Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the second of three videos depicting this interview.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. Dr. Sam Rajiah is the first Indian from South India that we have gotten to interview so far. He is originally from a Christian family that lived in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. His Father and Mother both had a great impact on his character. From his Father he got his desire to selflessly help others and from his mother his love of music. Dr. Rajiah seems in general very conscious of social issues. Due to a strong religious background, much of his socio-political involvement are with organizations with a religious orientation. For example, he is a part of an Interfaith organization in Cleveland that seeks to foster interfaith dialogue and understanding among the different religious communities of the Cleveland area. Also, because of where he comes from there is a noticeable identity separation in his interaction with other Indians. When he talked about the development of the Asian Indian community, it seemed that while he was friendly with people from North India, he was more closely associated with people of South India. This regionalism was not so strong in the beginning but was still there and got stronger over time as the Asian Indian community grew in NE Ohio. Despite some of this regionalism, Dr. Rajiah seems to have a general egalitarian ethic about him: He believes that all human beings are valuable regardless of their differences, though we also need to be able to respect each others differences as well. This is the third of three videos depicting this interview.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This interview is contained in two parts. This video is the second.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. Mr. Vijay Rastogi discussed his life in India before coming to America. Described as "the best days," Rastogi looked back fondly on his years in boarding school and college, showing pictures of his friends and classmates of the time. Rastogi made clear that his life goal was to come to America. So, he came to America in the 1960s where he found a job in engineering. He then started a business that dealt with water purification in the mining industry in the 1980s. Rastogi wrote for diasporic Indian newspapers, such as The Lotus. Mr. Rastogi has two children, but did not discuss their mother. They are currently professionals, his son being a doctor and his daughter being a professor. He likes to visit India every four years, where he sees his extended family. Rastogi also showed pride in his conservative political views. This is the third of three videos depicting this interview.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. The interview is broken up into two videos. This is the first.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. The interview is broken up into two videos. This is the first part.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. The interview is broken up into two videos. This is the second.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the second of two videos depicting this interview. Om Julka was formerly a British India army officer during his life in India. His interview is sectioned into his childhood spent traveling Punjab due to his father's career dealing with the railroads, time in the army, and his time since coming to the United States to take care of his grandchildren and his global travels throughout this time. Mr. Julka also discussed entire familial immigration and the racial and social branching of his family as a result. He addressed current issues between India and Pakistan, asking for a resolution of issues to bring the people of both countries together as they were before the Partition.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the first of two videos depicting this interview. Om Julka was formerly a British India army officer during his life in India. His interview is sectioned into his childhood spent traveling Punjab due to his father's career dealing with the railroads, time in the army, and his time since coming to the United States to take care of his grandchildren and his global travels throughout this time. Mr. Julka also discussed entire familial immigration and the racial and social branching of his family as a result. He addressed current issues between India and Pakistan, asking for a resolution of issues to bring the people of both countries together as they were before the Partition.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the first of three videos depicting this interview. Paramjeet Singh initially discussed his childhood in Lahore, which is now in current day Pakistan. He reminisced on some violence from Partition, but most of his interview composed of his education in the United States and how it led to an embracing of America as a new home. He addressed the social difficulties of being Sikh in Ohio during the late 20th century and how some aspects of acceptance have increased over time. He also discussed his intermarriage with an American woman and raising his daughter in America with both Indian and American influences. His interview highlights the importance of being a good person and holding confidence in identity. He urged that South Asians across Ohio teach those who are unfamiliar with their culture to cure acts of intolerance.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the second of three videos depicting this interview. Paramjeet Singh initially discussed his childhood in Lahore, which is now in current day Pakistan. He reminisced on some violence from Partition, but most of his interview composed of his education in the United States and how it led to an embracing of America as a new home. He addressed the social difficulties of being Sikh in Ohio during the late 20th century and how some aspects of acceptance have increased over time. He also discussed his intermarriage with an American woman and raising his daughter in America with both Indian and American influences. His interview highlights the importance of being a good person and holding confidence in identity. He urged that South Asians across Ohio teach those who are unfamiliar with their culture to cure acts of intolerance.
Part of a series of interviews documenting the unique immigrant experience of Asian Indians in northeast Ohio and explore issues of professional, family, and religious life. This is the third of three videos depicting this interview. Paramjeet Singh initially discussed his childhood in Lahore, which is now in current day Pakistan. He reminisced on some violence from Partition, but most of his interview composed of his education in the United States and how it led to an embracing of America as a new home. He addressed the social difficulties of being Sikh in Ohio during the late 20th century and how some aspects of acceptance have increased over time. He also discussed his intermarriage with an American woman and raising his daughter in America with both Indian and American influences. His interview highlights the importance of being a good person and holding confidence in identity. He urged that South Asians across Ohio teach those who are unfamiliar with their culture to cure acts of intolerance.