Contributions to American culture by Indian Americans are highlighted in “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation,” an exhibition by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center opening Feb. 27 at the National Museum of Natural History.

With seven sections occupying 5,000 square feet, there’s a bigness to the exhibition reflecting the size of the subcontinent, and more than 200 years of history. Photos, art and artifacts will explore the muscle Indian Americans put into the nation’s railroads and infrastructure, their professional concentrations and achievements, and cultural, religious and civil rights highlights.

“We wanted a title that people have a reference for, but this is not about Bollywood,” says curator Masum Momaya. “The exhibition is going to take you beyond what you know about Indians and Indian Americans,” though its color and design draw on Bollywood aesthetics. “The main wall colors are mango, magenta and bright plum. . . . Our culture is vibrant, so we wanted the gallery to reflect that.”

A focal point of the exhibition will be a dress by designer Naeem Khan worn by First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House’s Governors Dinner in 2012.

According to the 2010 Census, 17 million people in the United States are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and by 2050, that it’s expected to be 41 million. Members of the Indian American community approached the Smithsonian about doing an exhibition in 2008, and curators began a concentrated effort to collect Indian American artifacts from around the country. The Smithsonian’s 137 million-object collection had objects from India, but few from Indian Americans.

The exhibition will begin with migrants not only from India, but Indians from the Caribbean, Africa and even South America; a population widely spread throughout the British Empire, of which India was once a part. It includes early immigration history as well as a look at Indian Americans’ concentration as cab drivers, motel and small business owners, doctors and software engineers.

In looking at fields in which Indian Americans are concentrated professionally, “we went for the most stereotypical ones with the idea of dismantling the stereotypes,” Momaya says.

“Arts and Activism” explores Indian Americans contributions to social justice movements, and a section on religion and spirituality looks specifically at yoga. But it will probably be the section on Indian American cultural contributions — food, fashion, dance, music — that will be the most easily recognizable and feel most resonant. A re-creation of a dining table found in an Indian American family home will feature eight place settings with each symbolizing a moment in food history. These includes the first Indian American restaurants, cookbooks and when grocery stores began selling Indian food.

And because so much food history is about family, ritual and lore, the section will have place settings on Thali — the Indian plates that travel well, hold piles of food and last decades. The American dish equivalent, Corelle dinnerware will be on the other side of the table. Indian Americans have “a cultural attraction to Corelle ware,” Momaya enthuses. She still has a set her parents gave her when she went to college. It was inexpensive, durable and families owned “one of three patterns that reminded people of India. Its texture, nuance, emotional resonance. People come in and see it and say wow, I have that same set of dishes in my cupboard today. It’s passing on history in a material sense, but also in terms of memory.”

Khan, who designed Michelle Obama’s one-shouldered, sequin- and crystal-embellished gown, hails from a centuries-long line of garment embroiderers from India’s Mughal Courts. Throughout the exhibition, that blending of very old, very traditional hallmarks of Indian culture will show up repeatedly, and in surprising ways, in American history and iconography.

“I see this exhibition as American history, not just Indian American history,” says Momaya. “There are so many parallels.”

“Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans  Shape the Nation” opening Feb. 27 runs through Feb., 2015 at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington. 202-633-1000. www.mnh.si.edu.

East West Players, one of the largest Asian American theater production groups in the U.S., recently announced that Madhuri Shekar’s “A Nice Indian Boy” took second place in its playwriting competition, “Face of the Future,” which explored the reality of multicultural America from an Asian American perspective.

The competition’s first place winner was “Christmas in Hanoi” by Eddie Borey, with third place going to “Samsara” by Lauren Yee.

Shekar is California-born and was raised in India. Dividing her time between Los Angeles and Chennai, the Indian American is currently pursuing an MFA in dramatic writing at the University of Southern California. She occasionally dabbles in acting and stand-up comedy, just to remind herself of why she really should stick to writing.

“A Nice Indian Boy” tells the story of “nice” Indian guy, Naveen Gavaskar, who wants to settle down with a “nice” Indian guy that his parents would approve of. His plans go awry when he falls for a culturally confused Caucasian, and his perfect sister brings home some not-so-perfect news.

Shekar will receive a $2,500 second place prize.
An honorable mention was given to “The Moments Before” by Lina Patel, who is currently working on a commission for a new play from Yale Repertory Theater.

“The Moments Before” was inspired by William Dalrymple’s historical books about Indian colonial history. In the world of the play, Battery Park City and Bangladesh are under water, the American military works in secret around the globe and Russia controls European use of natural gas.

The future is now and the present is as urgent as the past for a newly-minted and emotionally scarred young academic named Alec, his fractured parents and the friends and lovers entangled in their lives.

“The Moments Before” asks, what is worth preserving as life becomes precious? By examining the value of shared history and the passing on of stories in a time of crisis, the play ambitiously explores the bonds of love and the lasting value of history in the face of possible annihilation.

The panel of judges included the playwrights S. Vasanti Saxena (winner of EWP’s last playwriting competition) among others.

EWP will present a reading of “A Nice Indian Boy” on March 31 at the David Henry Hwang Theater at East West Players, located at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 in the Little Tokyo district in downtown Los Angeles.

Source: IndiaWest

The Indian American (approx. 3.2 million) population has made significant strides in a relatively short amount of time in many fields including business, education, law, medicine, politics, policy, science and technology. Over the last 50 years (post Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965), these achievements have been globally recognized by multiple organizations and Indian American leaders are receiving more accolades and awards with each passing year. Some of these acknowledgments showcase the solidifying strength among the US and India. One such organization providing a voice for the Indian American community that has been instrumental in organizing fundraisers, enhancing India-US political relations and by supporting Indian American leaders who have rewritten history in their own right is the United States India Political Action Committee (USINPAC). As a bi-partisan organization, USINPAC continuously supports Indian American candidates running for elected office and political appointments at federal and state levels, launched the US Senate Caucus in 2004 and served as a strong voice against Anti-India and Anti-Indian American rhetoric by Washington officials in the 2000s. USINPAC’s substantial impact in modern day American politics by providing ongoing support on issues pertinent to the Indian American community are solidified in US history.

Some of USINPAC’s notable feats on a larger scale are part of a brand new first of its kind and long overdue exhibit entitled Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation. This one of a kind presentation will be on display with the world renowned Smithsonian Institution starting February 2014 in Washington, DC. Specific topics include early immigrant experiences, struggles for citizenship in the first half of the 20th century, professional contributions from the 1960s and beyond, organizing for labor rights, women’s rights and labor rights and cultural contributions through food, music, dance and within the entertainment industry.

I recently had the privilege and honor to interview Dr. Masum Momaya, Curator for the Smithsonian Indian American Heritage Project.

1) AKO – What compelled you to come to Washington, DC and become the Curator for this project? What have you personally learned that you didn’t know about your heritage?

MM – Curating an exhibition for the Smithsonian is an opportunity like no other. 10 million people can visit a Smithsonian exhibition in a given year. The institution has a reputation for credible scholarship, great care of artifacts and objects and widespread, free public access to national and global audiences. It’s pretty hard to say “no” when the Smithsonian asks you to come work here!

Moreover, as an Indian American myself, it’s an honor to be able to curate Beyond Bollywood, the first-ever large-scale exhibition on our community. In putting this together, I’ve been awed – over and over – again but how deep and how nuanced our roots in the United States are.

2) AKO – When was this project first conceptualized and what has changed since it was an initial idea?

MM – The Indian American Heritage Project began in 2008 when a few Indian Americans in the DC-area approached the Smithsonian with the idea and some resources to plant the seeds for this exhibition. The Undersecretary for History, Art and Culture at the Smithsonian, Dr. Richard Kurin, has offered tremendous support to the project from its inception and throughout.

The goal all along has been to explore the experiences of Indian immigrants and Indian Americans and what has come about over time is a focus for the exhibition – namely that the Smithsonian will be exploring our unique cultural, political and professional contributions to shaping the US and American history.

3) AKO – What are some artifacts that have been donated or will be exhibited from Indian American politicians?

MM – We are very excited and privileged that the family of former Congressman Dalip Singh Saund has donated a bunch of artifacts from his life. Saund was the first person of Indian descent, Asian descent and non-Abrahamic faith elected to the US Congress. Artifacts such as his campaign materials and books will be on display in Beyond Bollywood, have been acquisitioned by the National Museum of American history and are now part of the national collection. This is historic.

4) AKO – In terms of education, who is the primary audience and why?

MM – The exhibition is designed with the diverse audience of the Smithsonian in mind, including kids, multiple generations of families visiting together, visitors from all over the United States and abroad, and Indians and non-Indians alike. Of all the museums in the US, the Smithsonian probably has the broadest and most diverse visitorship of all, and we design exhibitions with this in mind.

5) AKO – Why is this exhibit needed now?

MM- Honestly, given that the first person of Indian origin set foot on American soil in 1790 – and we’ve been contributing to this country since then, the exhibit is overdue! But better late than never. It’s especially important to me that my parents and people in their generation see this and feel proud that all the sacrifices and struggles they’ve made are valued and also that kids see this and learn that their roots here are deep and nuanced. Their American history textbooks certainly don’t convey that – not yet anyway….

6) AKO – Do you think this exhibit will change the mindset of Americans in regards to Indian Americans contributing to the fabric of the United Sates?

MM – If we’ve done a good job with the exhibition, yes! Let’s see how the public responds.

7) AKO – Being that this exhibit is the first of its kind for Indian Americans, what does this mean for future generations?

MM – Hopefully, with continued support from the community, this exhibition will be the first of many. Every single panel in the exhibition could be expanded into a separate exhibition in and of itself. Beyond Bollywood is just a point of departure.

8) AKO – Will this exhibit help to debunk common stereotypes of Indian Americans?

MM – We’ve been very intentional about naming and confronting the stereotypes head-on through the exhibition script and display. I hope that the exhibition will reduce the number of instances in which Indians in America are asked questions like ‘whether the “red dot” is permanent’ or ‘whether people in India ride elephants as moded of transportation.’ It’s high time these stereotypes are debunked. Our community is vast, diverse, deeply-rooted and nuanced, and this is the story that needs to be told.

9) AKO – Given the contributions of Indian Americans, do you think that our history will one day be placed in US history books for younger generations to read?

MM – I hope so, and I hope this exhibition contributes to that so that those writing and reading textbooks call for these revisions and incorporations. Telling history in more nuanced ways is an ongoing process and we at the Smithsonian are privileged to be able to contribute to this.

10) AKO – When and where can people find the exhibit? Will it be free? How long will it be touring and to what locations?

MM – Beyond Bollywood will show at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, which is free and open to the public, from February 27, 2014 through February 2015. It will travel around the country from May 2015 through 2020 in other museums, historical societies, libraries, community centers and universities. More details about the traveling exhibition can be found here. We have just started identifying possible host venues, and I would welcome any suggestions at MomayaM@si.edu.

11) AKO – How can people get involved if they want to contribute?

MM – We are collecting stories here and donations here.

Two Americans are among the five people from the US who have been selected for India’s prestigious Padma awards this year for their contributions in different fields.

Susanne Hoeber Rudolph, the William Benton Distinguished Service Professor Emerita at the University of Chicago, and Lloyd I. Rudolph, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Chicago, will each receive the prestigious Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India.

Susanne has served as president of the Association of Asian Studies and of the American Political Science Association (2003-2004).

She has co-authored eight books with her husband, Lloyd, including post-modern Gandhi and Other Essays in 2006.

In 2008, OxfordBSE -3.16 % University Press published a three- volume, career-spanning collection of the writings of Lloyd and Susanne, titled Explaining Indian Democracy: A Fifty-Year Perspective.

Lloyd served as Chair of the Committee on International Relations and the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences and as chair of concentrations in Political Science, Public Policy, International Studies and South Asian Studies in the College.

The Rudolphs now divide their time between Kensington, California; Barnard, Vermont; and Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Three Indian-Americans – Ashok Kumar Mago, Dr Siddharth Mukherjee and Dr. Vamsi Mootha – will receive the prestigious Padma Shri awards.

Dallas-based Mago has played a key role in improving India-US relationship not only in trade and business, but was also instrumental in setting up of the Senate-India caucus and played a key role in the Congressional passage of the civil nuclear deal.

India-born American physician-scientist Mukherjee is best known for his book ‘The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer’ that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2011.

He is currently an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and staff physician at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

A Professor of Systems Biology and of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr Mootha has received a number of honours, including a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the Judson Daland Prize of the American Philosophical Society, and the Keilin Medal of the Biochemical Society.

His work has also led to the development of generic, computational strategies that have now been applied successfully to other human diseases.

Source: Economic Times

Arogyaswami Joseph “Paul” Paulraj, professor emeritus at Stanford University, has been named the winner of the prestigious 2014 Marconi Society Prize, which brings with it a $100,000 award.

The Indian American professor’s idea for using multiple antennas at both the transmitting and receiving stations — a concept at the heart of the high-speed WiFi and 4G mobile systems — revolutionized delivery of multimedia services for billions of people, the Marconi Society said.

“Paulraj’s contributions to wireless technology and the resulting benefit to mankind are indisputable,” said Marconi Society vice chairman Vint Cerf in a statement.

“Every WiFi router and 4G phone today uses MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) technology pioneered by him,” he added.

The Marconi Society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was founded by Gioia Marconi Braga. Each year it recognizes one or more scientists who — like her father, radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi – pursue advances in communications and information technology.

After graduating at the age of 15 at the top of his class in high school in India, Paulraj joined the Indian Navy, where he focused on weapons systems.

Self-taught in subjects including information theory and signal processing, he obtained a Ph.D. from IIT-Delhi for his work on non-linear estimation theory. In 1977, the Indian Navy assigned him to head a project to develop advanced sonar and his team pioneered APSOH, a sonar system used in the fleet service in 1983.

On a sabbatical from the Indian Navy, Paulraj joined Prof. Thomas Kailath’s research group at Stanford, where he worked on a multiple-signals directions of arrival estimation problem. The solution he came up with, ESPRIT, led to a mini-revolution in the field, according to the Marconi Society.

Paul returned to India in 1986 and became founding director for three major labs in India. Back at Stanford in 1991, he worked on signal separation experiments for airborne reconnaissance.

This led to his invention of spatial multiplexing, which increased throughput in wireless systems using multiple transmitting and receiving antennas.

Paul applied for a U.S. patent and, despite industry skepticism, founded Iospan Wireless, which developed a MIMO-OFDMA based fixed wireless system. Intel Corp. acquired Iospan’s technology in 2003 and used it to spearhead WiMAX standards.

In 2004, Paulraj co-founded Beceem Communications, which developed WiMAX semiconductors. The company emerged as a market leader and was acquired by Broadcom Corp.

Marconi Fellow and Stanford Prof. John Cioffi said Paulraj’s technical capability is “almost unparalleled in the world. But what impresses me most is how (Paulraj) endured the tremendous pressure, turmoil and stress of people saying his ideas weren’t going to work, and persevered until he found success.”

The 2014 Indian American Marconi winner said in a modest statement, “MIMO technology is today embedded in 4G mobile and WiFi. It has taken the effort of thousands of engineers and researchers around the world, many of them truly eminent, to make this happen. My contribution, in comparison, is indeed small.”

Paulraj was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2006 and received the Padma Bhushan from India in 2010, and the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal in 2011.

A mentor to post-doctoral students at Stanford and a senior adviser to Broadcom, he lives on the Stanford campus with his wife, Nirmala.

“I have two grown children and four wonderful grandchildren,” he said. “My biggest challenge is finding time for all the things I want to do.”

Source: IndiaWest