Indian-American Diaspora in the Hoosier State

Aman Alagh, born September 16, 1980, discusses his early life in India, his decision to study abroad in the United State, perceptions of India held by Americans, Indian values vs. American values, college life, leisure activities, and his plans for the future.

Doctor Bharat Barai and his wife Doctor Panna Barai discuss their families and early lives in India, their medical schooling in India and the United States, and their lives in the United States. They also discuss raising children, international politics, and differing cultural values between India and the United States.

Suparna Bera, born and raised in Guyana, currently resides in Vaplraiso, Indiana where she is a student at Valpariaso University. Miss Bera discusses her upbringing in Guyana, and the ways her family kept in touch with family members and friends in India. She talks about her time in England at a boarding school. She also talks about her interests in dentistry, the field of her parents. Finally, Miss Bera discusses the importance of Hinduism in her daily life.

Samir and Sudesh Bose, who currently are professors at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, where both born and raised in India. They talk about their families' history and how they were effected by the 1947 Partition. They speak of their schooling in India, and of Samir's decision to come to the United States to earn a doctoral degree, and if Sudesh's decision to follow him to also complete a doctoral degree. They discuss raising their two daughters and one son, and speak of the Indian values and traditions they raised them with. They talk about their limited involvement with the larger Indian community in and around South Bend.

Professor Amitave Dutt, who is currently an economics professor at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, was born and raised in Calcutta, India. He discusses his family's history and involvement in Indian national politics. He talks about his edication in India in provate schools, and his time at the Presidency College in Calcutta, where he also later taught. She speaks of his decision to move to the United States to further education, and of his American spouse, whom he met in Florida. Professor Dutt talks about his interests in economic theoretical models, and his emphasis on research and publishing in his career, which he feels would not have been possible teaching in India. Finally, he discusses his current life, his involvement with the larger Indian community in South Bend, and of his son, whom he is raising to be aware of his Indian heritage.

Toban J. Emmanuel, a software engineer currently residing in Columbus, Indiana, speaks about living in America and India. He was born and raised in Kerala, India, to a Syrian Catholic family. He decided from an early age he wanted a career in computer science, and after earning a master's degree in India started working at Data Consulting Services in Bombay, India. After a few years, he got the oppurtunity to come to America and work for Cummins, Incorporated in Columbus, Indiana. Mr. Emmanuel constrasts his life in the United States with his life in India. He also discusses some of the difference between the Latin Catholic Church in America and the Syrian Catholic Church in India.

Rita Ghosh, who currently resides in Terre Haute with her family, was born in Gujarat, India and was raised and educated in Calcutta, India. She discusses her joint family and the equal closeness she felt with her siblings and cousins while growing up. She speaks of her marriage and subsequent move to Chicago, Illinois, where her husband was studying. She talks about the initial shock of American culture and the adjustments she had to make. She speaks of her time in Buffalo, New York, where the birth of their first child prevented her from entering a PhD program. She and her family then moved to Terre Haute, Indiana where her husband was given a professorship. Mrs. Ghosh speaks of her involvment in the local Indian community association, of which she is currently the president. She also discusses the Indian values she and her husband have tried to pass on to their two daughters over the years. Mrs. Ghosh also teaches Indian dance to interested members in the community.

Swapan K. Ghosh, a life sciences professor at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, discussses his life in India and the United States. He was born in Calcutta, India to parents of Bangladesh descent. He talks about his education, focusing in biochemistry, in India, and his move to the United States to further his education. He speaks of the different places he has lived in America, and shares his impressions of the educational systems and cultural environment. He speaks of the challenge of raising his children in America, and the Indian values and traditions he and his wife practice. He discusses his involvement with the Terre Haute Indian community association and the activities he participates in, including both philanthropic and cultural events. Finally, he discusses his family's involment in Indian national politics, and his current involvment in United States national and local politics.

Puja Gupta, born in Punjab, India, discusses growing up in America with Indian parents. Her family immigrates to the United States when she was very young, and she and her family have resided here since. She discusses her regret of not retaining Punjabi or Hindi language skills after she learned English. She talks about her family's social structure, and the many cousins, uncles and aunts that live in different parts of America. She speaks of her educational background and her decision to study medicine. She talks about her involvement with the Indian Student Association while she was attending Indiana University, and some of the differences between Indian-born Indians and Indians raised in the United States. She descibes the Indian heritage of her family like Hinduism, foodways, dress, and values. She also talks about the differences between her and her parent's ideas about marriage and dating.

Karam Juneja, currently living in Valparaiso, Indiana, was born and raised in Delhi, India. He speaks of his schooling there, and of the educational system in India in general. Mr. Juneja discusses his family life, his sister, and his parents, and the influence they have had on him growing up. He talks about hsi time at Valparaiso University, and of his involvement in the greater Indian and international community around the college. He speaks of his American girlfriend, and the implications of having an interracial marriage on raising children and family relations. He discusses American and British perceptions of India and Asia, and of news coverage of Indian news in American media. Finally, she speaks of his religious beliefs in Sikhism and discusses some of the practices and history of the religion.

Renu Juneja, who currently lives and works in Valparaiso, Indiana, was born in Lahore, Pakistan in pre-partition India. She and her family was forced out of their ancestral home in 1947 when the Partition took effect and settled in Delhi, India. She discusses her family history and their influence on her way of life as she was growing up. She talks about her interests in English literature, which eventually led to her decision to move to the United States. After settling in America, she married an American who she divorced after a few years. She later remarried an African American. She and her husband evetually settled in Valparaiso, Indiana to raise their family. Mrs. Juneja discusses her two children and the way she has tried to pass on the values that are important to her. She also talks about her religious beliefs and the increasing imporatnce of Sikhism in her life as she gets older.

Ravi Korrapati, a mechanical engineer who lives and works in Columbus, Indiana, dicusses his life in India and the United States. He was born and raised in Andhra Pradesh, India, in a small farming community. He discusses his educational background, and his initial decision to come to the United States to study genetics at Bowling Green University in Ohio. He then switched disciplines and moved to New Jersey to study mechanical engineering. In 1991, he returned to India to marry, and he and his new wife returned to America and have lived here since. Currently, Mr. Korrapati participates in the Indian community in Columbus through informal get-togethers and monthly Hindu prayer meetings and study groups. He and his wife still maintain many Indian traditions, and are trying to raise their daughters to appreciate their Indian heritage.

Girdhari Lal, a software engineer currently residing in Columbus, Indiana, discusses living in India and the United States. He was born and raised in Himachal Pradesh, India, where his family owned and operated a grocery store. He speaks of his decision not to join in the family business and study computer science. After working in India for a few years, he got the oppurtunity to work in America. He discusses his marriage, for which he returned to India. He talks about the ways he and his wife maintain their Indian lifestyle in America, like practicing Hinduism, cooking Indian food, and participating in the Indian-American community in Columbus, Indiana.

Tamil Maran, who is a software engineer currently residing in Columbus, Indiana, discusses he life in India and the United States. He talks about his childhood and young adult years in Tamil Nadu, India, and speaks of his educational background. After earning a master's degree, he started working as a software engineer in India, and after a few years had the oppurtunity to work in America. She and his wife are happy living in America, although Mr. Maran found American culutre difficult to adjust to at first. They are unsure whether they want to stay in America or return to India to raise a family. Mr. Maran still maintains many Indian traditions, including foodways and practicing Hinduism, and associates socially with mainly Indians.

Raj Menon, a mechanical engineer currently residing in Columbus, Indiana, discusses his experiences living in India and America, He was born and raised in Kerala, India and knew from an early age he wanted to be an engineer. After finishing his early education, he attended the Indian Institute of Technology, and from there get an offer to study in the United States at Purdue University. He then got a position at Cummins, Incorporated, and has remained there since. He discusses his decision to get married, and his family's search for a suitable companion with a similar background to his. He speaks of the greater economic and educational oppurtunites that are available in the United States. He talks about some of the discrimination he and his family has experienced because of their differences in America. He also discusses the ways he and his family maintain Indian values and traditions in America.

Narso Patel, a sociology professor at Indiana State University currently residing in Terre Haute, Indiana, speaks of his life in India and the United States. Professor Patel was born and raised in Gujarat, India to a farming family. His family was involved in the Indian Independence Movement when he was a young adult. Mr. Patel discusses his educational and work background in India, where he was a teacher and a journalist, and his decision to come to the United States to study sociology at the University of Kentucky. After earning his PhD., he was appointed to a professorship at Indiana State University and has remained there since. Professor Patel discusses his decision to remain in America to raise his family. He talks about his childrens' marriages: his daughter who is happily married to an American man, and his son who got divorced from his Indian wife through an arranged marriage. Finally, Professor Patel discusses his identity with India stemming from nostalgia, and what he gained and lost by moving to the United States

Jaishankar Raman, born in 1966, discusses his family and early life in Mumbai (Bombay), India, his education, his life in the United States, the Indian-American community in Valparaiso, Indiana, and changes in India in his lifetime.

Manjula Ranganath, who currently resides with her husband and children in Columbus, Indiana, was born in Bangalore, India. She and her family moved to the United States when she was 10 years old and settled in Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Ranganath discusses her childood in India, and making the move to America and adjusting to American culture. She talks of her family's struggles financially and the family-owned deli in downtown Richmond, which all members of the family helped run. She talks about her traditional Indian marriage to a doctor, who is also from Bangalore, which was arranged with the halp of her father and a mutual family friend. She speaks of her identity as an Indian-American and what it means to her. She discusses the ways she practices aspects of her Indian heritagelike Hinduism, foodways, values, and dress, and of her efforts to pass these traditions on to her children. Mrs. Ranganath socializes with other Indians in Columbus, Indiana through events sponsored by the Indian community association active there.

Harpal Singh, a Sikh priest who lives in Crown Point, Indiana, was born in Punjab, India. He was raised in a joint family home in a rural community. He quit school at an early age to help his father with the family business. After getting married, he moved to the United States for greater economic oppurtunities and has remained here since. Mr. Singh discusses the communities he has lived in including Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas, and Crown Point, Indiana, and their respective Indian community activities. He speaks of his religious beliefs in Sikhism, which he feels has grown stronger since her immigrated to America. Finally, Mr. Singh talks about the Indian values he holds important and he has tried to pass on to his children.

Moninder "Holly" Singh, who currently resides in Valparaiso, Indiana with his wife and two children, was born in Delhi, India to a Sikh family who were refugees from Pakistan after the 1947 Partition. He speaks of the influence his family had on him as he was growing up. He talks about the impact of the Sikh Separatist Movement in the 1980s on his family's way of living. After high school, Mr. Singh decided to earn a pilot's license, and moved to the United States to attend a commericial flight school, however soon after he arrived, the school went out of business, so Mr. Singh relocated to New York State to try to earn money to attend another flight school. He then got the oppurtunity to attend Valparaiso University on scholarship, where he met his wife, who was also a student there. After she graduated, she worked while he continued to take classes until she became pregnant. He then took over her position and she decided to stay at home to raise a family. Mr. Singh speaks of his work at the Valparaiso International Center. He speaks of the challenges of having an interracial and inter-religious marriage, she being Christian and he being Sikh. Mr. Singh finally speaks of his renewed interest in Sikhism since moving to America.

Mitoholi Suu, currently attending Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, grew up in Nagaland, India as a member of the Sema tribe. Because of the poor educational system in Nagaland, Miss Suu attended boarding schools in southern India through high school. She then decided to attend an American university. Miss Suu enjoys living in America and plans to enter into the western music industry upon graduation. Miss Suu discusses her Nagamese heritage and her religious beliefs. She also talks about the gains and losses she has experiences by coming to the United States.