FREE ESSAY ON INDIANS IMMIGRATING TO AMERICA

INDIANS IMMIGRATING TO AMERICA

Their homeland has the second largest population in the world, yet in America they form
one of our smallest minorities. Americans were influenced by their beliefs long before
the first immigrants arrived, and an important interchange of ideas has continued to the
present day. Although many came to America as early as the turn of the century, they were
denied citizenship until a congressional act granted it in 1946. Now they are students
and teachers in our universities; they are artists and writers, musicians and scientists.
Their contributions to industry, commerce, and agriculture have been valuable to America
and to the world. Who are these people? They are the East Indians in America. Asian
Indians have supplied innumerable contributions to the culture and well being of the
United States; the majority of these contributions are geared notably to engineering and
the sciences. The reason for immigration in the period from 1830-1890 is quite clear.
India was in a great shape. However when the British took over India, they depleted the
country of all her wealth and gave her poor citizens no choice but to leave. The main
reason why everybody wants to go to the United States is because if they would go
somewhere else, like France or Japan although they would get higher wages, there is much
greater chance of getting harassed, arrested or deported in those countries as opposed to
the United States (Takai 32). Here in the United States land remained plentiful and
cheap. Jobs were abundant and labor was scarce. The United States, in the nineteenth
century, remained a strong magnet to immigrants, with offers of jobs and land for farms
(Hess 12). The Jews came for religious freedom, Italians and Asians came for work, and
the Russians came to escape persecution. America had jobs and religious freedom.
Consequently, America was referred to in many countries as the Land of Opportunity. This
is land is also often called the melting Pot of the World. This is because it is believed
that people from all over the world come to the United States and loose their cultural
identity and 'melt' into or assimilate into the American culture. However, nowadays, the
above is an unfair statement to make. Nowadays with the growing Chinese restaurants,
Indian grocery stores, and European languages is school, etc., one can say that
individual cultures are trying hard to voice their distinction amongst the overall
American culture. One can therefore refer to the United States as the Salad Bowl of the
World where every culture has its own flavor, just like in a salad, where every vegetable
has its own taste even though it has a common dressing, the American culture. Amongst the
Chinese, Japanese, Europeans, etc. and other immigrants, the East Indians represented a
big group of those people who wanted to be part of the American culture. The East
Indians, who came to America, were mostly spread out in little groups up and down the
West Coast (Pavri 56). Their story is an especially important part of the history of
Asian Americans, for they were a new kind of immigrant. The large majorities of the first
immigrants from India were Punjabis, from a region called the Punjab. Most of these
immigrants were young men, between 16 and 35 years old (Daniels 33). Many of them were
married; however, they did not bring their wives across the sea with them. Their family
and community ties remained strong after they left home; they came to America in small
groups of cousins and village neighbors, and these relationships formed a network of
interconnections among them in the new country as they lived and worked together. They
had many reasons for leaving their homeland. They were being repressed by the British
rule and had no land to farm on. To make matters worse, famine devastated India from 1899
to 1902. Thus, large-scale immigration began in 1906, when six hundred Asians applied to
enter the United States (Millis 32). These families became the basis for the new East
Indian communities. They had come to the United States with high hopes, expecting to make
their fortunes, but they discovered that life in America was unexpectedly challenging.
Some found it hard to get work. Moreover, those who had jobs lived a life very different
from the life they have known in India (Karitala 2). Instead of belonging to a settled
community of families, they traveled from place to place with their work gangs. And
although most of them had been farmers of farm laborers in the Punjab region of India, in
America they often had to turn to other kinds of work (Dayes 22). Many of them
encountered prejudice, born of ignorance and fear. White sometimes associated the Asian
Indian immigrants with blacks, Chinese, or Japanese (22). Often the Asian Indians were
lumped together with other Asian peoples as Asiatics, whom prejudices whites considered
unfit to be part of American society (22). Samuel L. Gompers, a leader of the American
Labor Movement, said, Sixty years' contact with the Chinese, and twenty-five years'
experience with the Japanese and two or three years' acquaintance with Hindus should be
sufficient to convince any ordinarily intelligent person that they have no
standards...(Brass 45) The Asians were often blamed for the violence directed against
them by whites, who knew nothing of Asian peoples and often misinterpreted their
behavior. In all cases, we may say the Oriental is at fault, declared the Asiatic
Exclusion League, an organization whose goal was to keep Asian immigrants out of western
states (Pavri 24). The Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, a winner of the Nobel Prize in
literature, traveled to North America. When he applied for entry to the United States,
Tagore encountered difficulties and when he finally made it to the country, he
experienced racial prejudice in Los Angeles. Tagore canceled his tour and promptly
returned to India, saying in disgust, Jesus could not get into America because, first of
all, He would not have the necessary money, and secondly, He would be an Asiatic.
(Hundley 45) Despite the difficulties they encountered, they felt that life in America
had more to offer than they could expect in their homeland. The definition of American is
becoming broader and more multicultural. At the same time, however, a few people feeling
threatened by the growing diversity that they see around them in streets, stores, and
schools, have lashed out in hate crimes against people whose ethnic backgrounds are
different from theirs. In recent years, Asian Indians have been among the victims of
violence fueled by prejudice. (Hess 42) While many of these people have become
self-employed entrepreneurs by choice, others have found themselves pushed into
self-employment by discrimination. Similarly, an Asian Indian engineer who had worked for
a company for some twenty years told his friend, They [management] never give you [Asian
Indians] an executive position in the company. You can only go up so high and no more.
(Brass 69) Frustrated by limited opportunities to advance in their careers, many Asian
Indian professionals have turned to opening their own businesses. Furthermore, their
turbans and their dark skin brought the Sikhs taunts and verbal abuse from whites. They
were called by insulting names such as rag-heads and treated as inferior beings (Hundley
38). One California Sikh recounted, I used to go to Maryville every Saturday. One day a
drunken white man came out of a bar and motioned to me saying, 'Come here, slave!' I said
I was no slave man. He told me that his race ruled India and America, too. (39)
Assimilation has been a powerful source in American life, particularly in policies and
attitudes toward immigrants in the twentieth century (Dayes 23) Furthermore, members of
American minorities had learned that assimilation is not an all-or-nothing process. To
complete the process, the enterprising minority individual must jump through several
hoops (23). Similarly, all immigrant groups have faced the question of whether they
should cling to their cultural roots or try to become American as quickly as possible.
Assimilation-blending into the larger society-has been more difficult for Asian
immigrants than for European ones, for Asians can be identified by their physical
appearance even when their clothing, speech, and actions have been completely
Americanized (Pavri 74). Those Asians who choose to follow traditional customs stand out
even more readily. The earliest Asian Indian immigrants to North America were singled out
as strangers because of their turbans. Today, the customs of Asian Indian Americans
continue to make them vulnerable to racism. Since they were denied the right to own land
until 1947, property ownership is a matter of pride to East Indians (Daniels 47). In San
Francisco East Indians own or lease more than 50 hotels, forming the second largest
Indian community group in America. Most of the hotel owners from Gujarat, a state on the
west coast of India (48). East Indians have been assimilated into their country and city
surroundings. Their children are marrying Americans. Their enthusiasms have transferred
from cricket to baseball. In addition, East Indians are owners of machine shops, photo
studios, restaurants, and many other successful businesses, including import-export firms
and gift shops (Handlin 52). Some of the new comers were less prosperous and less
educated than their fellow immigrants who were the professionals. Instead of entering
law, medicine, or teaching, many of them turned to business. Beginning around 1980, North
America saw the arrival of many Asian Indians who became self-employed and opened their
own small business; some of these businesses, such as Indian restaurants and clothing
shops, serve the needs of the growing ethnic community (54). Although the immigrants were
often called Hindus or Hindoos in America, many of them were not followers of Hinduism,
one of the major religions of India. Some of them were Hindus and some were Muslims,
followers of the Islamic faith, but most were Sikhs. Their religion was Sikhism, a blend
of elements from Hinduism and Islam. Sikhs from the Punjab were highly regarded as
soldiers by the British rulers of India. Sikh men had several distinctive
characteristics. To demonstrate their religious commitment, they never shaved their
religious commitment; they never shaved their beards or cut their hair. They wore
turbans, for their faith required them to cover their heads in their temples. Many of
them share the name Singh (lion), a sacred to Sikhs (Koritala 3). In addition to
appearance, many immigrants tried to retain their religious habits. The workers generally
prepared their own food, and their diet depended upon their religion. Those who were
Muslims did not eat pork. As a rule, they would not buy meat that had been prepared by
other hands. The Hindus were vegetarians and usually had their own cooks in the camps.
The Sikhs ate mostly vegetables, fruit, and milk. In one of the camps, an Asian Indian
told a woman visitor, We eat no meat, this is, no beef-the cow is sacred. The women
snapped, But you drink milk? And you cow gives you milk! To which the man replied, Yes,
we drink our mother's milk also, but we do not eat her! (Dayes 49) India and America,
though half a world apart, have for a long time exchanged concepts of a more perfect
society for humankind. Immigrants from India feel quite at home in America's climate of
freedom and opportunity (Millis 33). Much of the conflict between old and new revolves
around family life, the roles of women and children, and marriage-areas that in Indian
culture are closely governed by tradition. Many young people aggravate at the rules
imposed by their parents, who seem much stricter than other American parents do (38).
Perhaps the single most troublesome issue between parents and children in Asian Indian
American families has been dating. In traditional Indian culture, dating is unheard of;
boys and girls have very little contact with one another before marriage, which is
arranged by their parents. Dating is completely foreign to traditional Indian ideas about
the proper relationship between the sexes (40). The East Indian culture is one of the
most diverse and traditional of the world. Old and new customs conflict with one another
in the realm of marriage. Among traditional Indians, marriages are arranged by families
and are based upon such ideas as the social status and the wealth of the bride's or
groom's family. In North America, on the other hand, marriage is regarded as a personal
choice based on love. (Hess 103) In addition, the children of immigrants, who have grown
up in two different worlds, face the special challenge of searching for their identity.
Asian Indian children are no exception. At times, they feel confused, not knowing whether
to think of themselves as Indians or as Americans. At home, Indian values and customs
remain strong-especially the tradition of unquestioning obedience to one's father. Yet,
at school and in the larger world, young people feel the pull of American culture and its
values, which include questioning authority and making one's own decisions. The result is
frequent disagreement over how much freedom young Asian Indians should have. Asian Indian
parents often try to raise their children in the traditional Indian manner, but young
people increasingly feel the pull of Western styles. However, this attraction to the
Western culture has made is easier for many Indians to understand and adapt to the
Western world thus making significant contributions for its well being. For more than
hundred years, America had enjoyed India's written philosophies. In 1893, Swami
Vivekananda came to the United States from the Parliament of Religions (Dayes 76). His
eloquence and enthusiasm made him one of the most popular speakers in the assembly of
religious leaders from all around the world (76). Vivekananda was offered full
professorship at both Harvard and Columbia Universities (76). His ideas and thoughts have
influenced many American philosophers and historians such as Aldous Huxley, Will Durant,
and Christopher Isherwood. Swami Vivekananda's brilliant service to unity created a
lasting link between India and America. Furthermore, Gobindram Jhamandas was born in 1891
in Sind, an area that is now part of Pakistan (Hundley 45). He established the Watumull
Foundation, which has built educational links between India and America. Today, This
foundation brings highly qualified men and women to American universities for doctoral
degrees or postgraduate work. India has bestowed several contributions to the United
States in the field of science and medicine. Some of these significant people are Dr.
Harbans L. Arora; a biologist from Rockefeller Institute, his work will tell us more
about man's brain, his memory systems, and his behavior (Handlin 73). Dr. Subrahmanyan
Chandrasekhar; the astrophysicist, his contributions enable us to study the internal
constitution of the stars (74). Dr. Har Gobind Khorana; his scientific research work has
contributed much to solving the mysteries of the genetic code, cancer, infectious
diseases, and the aging process (75). Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany; a graduate of the
Watumall Foundation, was recently awarded honors for his invention of a laser instrument
that performs an eye operation (75). These men have facilitated the study of science and
have provided the society with valuable information. The East Indians have contributed in
several other fields such as arts and education. One of them is Zubin Mehta; the great
music conductor and music director (Pavri 101). His romantic approach to conducting and
his outstanding technical ability have been praised by critics and enjoyed by audiences
in many nations. In addition, Ravi Shankar, one of India's outstanding musicians has
influenced American Jazz as well as popular music. He has popularized music of the sitar,
a Hindu instrument resembling a guitar. Mr. Shankar teaches sitar at the University of
California's Los Angeles Department of Ethno-Musicology (Pavri 102). Other Americans of
East Indian descent have made important contributions in the field of education. Such as
Santha Rama Rau; in the field of American literature and Dr. Chakravakti; professor of
oriental religions and literature at Smith College in Massachusetts (Pavri 106). Today
Indians are contributing in everything from the basic genetic code of the human body to
the constitution of the stars. Now, India is giving American scientists who are improving
and prolonging our lives, and extending our environment from earth to space. Whether the
Indians came initially thinking they would stay only temporarily, or whether they came as
settlers seeking a new home, all of them found themselves changed by America as they
built Sikh temples in the valleys of California, farmed the new land, practiced medicine,
operated small businesses, and raised their children. The Asian Indian Americans have
been changed by their experiences in the West, in the process they have also been
changing America, making its society richer and more multicultural. Asian Indians have
supplied innumerable contributions to the culture and well being of the US; the majority
of these contributions are geared notably to engineering and the sciences. In addition,
growing up in two cultures is a great challenge, yes, but not a problem. It is a
difficult experience, but not one without its benefits. 
Bibliography
Works Consulted 
Brass, Paul. Asian Indian Americans. Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism. 1993 ed. Daniels,

Rogers. Asian Americans: Emerging Minorities. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1988. Dayes, 
WalterU.S. Immigration Commission: The Asian American Encyclopedia. 1995ed. Handlin, 
Emma. India, Republic of: The Asian American Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. Hess, Gary. The 
Forgotten Asian Americans: The East Indian Community in the United States. Harvard
Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. 1981 ed.
Hundley, Norris. The Asian American. California: American Bibliographical Center, 1987. 
Koritala, Srirajasekhar. A Historical Perspective of Americans of Asian Indian Origin.
1997. http://www.tiac.net/users/koritala/india/history.htm 
Millis, Harry. East Indians of the West Coast. Makers of America-The New Immigrants
1904-1913. 1981 ed. Pavri, Tinaz. Asian American Indians. Gale Encyclopedia of
Multicultural America. 1995 ed. Quotes about Immigration, 1997 
http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Proj...n/quotes_about_immigration.html Takai, Ronald. Indians
in the West: South Asians in America. New York: Chelsa House Publishers, 1995.