From 1790 to Now: Diaspora Group Maps Indian-American Journey

Washington: The India connection to the US dates back to the early years of independence, with the historic arrival of 'the man from Madras' in Massachusetts in 1790 and has grown over the years, making a mark in the American journey over two centuries.

A project by the diaspora advocacy group Indiaspora traces the journey of Indians in the US from the first recorded "non-coerced" arrival to the contributions made by people of Indian origin – now pegged anywhere between three and five million – in shaping the American story.

'The Indiaspora 250 at 250: The Indian American Story' curates 250 defining moments that capture the contributions made by people of Indian origin to American life, ranging from scientific discoveries to art and public life. The project coincides with the 250th anniversary of American Independence, celebrated on July 4.

"This collection spans 15 categories of American life and was built through a rigorous research and editorial process, with external reviewers engaged to validate the final selection. It is not comprehensive," Niranjana Rajagopal, Managing Director of Global Forum of nonprofit organisation Indiaspora, told PTI.

The success of Indian-Americans in the US can be gauged by the fact that by 2023, 16 of the Fortune 500 companies were led by Indian-origin CEOs, the community owns 60 per cent of all US hotels, and has made a mark in diverse sectors from healthcare to culinary arts, according to Indiaspora.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the Nobel laureate, and Narinder Singh Kapany, the founder of fibre optics, fundamentally reshaped astrophysics and global telecommunications through groundbreaking discoveries.

The journey of the diaspora can be traced back to the arrival of the first Indian to American shores -- an unnamed 'Man from Madras' who reached Salem in Massachusetts in 1790 with Captain John Gibaut.

While his exact identity and occupation remain a mystery, 'the Man from Madras' spent the winter in Salem, where Reverend William Bentley formally documented his visit, before he returned to India in 1791.

Anandi Gopal Joshi became the first Indian woman to earn a medical degree in the US when she graduated from the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1886 at the age of 21.

Joshi's graduation established an early presence for South Asian women in American medicine and inspired generations of women to pursue medical education across national boundaries.

In 1890, Eduljee Sorabjee became one of the first South Asian immigrants to acquire American citizenship.

Born in Bombay, this Parsi entrepreneur leveraged his business background, extensive travel, and claims of Persian royal heritage to successfully navigate the restrictive Naturalisation Act of 1790.

In 1956, Dalip Singh Saund became the first Asian American and the first Sikh elected to Congress.

Representing California's 29th Congressional District, he went on to serve three terms and championed civil rights, immigration reform, and the interests of agricultural communities.

Kamala Harris, the California-born democrat of Indian descent, became the first woman to be sworn in as the Vice President of the US in January 2021.

Harris and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley also mounted campaigns for the American presidential election.

In 1964, Amar Bose demonstrated that Indian-led ventures could achieve global technological and commercial scale by building the world's most recognisable audio brand.

Vinod Khosla, who co-founded Sun Microsystems and later became a prolific investor through Khosla Ventures, supporting budding entrepreneurs.

Alongside this entrepreneurial evolution, the community's influence expanded into the upper echelons of corporate governance, with figures such as Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, and Indra Nooyi leading some of the world's most consequential global enterprises.

B K S Iyengar's landmark demonstration at the University of Michigan in 1956 introduced yoga to American audiences by framing it as therapeutic rather than esoteric.

A new generation of chefs demonstrated that regional Indian cuisines could succeed in America without being simplified or adapted for mainstream expectations.

While Prince Ranji Smile introduced Indian cuisine to the US way back in 1899, women entrepreneurs Bhagwati Amin, the founder of Deep Foods in 1977 and Maya Kaimal introduced fresh simmer sauces in 2003, bringing easy Indian cooking to American kitchens.