From The Peopling of New York City: Indian Communities

New York City has long been a destination for incoming immigrants, especially those from Europe in the late 19th century to the early 20th century. In more recent decades, however, it has also become a destination point for Indians from all over the globe. This wiki will explore the various facets of this relatively small yet vibrant group of people as it exists in New York City, past and present.

The story of Asian Indian immigrants in New York City differs from the older, more established immigrants groups. Asian Indians are relative newcomers by comparison, as they only started coming to New York City post-1965. Most Asian Indians, unlike other immigrant groups, succeed in America almost immediately due to high levels of education and excellent English skills. Finally, Asian Indians tend to live away from Manhattan, whereas the other immigrant groups have historically resided (and continue to reside) in this borough.

This website was designed and created to exhibit the facts and figures of the amazing success story that belongs to Indian immigrants to this country and to New York City. Below is an outline of the information contained in this website with some basic information about each subheading. A click on any of the subheadings listed will lead to a page with more information.

GEOGRAPHY

With respect to geographical location, Indian immigrants to the Big Apple differ greatly from nearly all immigrant groups in that most Indians living within the five boroughs not only live outside of Manhattan, but also that very few actually live in Manhattan at all. Furthermore, many Indians who originally moved to the City have since moved elsewhere so as to be closer to the jobs in which they excel, from engineering jobs to computer science. Those who live in New York City live largely in Queens. Follow the link above to read more about geography in relation to Indian immigrants.

DEMOGRAPHY

In relation to other ethnic groups, the Indian population has of late been one of the fastest growing populations in not only New York City, but also in the United States. By clicking on the link above, a variety of numbers and statistics concerning the demographics of the Indian community in the City and the country will be made available.

HISTORY

Indian history as a group in the United States did not truly begin to take shape until the years after the 1960s, in which Indians began to migrate to the U.S. in numbers. However, this is not to say that the Indians did not encounter the racism and discrimination that was rife within the U.S. immigration system in the earlier years of the country. Following the link above will lead to a more in-depth look at the history of Indians as a group in this country.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

| Housing | Businesses |

The built environment of a neighborhood includes the physical characteristics of the area, including the housing and the commercial architecture of storefronts that contain businesses. It is the canvas on which a new immigrant group can paint their cultural backdrop.

CULTURE

| Cultural Events | Religious Institutions | Community | Food | Media | Shopping |

Although having assumed new identities and accepted many of the new customs practiced in their new country of residence, many Indian immigrants have maintained and continue to maintain their traditional culture and values. Many Indians show solidarity with their home country by continuing to practice their religion, which is manifested by the many temples and places of worship around New York. Moreover, traditional and ethnic foods, clothing, movies, and more are all available for purchase at a variety of locations within the City.

Media Galleries

Bollywood Meets Big Apple Photostream	Bollywood Meets Big Apple Youtube Channel

Wiki Co-Authors

Olga Gervits | Mikaela Murph | Alex Schindler | Ivana Mellers | Aliza Lieb | David Weinberger | Anna Serio | Alexander Schinis | Brandon Giglio | Reema Prakash