Nearly 8% of all tech startups in the U.S. are founded by Indian Americans.” Venture capitalists like Vinod Khosla and angel investors like Kavitark Ram Shriram (an early backer of Google) have backed some of the most successful startups globally.

This leadership has earned Indian Americans the informal title of the “Indian tech mafia,” a nod to their networking strength, collaborative mentorship, and influence on the future of innovation

Business and Entrepreneurship: Building Enterprises and Creating Wealth

Indian Americans are not just climbing corporate ladders—they are building the ladders themselves. From small businesses to global corporations, Indian-origin entrepreneurs have carved a formidable niche.

Examples of top business leaders include:

• Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, who transformed the company’s portfolio and made it one of the most sustainability-conscious corporations.
• Ajay Banga, the current President of the World Bank and former CEO of Mastercard, who emphasized financial inclusion and digital banking.
• Rakesh Gangwal, co-founder of IndiGo Airlines and a major philanthropist in education and healthcare.

In venture capital, Indian Americans are also making a splash. Firms like Khosla Ventures, Mayfield Fund, and Nexus Venture Partners are backing the next generation of global startups. Platforms like TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) have helped thousands of aspiring founders gain mentorship and capital.

On the grassroots level, Indian Americans dominate sectors like hospitality. The Patel motel network is an iconic success story—Indian Americans (many with the last name Patel from Gujarat) own over 40% of motels in the U.S., employing tens of thousands and serving millions of travelers.

From gas stations and Dunkin’ Donuts franchises to fintech startups and biotech firms, Indian Americans are redefining entrepreneurship in the 21st century.

Culture and Media: From Stereotypes to Storytellers

For many years, Indian Americans were portrayed through narrow, stereotypical lenses in American media—often reduced to taxi drivers, convenience store clerks, or nerdy side characters. That narrative is now being rewritten by a new generation of Indian American creators and performers who are proud of their heritage and bold in their storytelling.

From television to film to literature, Indian Americans are making waves:

• Mindy Kaling broke barriers as an actor, writer, and producer with shows like The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever.
• Hasan Minhaj gained fame with Patriot Act, blending comedy and social commentary.
• Kal Penn, known for his acting and White House role, represents both Hollywood and public service.
• Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, advocates for immigrant rights and food justice.

Indian American writers like Jhumpa Lahiri, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and Akhil Sharma explore themes of migration, assimilation, and cultural duality. Their works have won Pulitzers, Booker nominations, and spots on bestseller lists.

Indian culture is now mainstream. Diwali is celebrated in the White House. Yoga is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Indian food is on every block in urban America. Bollywood collaborations with Hollywood are common, and sarees walk red carpets.

This cultural soft power is more than aesthetic—it is transformative, helping redefine what it means to be American.

Philanthropy and Civic Engagement: Quiet Giving, Enduring Impact

Indian-American success has been accompanied by a powerful culture of philanthropy and civic responsibility—often practiced quietly, yet delivering extraordinary impact. Giving within the community spans education, healthcare, disaster relief, food security, children’s welfare, and sustained support for temples and community institutions, with contributions flowing to causes in both the United States and India.

“This generosity reflects deeply rooted cultural values of seva (service) and dāna (charity). Many families give through grassroots efforts and religious or community organizations, while prominent leaders have scaled their philanthropy to create long-term, systemic change.”

Visionaries such as Romesh Wadhwani, founder of the Wadhwani Foundation; Prem Watsa, CEO of Fairfax Financial; and Rakesh Gangwal, co-founder of IndiGo Airlines, have made substantial contributions to education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and public welfare. Alongside them, leaders like Atal Bansal and Dr. Kiran & Pallavi Patel have played pivotal roles in advancing healthcare, medical education, community development, and civic initiatives, further strengthening the philanthropic footprint of the Indian-American community.

The community’s responsiveness was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Indian-American organizations rapidly mobilized to fund PPE supplies, vaccination drives, food assistance programs, and critical medical aid—both locally and in India during its most severe crisis.

Beyond charitable giving, Indian Americans are increasingly active in civic life, leading voter registration drives, youth leadership programs, and advocacy efforts related to public health, education, climate awareness, and social justice. Together, these philanthropic and civic endeavors illustrate a defining truth: Indian-American contributions extend far beyond economic success, shaping a legacy of service, responsibility, and nation-building on both sides of the globe.

From Model Minority to Political Force

For many decades, Indian-Americans were praised as a “model minority”—a label that sounded flattering but carried a hidden cost. It implied quiet success without civic voice. It often erased struggles and downplayed discrimination. It also positioned Indian-Americans as outsiders who “do well” but do not truly “belong” in leadership.

That has changed dramatically.

Indian-Americans are increasingly present in:

• local and state governments
• federal advisory roles
• judicial and policy institutions
• public advocacy networks

This political ascent reflects a generational shift. The first generation focused on stability. The second generation increasingly seeks representation. The third generation is learning to combine success with civic responsibility.

Influence is no longer limited to economic spheres. It is now electoral, cultural, and institutional.

Culture and Confidence: The New Indian-American Identity

One of the most profound changes in Indian-American life is cultural confidence.

In earlier decades, many Indian-American families quietly practiced their traditions—temple visits, festivals, prayers, language, and food—often within the private sphere. Some children felt pressure to “fit in” by minimizing what made them different. Many grew up balancing pride with awkwardness.

Today, a new reality is emerging:

• Diwali is mainstream and publicly recognized in many places.
• Yoga and Ayurveda are part of popular wellness culture.
• Indian food is not “foreign” anymore—it is fashionable.
• Indian fashion, music, dance, and cinema have global reach.

Indian-Americans are increasingly comfortable saying: “I can be fully American and fully Indian.” Not halfway. Not diluted. Fully.

This cultural confidence is not only personal—it is political. Communities with confidence advocate more strongly for their interests, their representation, and their dignity.

Youth and Education: The Next Generation Rising

The children of Indian immigrants—many born and raised in the U.S.—are now entering adulthood with a remarkable blend of traditional values and modern ambition. They’re equally comfortable performing Bharatanatyam and playing cricket as they are with coding in Python or engaging in civic debates. This generation is broadening the scope of what it means to be Indian American, pursuing excellence in diverse arenas and redefining success on their own terms.

“Indian American students continue to shine in academic and intellectual competitions. From the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where they’ve claimed over 20 titles in the past 25 years, to STEM contests like the Regeneron Science Talent Search, Intel ISEF, Math Olympiads, and robotics competitions, their brilliance is evident.” Many also take active roles in debate, public speaking, and community service.

Their presence in elite institutions—Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, and others—is growing, not just in numbers but in impact. Today’s Indian American youth are pursuing careers in medicine, law, tech, and business—but increasingly also in public policy, journalism, activism, and the arts. Here are four shining examples of young Indian Americans redefining success:

1. Vaneeza Rupani – NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

In 2020, Vaneeza Rupani, a high school student from Northport, Alabama, made national headlines when her winning essay earned her the historic opportunity to name NASA’s Mars helicopter—Ingenuity. As part of NASA’s “Name the Rover” essay contest, Vaneeza’s submission beat out thousands of entries from across the U.S. Her essay explained that “ingenuity” represents the power of innovation and creativity, especially under challenging conditions—qualities that have defined space exploration.

A daughter of Indian immigrants, Vaneeza’s achievement is symbolic of how Indian American youth are excelling in STEM not just academically, but also as thought leaders and communicators. Her recognition by NASA highlights how this generation is blending intellect with imagination, stepping confidently into global conversations.

Vaneeza has expressed aspirations to work in aerospace engineering or astrobiology, continuing her fascination with space. Her story has been celebrated in STEM education circles, particularly for inspiring more young girls—especially from minority backgrounds—to see themselves in science. With the word “Ingenuity” etched into NASA’s space exploration history, Vaneeza has already left a permanent mark on humanity’s journey beyond Earth.

2. Zaila Avant-garde – Scripps Spelling Bee Champion (with Indian American coaching)

Though Zaila Avant-garde, the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, is not of Indian descent herself, her historic win was significantly influenced by the Indian American spelling bee coaching ecosystem. Zaila trained with Cole Shaan and Nihar Janga, both former Indian American spelling bee champions and mentors. This mentorship reflects a broader culture of excellence and support fostered by Indian American youth over decades.

To illustrate this culture more directly, consider Abhijay Kodali, who finished as a finalist in the 2021 Scripps Bee and had placed in previous years. Abhijay exemplifies the academic consistency and discipline common among Indian American students. He studied several hours daily, focusing not just on memorization but on understanding word origins, roots, and linguistic patterns.

This sustained excellence is also supported by programs like North South Foundation and South Asian Spelling Bee, which nurture talent from a young age. Abhijay and his peers are a testament to how community-based initiatives can generate global academic leaders.

These young spellers, many under 14, show that academic pursuit in the Indian American community is as much about passion and play as it is about performance.

Avanti Nagral – Harvard Student, Singer, and Activist

Avanti Nagral is a groundbreaking Indian American youth voice who defies traditional career paths. A Harvard graduate with a dual degree in psychology and global health, Avanti is also an internationally recognized singer-songwriter and content creator. Her music fuses Western pop and Indian classical elements, addressing themes like mental health, gender equity, and identity.

Born in Boston and raised between the U.S. and Mumbai, Avanti epitomizes the hybrid cultural upbringing of many Indian Americans. She was the first person to pursue a dual degree at Harvard and Berklee College of Music—blending academics with the arts in a way rarely seen.

Beyond performance, Avanti is a social impact advocate. Her YouTube channel features candid conversations about mental health, sexuality, and education. She has collaborated with global organizations like the UN, Global Citizen, and UNICEF, using her platform to speak on Gen Z issues with authenticity and empathy.

Avanti’s career trajectory breaks the “doctor-engineer” mold often associated with Indian American youth. She represents a new wave—one that values creativity, advocacy, and expression as equally powerful tools for shaping society. In doing so, she has become a role model for millions of South Asian teens worldwide.

Arjun Raj – Regeneron Finalist and Cancer Researcher

Arjun Raj, a high school student from Illinois, made headlines in 2022 as one of the top 40 finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious STEM competitions. His project, focused on computational modeling of cancer cell mutation pathways, combined biology, data science, and AI—fields at the cutting edge of modern medicine.

Arjun’s research has implications for understanding how cancers evolve resistance to treatment, and his findings were strong enough to gain attention from university labs and scientific mentors. But what sets Arjun apart is not just the science—it’s his drive to use his knowledge for real-world impact.

A first-generation Indian American, Arjun credits his parents, both healthcare professionals, for inspiring his interest in science and service. In addition to his research, he volunteers at local clinics, mentors younger STEM students, and organizes coding bootcamps for middle schoolers in underprivileged areas.

His academic journey reflects the values of many Indian American families: excellence in education paired with a commitment to community upliftment. Arjun plans to pursue bioengineering and public health at the university level. He stands as a beacon of how Indian American youth are not just achieving—but giving back in meaningful ways.

The Backlash: When Success Triggers Resentment

No honest feature about Indian-American rise can avoid the uncomfortable truth: visibility invites backlash.

As Indian-Americans have become more prominent, certain segments of the American extreme right have responded with suspicion, resentment, and in some cases open hostility. This is not universal among conservatives, and many Indian-Americans themselves are politically diverse. But in recent years, a strain of nativist rhetoric—especially from parts of the MAGA-aligned ecosystem—has increasingly targeted immigrants, high-skilled visa holders, and minority communities perceived as “outsiders.”

Online Hate and Open Racism

A growing number of Indian-Americans have reported being targeted by racist rhetoric online. Some observers and advocacy groups have pointed to rising hostility aimed specifically at South Asian communities, connecting political rhetoric with social harassment. 

This hostility can be especially jarring for Indian-American conservatives who believed alignment with right-wing politics would shield them from racial targeting. In several highly publicized online episodes, even prominent pro-Trump Indian-American voices described shock at the language and intensity of racism directed at Indians.

Hate Incidents Remain a Serious Concern

Civil rights groups tracking hate crimes and hate incidents have warned that anti-Asian hate remains alarmingly high compared to pre-pandemic levels, even when year-to-year numbers fluctuate.

While “Asian” is broad and diverse, the data and anecdotal reporting underscore a wider environment in which South Asians can become targets—especially during moments of political agitation.

Trump Administration Actions and Their Ripple Effects

In 2025, Donald Trump began a second term as U.S. president.
His administration’s policy direction—particularly on immigration and federal governance—has had direct and indirect consequences for Indian-Americans, especially for families connected to high-skilled immigration pathways and international education.

1) A New H-1B Reality: The $100,000 Fee

One of the most consequential developments for Indian professionals has been the creation of a $100,000 fee tied to many new H-1B petitions under a presidential proclamation issued in September 2025, with implementation details later clarified by USCIS and discussed widely by policy organizations. 

Legal challenges have followed. A Reuters report described a federal judge’s skepticism during arguments over whether such a major fee can be imposed via executive authority, highlighting the high stakes for employers and universities who depend on high-skilled talent. 

For Indian-Americans, this is not an abstract policy debate. It affects:

• employer willingness to sponsor visas
• mobility for young professionals
• the ability of families to plan stable futures
• America’s attractiveness as a destination for global talent

2) Visa Processing Disruptions and Expanded Vetting

In December 2025, multiple reports described H-1B visa holders traveling to India for routine visa renewals and then being stranded due to canceled appointments and significant delays, with attorneys and workers describing major uncertainty.
Reports also pointed to stricter social media review policies and interview backlogs affecting timelines. 

For Indian-American families and employers, such disruptions create:

• project delays and employment uncertainty
• family separation stress
• financial instability due to travel and lost work time

3) Immigration Crackdown Expansion

A Reuters report published December 21, 2025 described plans to intensify immigration enforcement into 2026, including major funding increases and expanded enforcement capacity, amid public backlash and political risks.

While high-skilled legal immigrants are different from undocumented immigration, broad crackdowns often create “spillover fear”—and heighten hostility toward immigrants generally.

The Indian-American Response: Adaptation, Not Panic

The community response to backlash and policy shifts has not been uniform—but it has been instructive.

Indian-Americans have historically responded to barriers in a specific way:

1. Adapt quickly (change strategies, legal pathways, education routes)
2. Build institutions (associations, advocacy groups, professional networks)
3. Invest in long-term security (citizenship, stable careers, community cohesion)

That pattern continues.

• Immigration lawyers, universities, and employers are increasingly vocal about high-skilled visa disruptions and cost increases because they affect U.S. competitiveness.
• Advocacy organizations are documenting hate patterns, connecting rhetoric to harm, and pushing for accountability.
• Families are advising their children: succeed, yes—but also participate. Vote. Engage. Serve. Speak.

The Silence Problem: When a Community Does Not Speak Loudly Enough

One uncomfortable truth must be acknowledged: Indian-Americans, as a collective, have often been slow to speak up when confronted with public backlash or cultural disrespect. A telling example emerged when Kash Patel—an Indian-American appointed to the position of FBI Director—posted a simple “Happy Diwali” message on social media. What followed was a predictable wave of online hostility, ridicule, and racially charged commentary. Yet the response from the Indian-American community, as a unified group, was muted. There were individual voices, scattered defenses, and isolated outrage—but no sustained, organized pushback that matched the scale of the attack.

This silence stands in stark contrast to how other communities, particularly the Jewish community, respond to similar incidents. When Jewish identity, faith, or cultural observances are publicly targeted or trivialized, institutional organizations, advocacy groups, elected officials, and media voices respond quickly and forcefully. Statements are issued. Pressure is applied. The message is clear: silence will not be tolerated. Indian-Americans, despite their growing numbers, influence, and resources, have not yet developed this reflex of collective defense—especially when the issue is cultural dignity rather than immediate policy.

Equally troubling was the silence from the Trump administration itself. There was no clear condemnation of the racially charged backlash, no reaffirmation that celebrating Diwali—or any faith tradition—is part of America’s pluralistic fabric. For a community that has contributed enormously to national security, technology, healthcare, and governance, this absence of reassurance was deeply revealing. It reinforced a hard lesson Indian-Americans are still learning: economic success does not automatically translate into cultural protection. If a community does not consistently speak for itself—clearly, confidently, and collectively—others will define the narrative, often unfairly.

Indian-Americans Are Not a Drain—They Are a Dividend

At a time when immigration is often framed as an economic burden, rigorous data tells a very different story about Indian-Americans. A landmark 2025 study by the Manhattan Institute, authored by economist Daniel Di Martino, concludes that Indian immigrants and their descendants are the most fiscally beneficial immigrant group in the United States. Over a 30-year period, each Indian immigrant contributes a net $1.6 to $1.7 million surplus to the federal balance sheet—reducing national debt while expanding GDP. In an era when America’s national debt has crossed $38 trillion, these findings are not ideological—they are arithmetic. Indian immigrants do not strain public resources; they strengthen them.

“The study further highlights the extraordinary impact of H-1B visa holders, many of whom are Indian professionals in technology, medicine, engineering, and finance. Each H-1B worker reduces U.S.” national debt by an estimated $2.3 million and adds roughly $500,000 in GDP growth over three decades—the highest fiscal contribution of any visa category ever recorded. The reasons are straightforward: Indian immigrants arrive young, highly educated, workforce-ready, and overwhelmingly self-sufficient. They pay far more in taxes than they ever consume in benefits, create jobs through entrepreneurship, and raise children who outperform national averages in education and income. In purely fiscal terms, the Manhattan Institute’s conclusion is unequivocal: if America were to design immigration policy around long-term national interest, Indian immigrants would be the gold standard.

From Immigrants to Influencers: The Real Meaning of the “Second Rise”

The first rise of Indian-Americans was measurable: degrees, jobs, income, businesses.
The second rise is more profound: influence.

Influence means:

• shaping how America thinks
• shaping what America builds
• shaping who America elects
• shaping what America values

And influence requires visibility. Visibility invites both admiration and resistance. That is the cost of entering the national stage.

Indian-Americans are no longer a quiet community working hard behind the scenes. They are now part of America’s leadership conversation—and America’s cultural argument.

That is why this is “Rise and Rise,” not merely “Rise.”

The Next Chapter: What Comes After Influence?

If the last fifty years were about arriving and achieving, the next fifty years may be about stewarding and shaping.

Key questions now face the community:

Can Indian-Americans turn professional success into civic unity?

A community can be wealthy yet fragmented. Political influence requires coalition-building and shared priorities.

Can Indian-Americans protect cultural roots without becoming insular?

The future belongs to those who can preserve identity while building bridges.

Can the next generation embrace heritage with confidence—not guilt?

Young Indian-Americans should not feel they must choose between belonging and authenticity.

Can Indian-Americans respond to backlash with wisdom—not fear?

The smartest response to hostility is not withdrawal. It is participation: in schools, in councils, in media, in civic life.

A Story Bigger Than Success

The rise of Indian-Americans is not simply a tale of personal achievement. It is a story of:

• migration and transformation
• sacrifice and strategy
• culture and confidence
• resilience in the face of backlash
• and an expanding role in America’s future

Indian-Americans are not rising to replace anyone. They are rising to contribute—through innovation, service, healing, leadership, and cultural enrichment.

And as history repeatedly shows: when a community contributes deeply to a nation’s progress, it earns something more valuable than status.

It earns belonging.

That is the true rise.

And that is why it continues.

About the Author:

Raj Shah Software by profession, Indian culture enthusiast, ardent promoter of hinduism, and a cancer survivor, Raj Shah is a managing editor of Desh-Videsh Magazine and co-founder of Desh Videsh Media Group. Promoting the rich culture and heritage of India and Hinduism has been his motto ever since he arrived in the US in 1969.

He has been instrumental in starting and promoting several community organizations such as the Indian Religious and Cultural Center and International Hindu University. Raj has written two books on Hinduism titled Chronology of Hinduism and Understanding Hinduism. He has also written several children books focusing on Hindu culture and religion.

Sonal Shah can truly be called a “Woman of Substance.” Apart from being a top-grade academician, Shah is a successful entrepreneur, innovator, and philanthropist from the core of her heart. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently appointed the 53-year-old Indian American Economist to the Homeland Security Advisory Council. She is one of the 33 members of the new Council.

The main priority of this Council is to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in connecting technology and innovation for modernizing its programs. As an “incredibly accomplished” member of the Council, Sonal will play a significant role in the mission of the DHS to face the challenges of today, anticipate the future ones, and use technology and innovation to serve the USA better.

Shah was born in Mumbai, India, in 1968 but came to the USA as a four-year-old girl in 1972. Hence, she attained her academic degrees and orientation in the USA. She completed her B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1990 and obtained her Master’s Degree in Economics from Duke University.

As a distinguished student and a worker dedicated to innovation and making a social impact, Sonal led several organizations; she even founded some of them. She is the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Network Operations and United Way Worldwide, and the Founder and President of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). It is the largest charitable organization working for the welfare of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

Working as the Deputy Assistant to the former US President Barack Obama, Sonal formed the White House’s Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. She was also the National Policy Director for then Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s run in the US Presidential Election of 2020.

Sonal expressed her gratitude for getting her new role on her social media handle. It is indeed a point of pride and honor for all the Indian-Americans as well as the people of India to have such a dedicated and talented woman at the helm of affairs in the USA.

Did you know there is an unusual school in an unusual place run by an unusual teacher?

Rajesh Kumar is a shopkeeper by profession but spends hours every morning teaching around 80 children from the poorest of the poor in India’s capital, New Delhi. The 43 year old visited the construction of the Delhi transit station a few years ago and was disturbed by the realization that many children were spending their days playing at the site instead of attending school. When he questioned the parents working at the site, they all said there were no schools in the vicinity and no one cared.

Consequently, Kumar’s open-air classroom was born – between pillars and  beneath the tracks of the Delhi transit system, known as the Metro. Every few minutes a train passes above, the children unperturbed by its sound. There are no chairs or tables, and the children sit on rolls of polystyrene foam placed on the rubble. Three rectangular patches of wall are painted black and used as a blackboard. Anonymous donors have contributed cardigans, books, shoes, and stationery for the children, as their parents cannot afford them. One unnamed person sends a bag full of biscuits and fruit juice for the pupils every day – another incentive for the children to show up for their studies.

Power Play?

Did you know, in 1920, India was so good at hockey that the British withdrew from the Olympics to avoid a possible embarrassing defeat by its own colony? What fun is that?

Daddy of Battles

Did you know, unlike in Border (the movie), only two Indians died in the battle of Longewala? J.P Dutta’s epic war film based on the Indo-Pak War of ’71 showed how a brave 120-man regiment of the Indian Army fought against a troop of 300-odd Pakistanis (including tanks) while defending Longewala against wave after wave of Pakistani troops. The truth is, they were much more badass. We lost only two soldiers in that battle.

Variance of Service

Did you know Mumbai Dabbawalas have made just one error in over six million deliveries? Now, these dabbawalas (tiffin carriers) rely only on a system of certain symbols and markings on the dabba (tiffins) to ascertain the delivery address. So there may be a good chance that they end up delivering dabbas at the wrong address, right?No. Forbes magazine awarded its Six Sigma certification in 2001 to the Dabbawalas based on a 99.999999 percent delivery accuracy rate (one error for every 16 million transactions).They charge Rs 250 ( $3.25 )  per month. The lunch boxes are handled an astonishing 2,000,000 times a day.

World of Gold

Did you know Indian housewives hold 11% of the world’s gold? That is more than the reserves of the US, IMF, Switzerland, and Germany put together.

 

Name : Kristi Biswas

Parents Name: Dhiman Biswas and Suchitra Biswas

Name of the School: Paxon School of Advanced Studies

Grade: 11

Please tell us in brief about the competition you just won:

I participated in the Florida State Science and Engineering fair and got first place in my category and the grand award. I was chosen to represent the state of Florida at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). ISEF  is a research-based, high school competition that exists in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 75 countries, regions, and territories. I won the third-place grand award in my category.

1.     How did you prepare for the competition?

To prepare for the competition, I spent several months first coming up with an original project idea of my own that would be interesting to work on. Once I came up with the idea of using face detection technology to locate Parkinson model fruit flies on videos to determine its speed, movement linearity, etc., I designed the experimental setup, built the Java software, and spent countless hours every day to record more than 500 videos and analyze more than 1.6 million data points. I spent a lot of time reading enough journals and research papers to help support my background in this research and prepare for presentations at competitions. 

2.     Who do you consider to be a mentor and why?

I consider my parents and my brother as my mentors. They all are the ones who continue to give me advice and guide me to the right direction when I make decisions. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for them.

3. What are your favorite activities outside of school?

Outside of school, I enjoy listening to music a lot, dancing, piano, and I personally love watching videos on animals. 

4. Has religion played a role in your success or your life? If so, how?

Religion has played a big role in my life and success. Every-time I am about to do something important, I always pray to God before-hand. I always make sure to put my faith and trust in God and do my best in everything I do.

5. Many people feel that a young achiever is made of a sheer spark and plenty of luck. How much of a role did hard work make in your pursuit? Is there a mantra that you would like to share with other young aspirants?

Hard work and passion carried all of the success I’ve received so far. I think it’s very important to pursue what drives you the most in life and work as best as possible in it. Even if it may seem endless at times, it’s all worth it in the end. 

Before I do anything important, I always chant 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, three times.

6. International fame at an early age when most cannot taste it all their life. What does it mean to you?

It means the world to me that so many people are interested in the work and research I did. I’m always grateful for the support I get from the people around me and use it as a drive to continue working hard to meet my dreams.

7. The final moments (Competition), can you recount them for us?

It was very nerve-wracking. I was constantly telling myself that no matter what happens, I would be proud of myself for working very hard, and I’m grateful for all the support I got on that day.

8. After this, there must be larger goals and greater heights to be scaled. What can we expect next?

I am currently working on my next project on Alzheimer’s disease at Mayo Clinic. I hope to see if I can find possible genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease. I am focusing on my current work in my hands and only god knows what the outcome will be.  

9. Which field you are planning to major in college and why

I am planning on going into the medical field and I plan on majoring in biology because I’ve always been interested in biology. I find it a very interesting part of the scientific field and I’ve always loved the genetics unit.

10. What relevance does being Indian American have to you? Has it given you an edge?

Being Indian American hasn’t given me an edge, actually it was the other way around. I felt like I had to work extra hard to break certain barriers in America. 

11. Beneath all of this, who is the real you ?

I’m just a little girl from Florida pursuing her passion in science, but that’s not all of who I am. In my free-time, if I have any, I love listening to music, dancing, playing the

piano, and volunteering at the Humane Society to comfort and take care of abandoned animals.

12. You cannot deny that fame comes with this achievement. You are now being searched on 

Google, being interviewed, and have become a role model. Has it changed who you are?

It hasn’t changed who I am as a person, but it has driven me to work even harder. Other people have higher expectations from me, but I still am and always will be a music and animal lover.

13. If you could have breakfast with anyone, who would it be and why?

If I could have breakfast with anyone, it would be with my favorite music group, BTS. They continue to inspire me to work harder everyday and I listen to their music constantly when I have time. I think they would be fun people to eat breakfast with!

14. What is your favorite quote? 

My favorite quote is from Namjoon from BTS: “No one is born ugly; we’re just born in a judgmental society.”

15. Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why? 

Right now, the CoronaVirus pandemic is very close to my heart. It breaks my heart to see the heartbreaking numbers on the news every day and I wish I could do more to help. My heart goes out to everyone during these difficult times.

Favorite Indian Leader: Mahatma Gandhi

Favorite Non- Indian Leader: Martin Luther King Jr.

Favorite Indian Book: Devdas by Sarat Chatterjee

Favorite Non-Indian Book: Wonder by R.J Palacio

Favorite Indian Movie: Lagaan

Favorite Non-Indian Movie: Lion King

Favorite Sports Team: US Women’s Soccer Team

Kristi Biswas

Paxon School of Advanced Studies

Florida State Science and Engineering fair

high school competition

Alzheimer’s disease at Mayo Clinic

majoring in biology

Favorite Indian Leader

Mahatma Gandhi

Favorite Non- Indian Leader

Martin Luther King Jr.

Favorite Indian Book

Devdas by Sarat Chatterjee

Favorite Non-Indian Book

Wonder by R.J Palacio

Favorite Indian Movie

Lagaan

Favorite Non-Indian Movie

Lion King

Favorite Sports Team US Women’s Soccer Team

The current global crisis is multilayered. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession, and global warming are compounded by the void of political and moral leadership. Faced with the present crisis, what would Gandhi do?

His solutions would have some common features. First, he would not merely preach, he would act and practice himself. That is why he could make that audacious statement: “my life is my message.” We cannot. Second, he would begin action locally, not chase the world to change it. He was known to be able to see the Earth in a grain of sand. Third, he would begin with actions that initially looked small and silly. Picking a fistful of salt, for example, that eventually changed history.

This thought experiment, as to what Gandhi would do, yields a nine-point action programme.

Freedom from fear: we are gripped more by the virus of fear than by the coronavirus, and this fear pandemic has paralysed the whole world. Gandhi would ask us to first shed this fear, as he asked the Indians to shed the fear of the British. The fear, being unreal, would begin to melt away.

Care of the sick

Caring for the sick was his natural instinct, expressed on innumerable occasions, from the Boer War, World War I, and during the epidemics in India, to his nursing of the sick in ashrams, including the leprosy patient, the late Parchure Shastri. Hundreds of people sick with COVID-19 need physical care, nursing, and medical care. Gandhi, without fear, would personally nurse them. He would be fastidious about hygiene, cleaning, hand washing, and mask use. Since medical science does not have a single proven effective treatment for COVID-19 anyway, Gandhi’s use of the so-called Nature Cure, letting the body recover with nature’s healing power, would make sense in most cases.

Many patients with other illnesses who also need medical care are being unattended because COVID-19 has crowded them out. The medical industry’s supply of health care has proven inadequate. Gandhi’s emphasis on healthy lifestyle, empowerment for self care, and care in the community would make perfect sense.

New Dandi March

His talisman to guide us to our duty—the most helpless and wretched human being that you ever saw—is amazing. It is quick and intuitive. It is specific to you. That one person, the symbol of the whole humanity, is your duty. Who would be Gandhi’s talisman today?

The displaced urban labourers, hungry and humiliated, walking towards the villages they once left but dying on their way, would unquestionably be his talisman. Gandhi knows enough about their misery from his final days spent among the millions of displaced victims of the partition of India. How we continue to generate similar tragedies! Shunning the limelight of Delhi, Gandhi would rush to them. He would arrange for food, shelter, and medicines, but most importantly, he would help preserve their dignity and hope. Finally, he would join the walking bands of displaced labourers as a symbol of unity with them and protest against the government apathy and irresponsibility. That would be his New Dandi March.

Inter-faith and social unity

This was the last but incomplete cause of Gandhi’s life. He was deeply wounded by how Hindus and Muslims turned against each other with hatred and violence, leading to the partition of India. When severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was knocking on India’s doors, some leaders were busy stoking communal hatred. They then blamed one religious sect for the spread of the infection. This communal division would be the foremost cause for Gandhi. He would try to unite Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Untouchables, and Tribals by living with them in their colonies, serving the sick among them, and sending them as volunteers to serve in each other’s areas, even if such efforts to unite would risk his second assassination.

My neighbourhood is my responsibility

Fear of SARS-CoV-2 and the strict lockdown have forced people to shut their doors and shut the contact with neighbours. Gandhi would not approve this. He would say, “I am responsible for my neighbours. That is my Swa-dharma, my duty—to love and serve them—especially in this hour. How can there be a neighbourhood without contact, and a community without neighbourhood?” I suspect Gandhi would even go to the extent of launching a Satyagraha or civil disobedience by challenging the ghettos created by lockdown. It takes Gandhi to take such a moral position. And when he does that, the veil is suddenly removed; one then sees clearly the depth of alienation the pandemic and fear have led us to. They have made everyone an Untouchable!

Himalayan blunder

He would be truthful, ready to accept his mistakes. He had the courage to admit that he committed a Himalayan blunder in launching a national movement against the British in 1920, believing that India was ready to practice nonviolence. India was not. It was entirely his error of judgement, he said. He owned it and withdrew the national movement—even if it meant the whole world turned away from him.

Faced with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global and national leadership has committed several blunders and changed the goalposts repeatedly, from no infection, to containment, to increasing the doubling time, to the present—learning to live with SARS-CoV-2. Without knowledge about a new disease the errors of judgement are natural, but where is the honest admission of failure of the chosen strategy? Today, it is missing. Gandhi would do that. And, surprisingly, that would make people trust him even more.

Gram-Swaraj, the economy of small scale

In the past 12 years, from the recession of 2008 to the economic crisis of 2020, we have seen that a globalised economy is too fragile. It crumbles in the face of local tremors like the real estate scam in the USA or the emergence of a new virus in Wuhan. Gandhi would remind us of the humaneness and stability of local production, local consumption, and local community of relationships. He called it Gram-Swaraj. Such change in economy would invariably be accompanied by the decentralisation of political power. Globalisation has produced authoritarian political leaders everywhere. For Gandhi, the true democracy, responsibility, and relationship can be better practised locally.

There is enough on this Earth

“What about our needs?” Some modern consumers of the giant global production system would ask. Gandhi would explain that this unlimited desire to consume, the insatiable demand for the 24 h titillation and sensory pleasures, is not a need but an artificial, unnatural habit implanted in the mind. How many of these are true needs? Gandhi would say that there is enough on this Earth for everybody’s need, but not for greed. The ability to discriminate between need and greed, the ability to provide for everybody’s need, but the self control and socioeconomic design to minimise the greed—this is what Gandhi would lead us to.

If we would limit our greed, excessive production, unnecessary consumption, hedonistic travel, and mad transport, the smoke and dust would start clearing. Life would become peaceful. Skies and rivers would turn clean and blue. We would realise that we can happily live without several excesses of modern society. We have seen glimpses of this in the past 2 months, while the world has stood still.

And lo and behold. Global warming would start receding!

Prayer

The final act he would advise us is prayer. At the end of each day, after we have made our best efforts and completely exhausted our options and energy, sit quietly, reflect, and submit yourself. Submit to whom? That is your choice. Submit to God, to Life, to Nature, to Truth, to History. Submit and surrender. You have done all you could. Now do not continue to carry the burden on your back. That will make you a donkey. Realise the tininess of your efforts in this infinite cosmos. Now leave it to Him. They will be done. Insha-Allah. Hay Ram—his last words when the bullets hit him.

We should not be waiting for Gandhi. We should be acting on what he would have done.

About the Author

Dr. Abhay Bang was raised in Gandhi ji’s Sevagram Ashram. Inspired by the life of the Mahatma, he was driven by the idea of serving the people of rural India at a very young age. After completing a post-graduation degree as MD in Medicine, he along with his wife Dr. Rani, desired to engage in impactful public health service and research in Indian villages. This led them to attend Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Upon their return, they decided that research is to be conducted where the problems are, and not where the facilities are. In their joint quest to find effective ways of solving the biggest healthcare challenges in the community, they realised the power of community based research.

Dr. Abhay Bang is the Chairman of the Expert Committee for Tribal Health, appointed by the Government of India to frame the first Tribal Health Policy and recommend the design of Tribal Healthcare in the country. He is Advisor to the state level task force that has been constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, to effectively implement the ban on alcohol and tobacco, and create awareness. He is also a member of the Central Health Council, the apex body of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

COVID-19 pandemic, Mahatma Gandhi

Boer War

World War I

nine-point action programme

hygiene, cleaning

hand washing, New Dandi March

social unity, SARS-CoV-2

Satyagraha

Himalayan blunder

socioeconomic design

current global crisis

Dr. Abhay Bang

healthy lifestyle empowerment

Gandhi ji’s Sevagram Ashram

A 61 year old man, 91 years ago, walked 241 miles in 25 days, which included three rest days, at a pace of nearly 11 miles per day. That man is not other than our own Mahatma Gandhi ji and that walk was called the Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March and the Dandi Satyagraha.

Last month we celebrated the 91st anniversary of that Historic Dandi March that shook the entire British Raj. Gandhi ji began his Dandi March on March 12, 1930, from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, Gujarat and arrived in Dandi, Gujarat, on April 5, 1930, and broke the oppressive British Salt Law.

Gandhi ji began the Dandi March with 78 of his trusted volunteers. Growing numbers of Indians joined them along the way. When Gandhi broke British Raj salt laws at 6:30 am on April 6, 1930, it sparked large scale acts of civil disobedience against the salt laws by millions of Indians.

On April 6, 1930 morning, after a prayer, Gandhi raised a lump of salty mud and declared, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.”  Fifteen grams of salt were distilled from the fistfull of saline mud Bapu picked at Dandi beach. This act to produce illegal salt was repeated by thousands and thousands of men and women all over India. This led to the arrest of an estimated 100,000 Indian men and women who participated for the first time in mass public demonstrations. It shook the foundations of the great British empire. Every grain counted, so did every step, every mile, every day on the march.

After making the salt by evaporation at Dandi, Gandhi continued southward along the coast, making salt and addressing meetings on the way. Around midnight on May 4, 1930, as Gandhi was sleeping, the District Magistrate of Surat drove up with two Indian officers and thirty heavily armed constables. He was arrested and held without trial near Poona.

Following Gandhi’s arrest and imprisonment, the nonviolent demonstration continued under the leadership of Sarojini Naidu, a woman poet and freedom fighter, who warned the satyagrahis, “You must not use any violence under any circumstances. You will be beaten, but you must not resist: you must not even raise a hand to ward off blows.”

Thousands of satyagrahis joined Sarojini Naidu. The British soldiers clubbed these satyagrahis with lathis. United Press correspondent Webb Miller reported:

Not one of the marchers even raised an arm to fend off the blows. They went down like ten-pins. From where I stood I heard the sickening whacks of the clubs on unprotected skulls. The waiting crowd of watchers groaned and sucked in their breaths in sympathetic pain at every blow. Those struck down fell sprawling, unconscious or writhing in pain with fractured skulls or broken shoulders. In two or three minutes the ground was quilted with bodies. Great patches of blood widened on their white clothes. The survivors without breaking ranks silently and doggedly marched on until struck down … Finally the police became enraged by the non-resistance … They commenced savagely kicking the seated men in the abdomen and testicles. The injured men writhed and squealed in agony, which seemed to inflame the fury of the police … The police then began dragging the sitting men by the arms or feet, sometimes for a hundred yards, and throwing them into ditches.

Miller’s reporting in international news media moved many around the world to sympathize with the Indian cause. Gandhi was finally released from prison and the Salt Satyagraha ended on March 4, 1931, with the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin pact and an invitation for Gandhi to attend Round Table talks in London to discuss the possibility of Indian independence.

The Eve of the Historic Dandi March

On March 11, 1930, the eve of the historic Dandi March, more than 10,000 Gandhi followers were gathered at the evening prayer held at Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad. At the end, Gandhiji delivered a memorable speech on the eve of his historic march:

In all probability this will be my last speech to you. Even if the Government allows me to march tomorrow morning, this will be my last speech on the sacred banks of the Sabarmati. Possibly these may be the last words of my life here.

I have already told you yesterday what I had to say. Today I shall confine myself to what you should do after my companions and I are arrested. The programme of the march to Jalalpur must be fulfilled as originally settled. The enlistment of the volunteers for this purpose should be confined to Gujarat only. From what I have been and heard during the last fortnight, I am inclined to believe that the stream of civil resisters will flow unbroken.

But let there be not a semblance of breach of peace even after all of us have been arrested. We have resolved to utilize all our resources in the pursuit of an exclusively nonviolent struggle. Let no one commit a wrong in anger. This is my hope and prayer. I wish these words of mine reached every nook and corner of the land. My task shall be done if I perish and so do my comrades. It will then be for the Working Committee of the Congress to show you the way and it will be up to you to follow its lead. So long as I have reached Jalalpur, let nothing be done in contravention to the authority vested

in me by the Congress. But once I am arrested, the whole responsibility shifts to the Congress. No one who believes in non-violence, as a creed, needs, therefore, sit still. My compact with the Congress ends as soon as I am arrested. In that case volunteers. Wherever possible, civil disobedience of salt should be started. These laws can be violated in three ways. It is an offence to manufacture salt wherever there are facilities for doing so. The possession and sale of contraband salt, which includes natural salt or salt earth, is also an offence. The purchasers of such salt will be equally guilty. To carry away the natural salt deposits on the seashore is likewise violation of law. So is the hawking of such salt. In short, you may  choose any one or all of these devices to break the salt monopoly.

We are, however, not to be content with this alone. There is no ban by the Congress and wherever the local workers have self-confidence other suitable measures may be adopted. I stress only one condition, namely, let our pledge of truth and nonviolence as the only means for the attainment of Swaraj be faithfully kept. For the rest, everyone has a free hand. But, then does not give a license to all and sundry to carry on their own responsibility. Wherever there are local leaders, their orders should be obeyed by the people. Where there are no leaders and only a handful of men have faith in the programme, they may do what they can, if they have enough self-confidence. They have a right, nay it is their duty, to do so. The history of the is full of instances of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery and tenacity. We too, if we sincerely aspire to Swaraj and are impatient to attain it, should have similar self-confidence. Our ranks will swell and our hearts strengthen, as the number of our arrests by the Government increases.

Much can be done in many other ways besides these. The Liquor and foreign cloth shops can be picketed. We can refuse to pay taxes if we have the requisite strength. The lawyers can give up practice. The public can boycott the law courts by refraining from litigation. Government servants can resign their posts. In the midst of the despair reigning all round people quake with fear of losing employment. Such men are unfit for Swaraj. But why this despair? The number of Government servants in the country does not exceed a few hundred thousands. What about the rest? Where are they to go? Even free India will not be able to accommodate a greater number of public servants. A Collector then will not need the number of servants, he has got today. He will be his own servant. Our starving millions can by no means afford this enormous expenditure. If, therefore, we are sensible enough, let us bid good-bye to Government employment, no matter if it is the post of a judge or a peon. Let all who are cooperating with the Government in one way or another, be it by paying taxes, keeping titles, or sending children to official schools, etc. withdraw their co-operation in all or as many watts as possible. Then there are women who can stand shoulder to shoulder with men in this struggle.

You may take it as my will. It was the message that I desired to impart to you before starting on the march or for the jail. I wish that there should be no suspension or abandonment of the war that commences tomorrow morning or earlier, if I am arrested before that time. I shall eagerly await the news that ten batches are ready as soon as my batch is arrested. I believe there are men in India to complete the work begun by me. I have faith in the righteousness of our cause and the purity of our weapons. And where the means are clean, there God is undoubtedly present with His blessings. And where these three combine, their defeat is an impossibility. A Satyagrahi, whether free or incarcerated, is ever victorious. He is vanquished only, when he forsakes truth and nonviolence and turns a deaf ear to the inner voice. If, therefore, there is such a thing as defeat for even a Satyagrahi, he alone is the cause of it. God bless you all and keep off all obstacles from the path in the struggle that begins tomorrow.

Mahatma Gandhi ji

Salt March

Salt Satyagraha

Dandi March

Dandi Satyagraha

United Press correspondent Webb Miller

Sarojini Naidu

Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad

The daughter of immigrants and civil rights activists, Vice President Kamala Harris was raised in a California community that cared deeply about social justice. As she rose to prominence as a political leader, her experiences would become her guiding light as she grappled with an array of complex issues and learned to bring a voice to the voiceless.

Now, in The Truths We Hold, Harris reckons with the big challenges we face together. Drawing on the hard-won wisdom and insight from her own career and the work of those who have most inspired her, she communicates a vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values as we confront the great work of our day.

Vice President Kamala Harris on her Indian family and Indian American identity (excerpts from The Truths We Hold)

“My mother had been raised in a household where political activism and civic leadership came naturally. Her mother, my grandmother, Rajam Gopalan, had never attended high school, but she was a skilled community organizer. She would take in women who were being abused by their husbands, and then she’d call the husbands and tell them they’d better shape up or she would take care of them. She used to gather village women together, educating them about contraception. My grandfather P. V. Gopalan had been part of the movement to win India’s independence. Eventually, as a senior diplomat in the Indian government, he and my grandmother had spent time living in Zambia after it gained independence, helping to settle refugees. He used to joke that my grandmother’s activism would get him in trouble one day. But he knew that was never going to stop her. From them, my mother learned that it was service to others that gave life purpose and meaning. And from my mother, Maya and I learned the same.”

********

“My mother was expected to return to India after she completed her degree. Her parents had an arranged marriage. It was assumed my mother would follow a similar path. But fate had other plans. She and my father met and fell in love at Berkeley while participating in the civil rights movement. Her marriage–and her decision to stay in the United States–were the ultimate acts of self determination and love.”  

********

“They lived many thousands of miles away, and we rarely saw one another. Still, through many long-distance calls, our periodic trips to India, and letters and cards written back and forth, our sense of family–of closeness and comfort and trust–was able to penetrate the distance. It’s how I first really learned that you can have very close relationships with people, even if it’s not on a daily basis. We were always there for one another, regardless of what form that would take.”  

********

“My mother, grandparents, aunts, and uncle instilled us with pride in our South Asian roots. Our classical Indian names harked back to our heritage, and we were raised with a strong awareness of and appreciation for Indian culture. All of my mother’s words of affection or frustration came out in her mother tongue–which seems fitting to me, since the purity of those emotions is what I associate with my mother most of all.”  

********

“My mother inherited my grandmother’s strength and courage, People who knew them knew not to mess with either. And from both of my grandparents, my mother developed a keen political consciousness. She was conscious of history, conscious of struggle, conscious of inequities. She was born with a sense of justice imprinted on her soul.”

********

“My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women.”

Vice President Kamala Harris

Indian family

Rajam Gopalan

Grandfather P. V. Gopalan

Political leader

“Be the servant while leading. Be unselfish. Have infinite patience, and success is yours.”
― Swami Vivekananda

Padma, the Sanskrit name for lotus, carries great significance in Indian culture and heritage. The Padma, or lotus, emerges from muddy water and blooms into an exquisite flower. The emergence of brilliance and beauty out of the darkness signifies enlightenment and the act of overcoming all hindrances and miseries. Born in muddy waters, the lotus achieves the bliss of fulfilment, making it ideal as the national flower of India.

In the spirit of brilliance overcoming darkness, the Government of India confers the Padma Awards every year to remarkable achievers in different categories and is the second-highest civilian award after the Bharat Ratna. The awards are made up of three categories, with the highest being the Padma Vibhushan followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

Every year, the President of India announces the names of the awardees on the eve of Republic Day. The awardees are recommended by a special Padma Awards Committee formed by the Prime Minister of India. This tradition began in 1954, and years later, in 2021, 119 persons were given this esteemed award.

The tradition of acknowledging excellence and achievement has now crossed the boundaries of India. In 2003, the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, initiated the custom of recognizing non-resident Indians for their outstanding contribution in different categories. Known as the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Awards in Honor of non-resident Indians), this award is given by the President of India as a part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9 every year. This year, 30 such achievers were honored with the award.

This year’s Padma awardees and Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardees from the United States are highlighted in this issue. Desh Videsh Media Group congratulates these incredible individuals who have crossed borders, but remained true to their roots. Living thousands of miles away from India, they work sincerely and persistently in elevating the Indian culture and heritage as a global citizen. 

Dr. Arvind Phukan

Dr. Arvind Phukan: Recognized for his contribution in Environment Technology, Dr. Phukan is the epitome of one determined to help the distressed. A civil engineer by profession, Dr. Phukan began his academic journey in his homeland Assam, the land of the mighty Brahmaputra.

He was a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Alaska. In his own words, his “journey from Assam to Alaska” gave him academic excellence, a rich teaching experience, and prestige. Still, deep in his heart, he had the desire to uplift the life of those less fortunate. 

His constant quest to do something more for his motherland encouraged him to establish his NGO Core Professional Group for the Brahmaputra (CPGB) in Guwahati, Assam, in 2010. The main objective was to find sustainable and technically sound solutions to the deadly flood and riverbank erosion of the Brahmaputra.

Nilu Gupta

Nilu Gupta: Professor Nilu Gupta has been recognized for promoting Indian culture. Educated at Delhi University, Gupta is a Professor of Hindi at De Anza College in California. As an educator, she helps underprivileged Indian children to get educated.

She founded the nonprofit organization Upma to educate poor children in remote rural areas of India and give them the real gift of childhood. Upma has already sponsored more than 600 children’s education along with 10 schools and 10 daycare centers. 

She is also a patron of the Akhil Vishwa Hindi Jyoti in California. This organization is committed to the spreading Hindi and Urdu literature. The organization gives a platform to the talented writers and poets from all countries to showcase their talents.

This unique combination of charity in the homeland and promotion of Indian culture worldwide has made Gupta a truly deserving candidate for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda: Originally from Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda has a long career of more than four decades as a board-certified Gastroenterologist and Transplant Hepatologist at Coffee Regional Medical Centre, Douglas, Georgia. Popularly known as Dr. S Jonna in local circles, he took over as the President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in July 2000.

He graduated from Ranga Raya Medical College in 1980 and is a former Assistant Professor of the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Jonnalagadda is not only an eminent physician, but he also made contributions in fighting the Covid pandemic as the President of AAPI. He works tirelessly for delivering the best possible healthcare and protecting the interests of the Indian American doctors. He is sincerely committed to serving the needy persons which according to him gives great satisfaction in life. His service and the great contributions towards humanity makes all the Indians and the fraternity of physicians proud.

Dr Mukesh Aghi

Dr Mukesh Aghi: A truly global man, Dr. Aghi is President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), and he works relentlessly to improve Indo-US trade relations and make trade more effective for both countries.

Dr. Aghi holds an MBA degree from Andrews University, a Doctorate in International Relations from Claremont Graduate School, and an Advanced Management Diploma from Harvard Business School. He is an expert in global corporate strategies.

Dr. Aghi was the chief executive and member of the Board at Larsen & Toubro Infotech Limited. He held the position of chairman and CEO of the Asia Pacific region in Steria, Inc. (India). He was the founding CEO of Universitas 21 Global, the world’s largest group of research-based universities and leading platform for online postgraduate education. He also worked as the president of IBM India.

Dr. Aghi is a member of the Indian Prime Minister’s IT Task Force. An enthusiast of marathons and mountaineering, Dr. Aghi traverses the boundaries of nations with his business acumen making him a worthy recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for Business.

Federation of Indian Associations New York, New Jersey & Connecticut: Serving the interests of the Indians living in the US and projecting the true image of India to the greater world for the last five decades, the Federation of Indian Associations NY, NJ & CT has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for community service in 2021.

One of the largest organizations for the Asian-Indian Community, FIA has the strong support of 500,000 Asian-Indians. They are dedicated towards community service as well as different philanthropic activities highlighting the true culture of unity in the diversities of India.

Their contribution and service during the COVID pandemic are praiseworthy. The organization was a frontrunner in serving meals at local hospitals and to the New York Police Department. Through leadership’s initiative, the Indian tricolour was hoisted at Times Square in New York for the first time on August 15, 2020. The organization also helped Indian students stranded due to the travel ban during COVID with arrangement for accommodation.

Indian culture and heritage

exquisite flower

the Padma Awards

Bharat Ratna

Padma Bhushan

Padma Shri

Ministry of External Affairs

Dr. Arvind Phukan

Nilu Gupta

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda

Dr Mukesh Aghi

By Tanvi Dubey

Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi’s evolution from a lawyer, to becoming the face of India’s non-violent struggle for independence as the Mahatma, has been written about at great length. In this journey of a man who is regarded as the father of the nation, an integral companion was his wife, Kasturba Gandhi.

Kasturba Gandhi’s name is often lost in the face of Gandhi’s leadership, but she was his pillar of support, the first individual who was a part of him like none other. If he could convince her to give up her notions of caste and untouchability, he could convince others of the same. She was perhaps the only person who could disagree with him and point out to him his mistakes. She was his companion, his wife, his caretaker and later in life his representative too.

Childhood and Marriage

Born in 1869, in Porbandar, Kasturba was the daughter of Gokuldas and Vrajkunwar and she had two brothers. A leading merchant, her father was dealing in grains and clothand cotton markets in Africa and the Middle East and at one time was the Mayor of Porbandar.

The family was close friends with the family of Karamchand, the father of Mohandas Gandhi. Karamchand was the Dewan of Porbandar and married to Putlibai. Both sets of parents cemented their friendship by marrying their children. The children were engaged at the age of 7, and the wedding was celebrated in 1882 when they were 13.

In the early years of his marriage, Gandhi’s attempts to control Kasturba bore no fruit.

Historian Vinay Lal writes, “Kasturba never acceded to her husband’s wishes easily, and Gandhi’s autobiography itself furnishes are remarkable testimony to her tenacity and independence of judgement, and the sharp disagreements she came to have with him when, in the first two decades of their marriage, he unreasonably sought to bring her under his control.”

Courage and Tenacity

For years and months, she lived away from Mohandas while he was in England. With a toddler or two in tow, she stayed away for long periods from Gandhi when he travelled especially to England and Africa. She could not read or write and so exchanging messages would have been a problem.

Aparna Basu writes, “She had great courage, both physical and moral as can be seen from the grave illnesses she suffered and overcame, the hardships of her early days in South Africa and during her imprisonment. In fact, she was a source of strength to her fellow women prisoners.”

She exhibited great courage when she was in South Africa. One one occasion helping Gandhi escape when a white mob was threatening him and took her sons with her and found shelter in another house. While in Phoenix, she lived alone in the wilderness and when Gandhi was away she would keep everyone in the settlement in good cheer.

According to Aparna, “She began to exert very gently and in a dignified manner her authority and won the respect and cooperation of everyone. Though uneducated, she maintained the accounts accurately. She was extremely self-disciplined and soon became everyone’s mother or Ba.”

Ba – the mother and the grandmother

She was a loving mother and grandmother and was very attached to her children and her grandchildren. On her deathbed, her moments of joy were when she had her children visit her.

Sushila Nayar, who spent many years with the family wrote about Ba,”If there was anybody with whom I felt at ease, it was Ba. She talked to me sweetly in her broken Hindustani and looked after my needs. With all her greatness she had a mother’s simple heart and her motherliness pervaded the atmosphere around her.”

The Satyagrahi

She was simple and gentle. And in her gentleness one can see the strength that came through. Over the years she kept pace with her husband and the different roles he was performing. She supported him in his quest for social, economic and political equality for Indians in India and before that in South Africa.

In fact as historians point out, she was among the first of the Satyagrahis, or nonviolent resisters, sent from Phoenix into the Transvaal to protest the decision of the South African government to declare all non- Christian marriages null and void.

In 1914 when Gandhi and Kasturba permanently returned to India, and Gandhi entered the Indian political scene in 1917, she became more of a political actor.

Gandhi in his own biography spoke about it, “According to my earlier experience, she was very obstinate. In spite of all my pressure she would do as she wished. This led to short or long periods of estrangement between us. But as my public life expanded, my wife bloomed forth and deliberately lost herself in my work.”

Her commitment to the freedom struggle was not just a part of the support she extended to Gandhi, but something she felt for deeply. Aparna Basu narrates:

“After his release, Gandhi was invited to Simla for talks with the Viceroy and Kasturba accompanied him. She was invited by Lady Willingdon to the Viceregal Lodge. This was the first time that a Vicereine had invited the wife of an Indian leader and Kasturba went accompanied by Anasuya Sarabhai who could act as an interpreter. When Lady Willingdon said that she would like some coarse hand spun khadi that Gandhi had popularised, Kasturba said that she would send her some. ‘I want to get in closer touch with the Indian people that way,’ said the Vicerine, ‘Could you send me something in mauve?’ ‘Certainly, I’ll send you lots of mauve. And by the way, I like your idea of getting in closer touch with the Indian people by sampling our homespun materials. You would also know them better if you lived down in the plains, where they dwell, instead of up here on these mountain heights’, said Kasturba.”

The Leader

When the Quit India movement began gaining ground, Gandhi was imprisoned before he could address a public meeting in Shivaji Park near Bombay. Gandhi wanted Kasturba to take his place. Sensing that the police would stop her and imprison her too, Aparna says, “She, therefore, dictated to Sushila Nayar her message for the public. ‘Gandhiji poured out his heart to you for two hours at the All India Congress Committee meeting last night. What can I add to that? All that remains for us is to live up to his ideals. The women of India have to prove their mettle. They should all join in this struggle, regardless of caste or creed. Truth and nonviolence must be our watchwords.’”

She was stopped on the way to the meeting, there were one lakh people in the park that day, and they went wild with enthusiasm when they saw her, but she was taken prisoner and sent to the Arthur Road Prison in Bombay. Kasturba said to Sushila, “I have a feeling I will not come out alive.”

The cell she was put in was dirty and she fell ill. After a few days she was removed to Aga Khan Palace in Poona where Gandhi was detained. This was to be her last prison sentence.

The Wife

As a wife, Kasturba’s sacrifice is commendable. She opened her house to the nation and the freedom struggle and supported her husband in his efforts. It would never have been easy on her. She fasted when he was in prison, gave up on things she liked – good food, her religious beliefs and even her jewelry. Most importantly she did not object to his vow of brahmacharya.

Though she was a dedicated wife, she was far from submissive. She could hold her own and did make herself heard even if it was Gandhi at the receiving end.

“Kasturba’s handwriting was like that of a little child. She wrote each letter of the alphabet separately and the spacing between the letters was irregular. Gandhi tried to improve this and advised her to practice writing. Everyone had asked for a notebook and Kasturba also asked for one. Gandhi gave her a loose sheaf of papers and told her that she could have a notebook when her writing improved. She was deeply hurt. Sarojini Naidu sent for a notebook and Sushila took it to Kasturba who refused to take it and quietly went and kept it among Gandhi’s books. Everyone, including Gandhi who realized his mistake, tried to persuade her to write in the notebook but she replied in a dignified manner, “What do I need a notebook for?”

The End

On the evening of 22nd February 1944, she breathed her last at the Aga Khan Palace Detention Camp on Bapu’s lap and was cremated in the compound of the Detention Camp on 23rd February 1944.

Her husband sat watching the funeral pyre till the end and when asked by someone to go rest, he remarked, “This is the final parting, the end of 62 years of shared life. Let me stay here till the cremation is over! That evening, after the prayer he remarked, “I cannot imagine life without Ba.”

Gandhi wrote that Kasturba was not behind him in any respect. “If anything she stood above me. But for her unfailing co-operation I might have been in the abyss … She helped me to keep wide awake and true to my vows. She stood by me in all my political fights and never hesitated to take the plunge. In the current sense of the word, she was uneducated; but to my mind she was a model of true education. She was a devoted Vaishnav. But she had obliterated all feeling of caste from her mind and regarded a Harijan girl with no less affection than her own children. She personified the Kasturba Gandhi ideal of which Narsimha Mehta has sung in Vaishnava Jana hymn. There were occasions when I was engaged in a grim wrestle with death. During my Aga Khan Palace fast, I literally came out of the death’s jaws. But she shed not a tear, never lost hope or courage but prayed to God with all her soul.”

Sarojini Naidu described her as “The living symbol of Indian womanhood. Never once did her feet falter or her heart quail on the steep path of perpetual sacrifice, which was her portion in the wake of the great man whom she loved and served and followed with such surpassing courage, faith and devotion. She has passed from mortality to immortality and taken her rightful place in the valiant assembly of the beloved heroines of India’s legend, history and song.”

mohan das karamchand gandhi

mahatma,kasturba gandhi

mayor of porbandar

dewan of porbandar

gandhiji’s mother putlibai

gandhi’s autobiography

historian vinay lal

aparna basu

lady willingdon

viceregal lodge

shivaji park bombay

kasturba’s sacrifice

aga khan palace detention camp

Apart from Vice-President Kamala Harris, the elite team will include others of Indian descent in key positions, although several of these nominations will have to be ratified by the US Congress to take office.

*INDIAN AMERICANS IN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION*
*some pending senate confirmation*

Neera Tanden

Neera Tanden, Office of Management and Budget: Tanden was president of the Progressive Center for American Progress think tank that helped develop Obamacare.

Vice Admiral Vivek Murth

Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General: Dr. Murthy was Surgeon General of the US under the Obama administration.

Vanita Gupta

Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice: Gupta is the CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights civil rights coalition.

Uzra Zeya

Uzra Zeya, Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights: Zeya was CEO of The Alliance for Peacebuilding, to end violence and conflict in different countries.

Mala Adiga

Mala Adiga, Policy Director, Jill Biden: Adiga was the director for Higher Education and Military Families for the Biden Foundation.

Garima Verma

Garima Verma, Digital Director, Office of the First Lady: Verma was audience development and content strategist on the Biden-Harris campaign.

Sabrina Singh

Sabrina Singh, First Lady’s Deputy Press Secretary: Singh was Press Secretary for VP Kamala Harris during the Biden-Harris campaign.

Aisha Shah

Aisha Shah, Partnership Manager, White House Office of Digital Strategy: Shah is an advancement specialist for the Smithsonian Institution.

Sameera Fazili

Sameera Fazili, Deputy Director for The US National Economic Council (NEC): Fazili was posted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as the director of engagement for community and economic development.

Bharat Ramamurti

Bharat Ramamurti, Deputy Director, White House NEC: Ramamurti is a distinguished alumnus of Harvard College and Yale School of Law.

Gautam Raghavan

Gautam Raghavan, Deputy Director, Office of Presidential Personnel: Raghavan served as the associate director of the Office of Public Liaison in the Obama administration.

Vinay Reddy

Vinay Reddy, Director of Speech Writing: Reddy was chief speechwriter for Biden during his second term as Vice President during the Obama presidency.

Vedant Patel

Vedant Patel, Assistant Press Secretary to the President: Patel was regional communications director during the Biden-Harris campaign.

Sonia Aggarwal

Sonia Aggarwal, Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation (Office of the Domestic Climate Policy): Aggarwal is an expert on energy and climate change.

Vidur Sharma

Vidur Sharma, Policy Advisor for Testing, Covid-19 Response Team: Sharma was health policy advisor on the Domestic Policy Council during the Obama administration.

The National Security Council:

Tarun Chhabra

Tarun Chhabra, Senior Director for Technology and National Security: Chhabra, an alumnus of Oxford, Harvard and Stanford University, has worked in various capacities in the White House.

Sumona Guha

Sumona Guha, Senior Director for South Asia: Guha co-chaired the South Asia foreign policy working group on the Biden-Harris campaign.

Shanthi Kalathil

Shanthi Kalathil, Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights: Kalathil is senior director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Office of the White House Counsel:

Neha Gupta

Neha Gupta, Associate Counsel: Gupta served in the Office of the General Counsel during the transition of the incoming administration.

Reema shah

Reema Shah, Deputy Associate Counsel: Shah was part of Biden’s debate preparation team. 

Neera Tanden

Dr. Vivek Murthy

US Surgeon General: Vanita Gupta

Associate Attorney General

Mala Adiga

Policy Director

Jill Biden

Garima Verma

Digital Director

Sabrina Singh

Deputy Press Secretary Aisha Shah

White House Office of Digital Strategy Sameera Fazili

Deputy Director for The US National Economic Council Bharat Ramamurti

White House NEC Gautam Raghavan

Office of Presidential Personnel

Vinay Reddy

Director of Speech Writing

Vedant Patel

Sonia Aggarwal

Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation

Vidur Sharma

Policy Advisor for Testing