Book released this
month by Rutgers University Press
Nov. 20, 2003
The experiences of South Asians described in
SUBURBAN SAHIBS offer a window into
what America has become: a nation of suburbs as well as a nation of
immigrants.
Immigration in the post-civil rights era through the stories of three
families: the Kotharis, Patels, and Sarmas. Readers learn why these
families decided to leave India, experience the tensions they encountered
upon their arrival here, and witness the realities of life in the United
States for
South Asians.
Middlesex County, New Jersey, is home to one of the largest Indian
populations in the world outside India. Their mark on the region has
been gradual but increasingly visible: auto-repair outlets named after
"Deepa" and "Singh," a thriving commercial strip
of sari stores and sweet shops, valedictorians named Patel and Shah.
The reception from long-time residents has not been entirely welcoming
as Indian American shopkeepers regularly contend with vandalism. Yet,
as Indians achieve economic success, their desire for political and
social parity grows stronger and their
acceptance is less a question and more a reality.
S. Mitra Kalita, a former Newsday writer, is an education reporter
for the Washington Post. The daughter of immigrants from the Indian
state of Assam, Kalita has lived in Washington, New York, Puerto Rico,
and the suburbs of New Jersey. She serves as president of the South
Asian Journalists Association. For more information:
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