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Indian American Communities in Indiana

1998-1999

21 interviews



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Indian American Communities in Indiana provides a sampling of Indian American voices, most of whom were born in India and now reside in the United States. Among the topics discussed are maintaining Indian cultural values in an American context, religious beliefs and practices, imparting Indian traditions and values to children born to Indian parents but are growing up in the United States, differences between Indian born and American born Indian Americans, educational and career choices, politics of India and America, current events, Indian community associations, and cultural differences between India and America.

Interviewees

Ahuja, Girdhar

Anonymous

Anonymous

Anonymous; Anonymous

Basu, Abhijit

Basu, Ilora

Gidda, Jaswant

Kalhan, Behroz

Kalsi, Swadesh

Kulkarni, Kishor M.

Mehta, Rajah

Nagarajan, R. Nag

Pai, Kavitha

Patel, Vimal

Popkin, Prema

Shah, Nalin

Sikand, Sarabjit "Beenu"

Singh, Jai Pal

Singh, Kanwal Prakesh

Thiagarajan, Thayammal "Lucy"

Vittal, Baily


Interviewee: Ahuja, Girdhar
Call number: 98-016
Date(s) of Interview: October 12, 1998
Physical Description: 36 pp.; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 130 minutes; index; interviewee's business card
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Nordstrom, Justin

Dr. Girdhar Ahuja, a neonatologist in Indianapolis, Indiana, was born in Sidh, India, a region now located in Pakistan. He was educated in Punjab, India, and continued his medical degree in Scotland. After getting married, he and his wife decided to move to the United States, where he studied neonatology in Louisville, Kentucky, then an emerging field. After a few years of residency, Dr. Ahuja moved to Indianapolis and has remained ever since. He discusses the differences of living and working in India and America, and advantages in the medical profession that are present in America, which factored into his decision to remain in the U.S. long term. He speaks of the ways he has retained his close family ties by frequent communication and visits to India. He speaks of his involvement in the India Association of Indianapolis and its importance in maintaining ties to Indian values and traditions while living in America.

Keywords

Corporation Names

India Association of Indianapolis

Place Names

Indianapolis, Indiana

Louisville, Kentucky

Rajasthan, India

Scotland

Occupation Names

neonatologist

Subjects

1947 Partition

Indian medical profession

Sidhi culture

international travel

joint families

marriage customs

medical profession

medical school

naturalization

neonatology

philanthropy

racial discrimination

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Interviewee: Anonymous
Call number: 98-019
Date(s) of Interview: October 23, 1998
Physical Description: 19 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 50 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Restricted: Interviewee to remain anonymous
Interviewer: Nordstrom, Justin

Anonymous was born in Punjab, India and moved to the United States at the age of 10 to join his father, who had gotten a job in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he still resides today. Anonymous went to Indiana University as an undergraduate and currently runs his own insurance business. Anonymous speaks of his decision to return to India to marry, because he feels it has kept him more in touch with Indian culture. He also talks about Sikhism, and its importance in his life. Anonymous describes the types of activities he participates in within the Indian community, which helps remind him of his Indian heritage.

Keywords

Place Names

Indianapolis, Indiana

Lucknow, India

Punjab, India

Occupation Names

insurance agent

Subjects

Gurudwara

Hindu-Muslim conflict

Indian community associations

Sikhism

marriage customs

naturalization

racial discrimination

sportscasting

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Interviewee: Anonymous
Call number: 98-021
Date(s) of Interview: November 10, 1998
Physical Description: 24 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Restricted: Interviewee wishes to remain anonymous.
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Anonymous was born and raised in Baroda, India. After earning an undergraduate degree in India, he decided to come to America for further study. He attended several different universities and became interested in pharmaceutical research. He decided to remain in America because of the greater research opportunities available. Anonymous eventually got a position at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana and has remained in the city, although he left Lilly to start his own company that manufactures medical testing supplies. Anonymous met his wife while studying in America, who was an Indian also studying in America, and they had an Indian wedding ceremony in the United States. Anonymous discusses the importance of maintaining Indian customs and values in the United States even though he identifies himself as an American.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Eli Lilly and Company

Gita Mandala

Indian Community Center

National Institutes of Health

University of Michigan

Personal Names

Lugar, Richard G.

Pauling, Linus C.

Place Names

Baroda, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Occupation Names

business owner

medical researcher

Subjects

Hinduism

Indian community associations

Indian weddings

Vietnam War

citizenship

joint families

medical research

multilingualism

naturalization

pharmaceutical research

vegetarianism

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Interviewee: Anonymous; Anonymous
Call number: 99-006
Date(s) of Interview: October 27, 1999
Physical Description: 30 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Anonymous and Anonymous, both raised in Indianapolis, talk about growing up as Indian-Americans. They do not feel they were exposed to much Indian culture as children, beyond attending events sponsored by the India Association of Indianapolis. They talk about the experience of being a minority in Indiana, their travels to India, and their growing interest in Indian culture as they grow older.

Keywords

Corporation Names

India Association of Indianapolis

University of Michigan

Vincennes University

Place Names

Indianapolis, Indiana

Vincennes, Indiana

Subjects

Bhagavad Gita

Hinduism

Tamil language

aviation

dating customs

international travel

racial discrimination

religious beliefs

religious pilgrimage

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Interviewee: Basu, Abhijit
Call number: 98-014
Date(s) of Interview: September 3, 1998
Physical Description: 30 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index; interviewee's resumé
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Nordstrum, Justin

Abhijit Basu, born and raised in Calcutta, India, is a geology professor at Indiana University and currently lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife and mother-in-law. Prof. Basu was educated in Calcutta and worked for the Geological Survey of India for several years before coming to the United States for the first time to earn a PhD at Indiana University. He returned to his position at the Geological Survey of India, but quickly became frustrated and unhappy, and so moved back to the United States with his wife and son, eventually obtaining a professorship at Indiana University. Prof. Basu discusses the ways he has kept in touch with friends and family in India and his Indian heritage while living in America. He talks about the differences of living and working in India and America. He also speaks of conservative and liberal ideologies and how people use these ideologies in politics, culture and religion.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Geological Survey of India

Indiana University

NASA

Place Names

Bloomington, Indiana

Calcutta, India

Occupation Names

geology professor

Subjects

American politics

Fulbright scholars

Gita study

Indian music

Indian national politics

Indian traditional dress

academic freedom

atheism

conservatism

geology

marriage customs

naturalization

parenting philosophy

racial discrimination

religious beliefs

spirituality

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Interviewee: Basu, Ilora
Call number: 99-003
Date(s) of Interview: October 7, 1999
Physical Description: 23 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 50 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Ilora Basu, born in Bangalore and raised in Calcutta, India, currently lives in Bloomington, Indiana with her husband. Ms. Basu discusses her family's history in India. Although they come from Bangladesh, they were forced to immigrate to Calcutta during the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan. Her uncle, who partially raised her, was very active in the independence movement and Indian national politics. Ms. Basu got her degree in India in human physiology, but is now studying environmental chemistry. She discusses the ways she tries to stay in touch with her Indian heritage, mostly by communicating with her family in the United States and India and participating in Indian cultural events in the States. She also speaks of her efforts to pass on Indian culture and values to her son, who is now a rock guitar teacher in California.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Indiana University

Indic Society

Place Names

Bangladesh

Bloomington, Indiana

Calcutta, India

Occupation Names

environmental chemist

Subjects

1947 Partition

Bengali culture

Hindu-Muslim conflict

Indian Independence Movement

Indian classical guitar

Indian community associations

Indian educational system

environmental chemistry

parenting philosophy

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Interviewee: Gidda, Jaswant
Call number: 98-017
Date(s) of Interview: October 12, 1998
Physical Description: 22 pp.; 1 tape. 1 7/8 ips, 50 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Nordstrom, Justin

Jaswant Gidda, a pharmaceutical researcher at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana, was born and raised in Punjab, India. He grew up in a poor family and worked very hard to attend college. After nearly completing his PhD, he earned a scholarship in a university in Texas for pharmaceutical research. He then got a position at Harvard Medical School, but found that he was not able to do as much research as he would like because he spent most of his time looking for grants to fund research. He decided to go into the private sector, got a position at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis and has remained there since. Mr. Gidda speaks of his identity as an American, and yet still acknowledges his Indian heritage by staying in touch with family members in India and participating in Indian events in Indianapolis, mostly sponsored by the India Association of Indianapolis.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Eli Lilly and Company

Harvard Medical School

India Association of Indianapolis

Place Names

Indianapolis, Indiana

Punjab, India

Texas

Occupation Names

pharmacologist

Subjects

Sikhism

joint families

local politics

naturalization

pharmaceutical research

racial discrimination

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Interviewee: Kalhan, Behroz
Call number: 99-004
Date(s) of Interview: October 15, 1999
Physical Description: 30 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Behroz Kalhan, born and raised in Bombay, India, currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana with her husband. She trained in India as a speech therapist and came to the United States in 1969 to study speech and physical therapy at the University of Oklahoma, where she also met her husband. After their marriage, they moved to Bloomington, Indiana and except for a few years have resided there since. Mrs. Kalhan discusses her initial worries of marrying a Hindu man, since she was raised Parsi Zoroastrian, but feels that both her family and his have been very tolerant. She talks about living in America, and feels that her family is more Americanized than a lot of Indian American families. She points out that she did not make any great effort to teach her children about the Parsi religion or Hindu religion, or teach them Indian languages when they were growing up. Mrs. Kalhan speaks of her job at Bloomington Hospital as a physical therapist, and the enjoyment she receives from helping people.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Bloomington Hospital

Indic Society

University of Oklahoma

Place Names

Bloomington, Indiana

Bombay, India

Occupation Names

physical therapist

speech therapist

Subjects

Parsi Zoroastrianism

marriage customs

multilingualism

parenting philosophy

philanthropy

racial discrimination

spirituality

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Interviewee: Kalsi, Swadesh
Call number: 98-012
Date(s) of Interview: July 7, 1998; July 22, 1998
Physical Description: 29 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 94 minutes; index; Asia in US Columbus "Taste of India" event ticket; Asia in US Columbus "Taste of India" event program; Asia in US Columbus "Taste of India" event invitation; Asia in US Columbus "The Art of India" catalog of exhibits; Asia in US Columbus program schedule; Asia in US "Shaamke Raag Lecture" event brochure; interviewee's compliment card; Krieg, DeVault, Alexander & Capehart brochure; interviewee's short biography; interviewee's list of publications; India Association of Indianapolis Final Report; Asia in US Columbus Final Report
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Carlson, Andrew

Swadesh Kalsi is a member of Krieg, DeVault, Alexander & Capehart Law Firm and live in Columbus, Indiana. He grew up in Kenya, the son of a barrister. For his undergraduate degree he went to the London School of Economics, and stayed on in England to earn a barrister's degree. After practicing law in Kenya for a short time, he became discouraged and immigrated to the United States to find other work in 1971. After living in several different American cities, he finally got a position in the international law division of Cummins, Incorporated in Columbus, Indiana, and eventually became of member of Krieg, DeVault, Alexander & Capehart. Mr. Kalsi discusses his ties to different philanthropic activities, especially involving Indian cultural events. He talks about his interest in international law, international business and international politics. He contrasts life in America with his life in Kenya, and describes the greater opportunities that are available in American for both him and his children. Although Mr. Kalsi is an American citizen, he still has strong ties to his Indian heritage.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Asia in the US

Cummins, Incorporated

India Association of Indianapolis

Krieg, DeVault, Alexander & Capehart

Place Names

Columbus, Indiana

Kenya

London, England

New York, New York

Uganda

Occupation Names

attorney

Subjects

Freedom 50 events

Hinduism

Indian community associations

Indian music

Sikhism

immigration

international economy

international law

international politics

legal profession

naturalization

parenting philosophy

philanthropy

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Interviewee: Kulkarni, Kishor M.
Call number: 99-001
Date(s) of Interview: September 29, 1999
Physical Description: 28 pp.; 2 cassettes, 1 7/8 ips, 85 minutes; index; interviewee's business card
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Dr. Kishor M. Kulkarni was born and raised in Bombay, India and currently resides in Carmel, India with his wife. Dr. Kulkarni describes his childhood in India, and his early interest in engineering, following in the footsteps of his father. He talks about his educational experiences at the India Institute of Technology, and contrasts the modern facilities there with the older buildings at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, which he attended after graduating in India. He speaks of his wife, who is from the Philippines, and the ways they have tried to introduce Indian and Filipino culture to their children. Dr. Kulkarni talks about his political concerns in the United States, contrasting religious fanaticism's influence on the nation's political policy to India's more liberal views about religion. He also speaks of the population explosion in India and the rest of the world. He discusses his leisure time activities including, reading, travel, playing tennis and philanthropic work.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute

India Institute of Technology

Maharashta Mandala

UNICEF

Place Names

Bombay, India

Carmel, Indiana

Chicago, Illinois

Cleveland, Ohio

Indianapolis, Indiana

Philippines

Occupation Names

mechanical engineer

Subjects

Christian fundamentalism

Hindu-Muslim conflict

Hinduism

Indian community associations

Indian educational system

Indian national politics

immigration

international politics

metal injection molding

naturalization

overpopulation

parenting philosophy

philanthropy

poverty

powder metallurgy

racial discrimination

religious fanaticism

religious fundamentalism

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Interviewee: Mehta, Rajah
Call number: 99-008
Date(s) of Interview: November 10, 1999
Physical Description: 25 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Dr. Rajah Mehta, an allergist living in Bloomington, Indiana, was born and raised in India. He discusses his childhood and education, which took place in several different cities in India. He speaks of the conflict with his father over his career path, how his father won the argument, and how he began studying medicine. He speaks of the medical profession in India, where he worked in a hospital and had a private practice as a general practitioner. He talks about how his decision to come to the United States, influenced by his wife, and his decision to study immunology and specialize in allergy. He speaks of his children, and the values he is trying to teach them. Although he returns to India every few years, he identifies himself as more American than Indian and is comfortable with his American lifestyle.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates

Place Names

Bloomington, Indiana

Bombay, India

Brooklyn, New York

Karnataka, India

Surat, India

Occupation Names

allergist

general practitioner

Subjects

Indian community associations

Indian educational system

Indian medical profession

immunology

medical profession

multilingualism

parenting philosophy

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Interviewee: Nagarajan, R. Nag
Call number: 99-005
Date(s) of Interview: October 14, 1999
Physical Description: 35 pp.; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 140 minutes; index; three articles about interviewee and Indian-Americans
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Restricted: tapes closed
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

R. Nag Nagarajan, who currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, was born and raised in southern India. He discusses his childhood, his experiences in the Indian educational system, his observances during the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan, and the Indian Independence Movement as a young adult. In 1958 he went to McGill University in Montreal, Canada, to continue his chemistry education. After more schooling, Mr. Nagarajan got a position at Eli Lilly and Company and remained there until his retirement, which was a few years ago. Mr. Nagarajan discusses his interest in local and national politics, and speaks of his involvement with the Democratic Party. He speaks of his marriage, his children, and the values and traditions he has tried to pass on to them. Mr. Nagarajan enjoys volunteering, participating in India Association of Indianapolis events, golfing, and political activism.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Daughters of the American Revolution

Democratic Party

Eli Lilly and Company

Gandhi King Society

India Association of Indianapolis

Indian American Golf Association

Indian Community Center, Indianapolis, Indiana

Indiana University

McGill University

Personal Names

Day, William

Gandhi, Mohandes K.

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald

Neuss, Norbert

Shankar, Ravi

Place Names

Bangalore, India

Bombay, India

Delhi, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Montreal, Canada

Tamil Nadu, India

Subjects

Gandhi

Genesis

immigration

1941 Atlantic Charter

1947 Partition

Indian Independence Movement

Indian educational system

Indiana University India Studies chair

Quit India Movement

ethnic cleansing

golf

local politics

microbiological research

naturalization

parenting philosophy

philanthropy

racial discrimination

racial profiling

vegetarianism

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Interviewee: Pai, Kavitha
Call number: 99-002
Date(s) of Interview: October 4, 1999
Physical Description: 30 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steve

Kavitha Pai was born to Indian parents and grew up in Munster, Indiana. She is currently an undergraduate at Indiana University studying pre-med and business. Ms. Pai discusses her interest in Indian culture. She talks about Indian classical dance, her efforts to learn Konkani, her parent's native language, and Indian culture. She started an Indian student association in high school for students in her town and surrounding areas. She is active at Indiana University in both the Indian Student Association and the Asian American Association. She discusses the challenges as growing up in America with an Indian family, and she talks about the ways she tries to incorporate Indian culture in her American lifestyle.

Keywords

Corporation Names

American Midwest Konkani Association

Indiana University Asian American Association

Indiana University Indian Student Association

Place Names

Hammond, Indiana

Magalore, India

Malaysia

Munster, Indiana

Subjects

Bharatnatiyam dance

Hinduism

Indian dance

Indian dance

Indian stereotypes

Indian student associations

Konkani culture

dating customs

marriage customs

racial discrimination

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Interviewee: Patel, Vimal
Call number: 99-009
Date(s) of Interview: November 14 ,1999; December 6, 1999
Physical Description: 37 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 110 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Dr. Vimal Patel, a pathology professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, was born and raised in Gujarat, India. He speaks of his childhood and education, and the reasons he decided to come to the Unites States to further his education. He talks about the initial difficulties he had when first immigrating, especially learning to communicate in English and maintaining his vegetarian diet. He speaks of the importance of the India Association of Indianapolis and Gita Mandala in his life. He speaks of the ways he has tried to teach his children about Indian culture and Indian values. Finally, he discusses his interest in alternative medicine and its place in the medical profession.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Gita Mandala

India Association of Indianapolis

Indiana University School of Medicine

National Institutes of Health

Place Names

Gujarat, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Occupation Names

pathology professor

Subjects

Hinduism

Indian Independence Movement

Indian educational system

Indian foodways

Indian national politics

acculturation

alternative medicine

parenting philosophy

vegetarianism

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Interviewee: Popkin, Prema
Call number: 98-018
Date(s) of Interview: October 23, 1998
Physical Description: 26 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Prema Popkin was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh, Indian and currently resides with her husband in Bloomington, Indiana. She has a degree in English literature from India, and also studies in Great Britain, where she met her future husband. After she returned to India, she taught in her hometown for a brief period and then at a university in Lucknow, India, where her future husband was studying through an exchange program. After they married, Mrs. Popkin moved with her husband to the United States. They lived for a few years in New York, but eventually her husband got a professorship at Indiana University, and they have lived in Bloomington ever since. Mrs. Popkin discusses the importance of maintaining Indian traditions and customs in the United States and the activities she participates in, especially her activities with the Indic Society. She also speaks of her religious beliefs, her experiences of being an Indian Christian, and marrying into a Jewish family.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Indiana University

Indic Society

Place Names

Almora, India

Bloomington, Indiana

England

Uttar Pradesh, India

Occupation Names

speech therapist

teacher

Subjects

1947 Partition

Diwali

Hindi culture

Indian Christians

Indian traditional dress

joint families

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Interviewee: Shah, Nalin
Call number: 99-007
Date(s) of Interview: October 29, 1999
Physical Description: 47 pp.; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 160 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Dr. Nalin Shah, born in Gujarat, India, currently resides in Greenwood, Indiana and is an anesthesiologist at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses his childhood in India and his decision to study medicine at a young age, stemming from a series of serious bouts with childhood illnesses. He initially came to the United States in the 1970s for a residency in Rhode Island. Ultimately, he moved to Indiana, and decided to remain in America to raise his family. He discusses his parenting philosophy and the values he has tried to pass on to his children. He talks about Jainism, his religion, and its emphasis on karma, and his religious beliefs compare with other religions. He speaks of his involvement with the India Association of Indianapolis. Finally he talks about his interests in anesthesiology, the medical field, and his feeling that the decision to become a doctor was the most important decision of his life.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates

India Association of Indianapolis

St. Francis Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana

Place Names

Greenwood, Indiana

Gujarat, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Rhode Island

Occupation Names

anesthesiologist

Subjects

Indian community associations

Indian educational system

Indian medical profession

Jainism

karma

marriage customs

medical school

nationalism

parenting philosophy

personal freedom

philanthropy

public speaking

religious beliefs

smoking

spirituality

vegetarianism

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Interviewee: Sikand, Sarabjit "Beenu"
Call number: 98-020
Date(s) of Interview: October 29, 1998
Physical Description: 20 pp.; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 45 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Nordstrom, Justin

Sarabjit "Beenu" Sikand was born in Haryana, India and raised and educated in Punjab, India. She moved to the United States in the early 1990s to be with her husband, an American-raised Indian, who had returned to India to marry. Mrs. Sikand discusses the initial difficulties she had in adjusting to life in the United States. She stresses the importance of the Indianapolis Indian community in her life and her wish that her children are raised with an awareness of their Indian heritage. Mrs. Sikand tries to visit India as often as possible to keep in touch with friends and family members. She speaks of the difference between the Indian way of thinking and American way of thinking, and the cultural changes that have taken place in India over the last few decades.

Keywords

Corporation Names

India Association of Indianapolis

Place Names

Haryana, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Punjab, India

Subjects

1947 Partition

Indian community associations

Sikhism

acculturation

marriage customs

naturalization

parenting philosophy

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Interviewee: Singh, Jai Pal
Call number: 98-013
Date(s) of Interview: July 31, 1998; August 6, 1998
Physical Description: 25 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 73 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Carlson, Andrew

Jai Pal Singh, born and raised in northern India, has resided in Indianapolis, Indiana for several years where he is active in the India Association of Indianapolis and does pharmaceutical research for Eli Lilly and Company. He discusses his interest in biochemistry which led him to earn a PhD in the United States, where he ultimately decided to stay and raise his family. He discusses the importance of maintaining ties to Indian family members, Indian traditions and Indian values while living in America, and educating his children about Indian culture.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Eli Lilly and Company

India Association of Indianapolis

Punjab University

University of Wisconsin

Place Names

Carmel, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

Madison, Wisconsin

Subjects

Hinduism

Indian community associations

marriage customs

parenting philosophy

pharmaceutical research

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Interviewee: Singh, Kanwal Prakesh
Call number: 98-015
Date(s) of Interview: September 8 ,1998
Physical Description: 57 pp.; 3 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 175 minutes; index; folder containing samples of interviewee's work, brochures about interviewee's business, and newspaper articles about interviewee; invitation to dinner from Sikh Religious Society of Indiana; newsletter from Polis Center with article about interviewee
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Kanwal Prakesh Singh was born in the area that is now Pakistan, and is currently living in Indianapolis, Indiana. He discusses his experiences as a Sikh in the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan, which led to his family's flight across the border into India, where he witnessed ethnic cleansing of his people. He speaks of his early interest in architecture, and his degree from the India Institute of Technology which led to a scholarship to study architecture and urban design at the University of Michigan. After graduating, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he became their urban designer. After a few years, he married an American woman and started his own business creating pen and ink drawings of historic buildings, often used to raise money to help fund the preservation and restoration of the buildings. Mr. Singh discusses his parenting philosophy and the values he has tried to pass on to his children. He discusses Sikhism, its philosophy, and the ways he follows Sigh tenants in the United States. He also speaks of his involvement in the larger Indian community in Indianapolis, mostly in cultural and artistic events.

Keywords

Corporation Names

India Institute of Technology

K.P. Singh Designs

University of Michigan

Place Names

Amritsar, India

Indianapolis, Indiana

Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan

Punjab, India

Occupation Names

architect

artist

Subjects

Adi Granth

1947 Partition

Hindu-Muslim conflict

Indian Independence Movement

Indianapolis city planning

Sikhism

architecture

citizenship

ethnic cleansing

historic architecture

historic preservation

naturalization

parenting philosophy

racial discrimination

urban design

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Interviewee: Thiagarajan, Thayammal "Lucy"
Call number: 98-022
Date(s) of Interview: November 19, 1998
Physical Description: 43 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 95 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Thayammal "Lucy" Thiagarajan was born and raised in Madras, India. She lived in a very strict Hindu family and had to struggle with her father to be allowed to attend school past the age of twelve. She succeeded in getting a high school diploma and a teaching certificate. For a few years, she and her husband taught in India. In the late 1960s, she and her family moved to Bloomington, Indiana so her husband could study for a PhD, and except for a few exceptional periods, they have remained in Bloomington since. Mrs. Thiagarajan talks about the difficulties of her childhood: her struggle to attend school, her father's illness, and her resistance to getting married at a young age. She speaks of her move to America and learning English, and her experiences in teaching in a Montessori school in Bloomington. She talks of her two years in Liberia and compares the poverty in India and Africa. Finally, she speaks of the ways she has tried to maintain Indian traditions and values in America and the ways she has passed on Indian culture to her son.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Indic Society

Place Names

Bloomington, Indiana

Liberia

Madras, India

Occupation Names

small business owner

teacher

Subjects

Hindu festivals

Hinduism

Indian educational system

Indian foodways

Montessori schools

marriage customs

mental illness

naturalization

parenting philosophy

vegetarianism

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Interviewee: Vittal, Baily
Call number: 99-010
Date(s) of Interview: December 4, 1999
Physical Description: 35 pp.; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 105 minutes; index
Physical Location: Interviews are housed in Weatherly Hall North, Room 122. Copies are also housed at the Indiana University Archives in Herman B Wells Library E460. For other locations housing the interviews from this project, please contact the Center for the Study of History and Memory office.
Access Status: Open
Interviewer: Sheehan, Steven

Baily Vittal, an engineer who lives with his wife and son in Indianapolis, Indiana, was born and raised in Karnataka, India. He discusses his schooling and his choice to studying engineering. He speaks of his professional life in India, where he worked in the aeronautics industry. He compares the Indian communities of Great Britain with those that form in the United States. He discusses his time at the University of Cincinnati, and the adjustments he and his family had to make to life in America. He speaks of his life in Indianapolis, where he is active in the India Association of Indianapolis and Gita Mandala. He speaks of the ways he has tried to impart Indian and Hindu values to his children, and the difficulties of raising them in America with Indian values.

Keywords

Corporation Names

Allison Engine Company

Gita Mandala

India Association of Indianapolis

University of Cincinnati

Place Names

Bangalore, India

Great Britain

Indianapolis, Indiana

Karnataka, India

Varatschpate, India

Occupation Names

aerospace engineer

Subjects

Hinduism

Indian educational system

Indian student associations

Rolls Royce

aerospace industry

coffee plantations

glass ceiling

marriage customs

naturalization

parenting philosophy

racial discrimination

vegetarianism

viveka

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