History

History of Asian Indians in Cleveland, Akron & Youngstown, Ohio

NEO has over 25,000 Asian Indians/Desis. Many Asian Indians are entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, professors and scientists. Some own gas stations and others own hotels/motels (the motels are sometimes known as Patel Motel). The advent of the age of information technology brought another wave of Asian Indians to the U.S. And the tide continues, for the good or bad of some other demographic of American citizens. 

The following is a summary of Asian Indian history in the greater Cleveland area. 

Rabindranath Tagore known as the Shakespeare of India for some reason was a guest at the inauguration of the Shakespeare Garden in 1916 now called British Cultural Garden. Therefore, one can say he was the first Asian Indian to visit Cleveland. 

Asian Indian History in Cleveland 1960’s 

Shanti Bahadur established the first Indian business restoring old photographs on East 4th Street between Euclid and Prospect Avenues. After graduating from University of Michigan taught Ariel Photography during WW-II. He was among the few Indians who came to USA for studies through the first Colombo Plan. His classmates included Zakir Hussain and Pratap Singh Kairon. His openness to world around his is evidenced by his marriage outside his ethnicity to an American woman. He was also involved in the Gaddar Movement. 

Dr. Vishwa Nath Kapur was the first Asian Indian doctor who was on the staff of Metro General Hospital in Cleveland. 

Paramjeet Singh Chopra was the first Sikh doctor doing his internship at the Lutheran Hospital. 

Pritam Singh Bhatia was the first Sikh social worker to be hired by the B.F. Goodrich Center in the early sixties. 

P.K. Saha was the first teacher of English language & literature in the Cleveland area starting in 1957, first at Hawken School and later at Case Western Reserve University. 

In the late 1960’s Professor S. Chandrasekhar was named Dean of Western Reserve College of Case Western Reserve University. 

The Indian community organized the first entertainment program with Bhangra, introducing the Cleveland community to culturally Indian songs and dance, at the Cleveland Institute of Art in December 1962. This was a fund-raiser and that raised $2,000.00, which was sent to the Indian Embassy for the Chinese aggression in India. 

Most of the Indian population was students, who were members of the International Student Group, ran by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. They nominated Paramjit Singh as its first Indian chairman in 1963. 

Dr. Ashok V. Pradhan was the first Indian invited by Case Institute of Technology as a Fellow to work on Rocket Propulsion Technology, on a grant from newly formed NASA by President Eisenhower in 1958. Also, he was the fi rst Indian to work on NASA’s Apollo Program initiated by President Kennedy in 1961, as Challenge to Russians to put Man on the Moon before 1960’s decade was over. Of his three Doctorate Degrees, one was from the Cleveland State University; he was the first student ever to be awarded Doctor of Engineering Degree by CSU from their newly started Program in 1975. 

The Asian Indian/Desi community arranged for the first Indian Republic Day Dinner in 1963 for 125 people at the International Student Center sponsored by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. 

Ajeet Singh Sood was the first turbaned Sikh to walk in a graduation procession after he earned his Masters in Engineering from Case Institute of Technology now Case Western Reserve in 1963. Cleveland Press wrote on Wednesday, June 6, 1963 “Turbaned Grad Waits, Case Diploma”. In 1963, at the invitation from the American Society of Experimental Stress Analysis, Ajeet S. Sood was the first non-US Citizen permitted by Pentagon, to enter the Lewis Research Center, a NASA lab in Cleveland to present a paper. 

In 1963, Ajeet S. Sood a stress analyst with Hoff Research and Development Labs. Inc., East Cleveland, was the first Indian and non-US citizen given top Security Clearance to study classified materials and develop special publications for the Department of Defense. As an Associate Analyst and Co- author prepared several publications for the US Office of Civil Defense focusing on strengthening USA against nuclear attack. 

The India Association of Cleveland was formed in 1964 with Mr. Sharma as its first President. Mayors Ralph Locher and Carl Stokes were present at various celebrations. 

Mr. Shiv Aggarwal founded the Collinwood Youth Association in 1965 to assist young adults to take up constructive activities rather than crime and violence. Later, the name was changed to Collinwood Community Services Center to accommodate the needs of seniors. It became the largest neighborhood based multi-service center in Cleveland. 

Dr. Saroj Aggarwal, who was married to Shiv Aggarwal was the first Asian Indian female Eye Surgeon in Ohio. 

Paramjit Singh was the first turbaned Sikh to walk in a graduation procession after he earned his MBA from Western Reserve University now Case Western Reserve in 1965 (Cleveland, History in Motion authored by John and Diane Grabowski of Western Reserve Historical Society) 

After protesting the first two Indians and an Egyptian were permitted to appear for the Ohio State Board of Professional Engineers Exam in 1965 and they secured the top three positions. 

On May 15, 1965 Cleveland Sikhs held the first Sikh Diwan, a religious congregation to educate Clevelanders about Sikhism and its philosophy at the Church of the Covenant and the local press publicized it. 

Lotus, the Indian community newspaper was first published in 1967. The prime movers were Dr. Raju Chidambaram, Greg Travassos, P.K. Saha to name a few and Pamela Rebello was the Editor. 

The first Indian woman of the Sikh faith was cremated in 1968 and there was only one place for cremation in the Flats. 

Maharani opened in 1968 selling Indian handicrafts, jewelry and clothing on Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights (known as the Haight-Ashbury of Cleveland). 

The first Indian grocery store was opened in the Greenlight shopping Mall in the late sixties or early seventies. 

Asian Indian History in Cleveland 1970s 

Taj Mahal, the first Indian restaurant opened in Lyndhurst in 1974. 

As the Indian community grew in the early ‘70s, the idea of having an India House was born, which culminated in the purchase of the India Community Center in 1978 and Cleveland became the first major city in the United States to have an India Community Center. In 2003 it received The Ohio Historical Marker. 

Jasjeet Singh Sood a turbaned Sikh attained the Eagle Scout rank in 1974. Jasjeet Singh Sood was also the first Indian who graduated Valedictorian from Normandy High School in 1976. 

The Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) of Cleveland celebrated its first Durga Puja in 1978. The Bengali Cultural Society was formed to promote social and cultural aspects of the State of Bengal 

The Gujarati Samaj was formed in 1979 

North East Ohio Marathi Mandal (NEOMM) is a non-profit, non-political organization primarily engaged in promoting social and cultural aspects of the State of Maharashtra, of the Country of India, and particularly the Marathi language. 

Inauguration of Thyagaraj Festival at Cleveland State University 

Asian Indian History in Cleveland from 1980’s 

India Cultural Sunday School in Akron was started in 1980 by Dr. Purushottam D. Gujrati & Dr. Sneh Raj both from Akron. This is a fully volunteer run cultural school. 

In 1981 the Federation of India Community Associations (FICA) was formed to link with The National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA) and serve as the umbrella for the entire sister organizations that had been formed by then. 

In 1983 The Asian-Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio (AIPNO) was formed as the number of Indian physicians increased in the area. Since 1992, at their annual fund raising event called the “Chirag” (Lamp), they have donated $10,000 to non-profit organizations, which reads as follows: The Free Clinic, Cleveland Sight Center, Templum House, Project Act, Providence House, Boys Hope, Help Foundation, Inc., Cleveland Sight Center, Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence, The City Mission, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Partnership For A Safer Cleveland, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-Rainbow Chapter, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, ALS Association-Northern Ohio Chapter. AIPNO also holds annual health fair for seniors at the Shiva Vishnu and Swaminarayan temples. AIPNO has supported in the past the medical surgical camps in India, Maharashtra Foundation, a Burn Clinic in India, 9-11 Relief, Gujarat Earthquake relief, Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina relief (through Red Cross), Orissa Cyclone relief, India Cultural Garden Project. AIPNO also supports Project SEVA every year with $5,000 in matching funds. 

Dr. Elizabeth Balraj the first Indian woman to become the Cuyahoga County Coroner in 1987. 

In 1988 Cleveland hosted its first National Convention in collaboration with the NFIA, we had Asian Indians come from 35 states and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan performed in Severance Hall, a first for Severance Hall. At this Convention the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) was formed. This was also the year that initiated the Indian community’s in politics and participation in the Presidential election. 

Thanksgiving of 1988, Project SEVA was born and served 400 Thanksgiving Dinner at the Morning Star Baptist Church near East 105th Street. This was arranged by State Senator Michael White. 

The concept and experience of Project SEVA was presented to the National Federation of Indian-American Association (NFIA) board and it was adopted by NFIA to be promoted nationally. It is estimated that nationally on Thanksgiving week we serve about 125,000 meals and also distribute blankets to the homeless. Presently we serve about 6,000 meals every month at St. Colman Catholic Church, Morningstar Baptist Church and Hopewell Baptist Missionary Church and the India Community Center. Project SEVA also has a program called, “Indian-Americans for the American-Indians”, providing them with healthcare education, diabetes testing and a pantry program. The Indian community raised over $300,000 for families of those who were victims of September 11, 2001. We have raised funds for Tsunami and Katrina. Currently Project SEVA serves 125,000 pounds of food and distributes about 1,500 blankets to the homeless and needy. Around Christmas Project SEVA volunteers take pictures of kids with Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus; print them right away, so the kids can take them home. 

The Association of Asian Indian Women of Ohio (AAIWO) is an all-volunteer organization that aspires to support, educate, and empower Asian Indian women in Northeast Ohio. AAIWO promotes culture and education while establishing networks for women and fostering leadership skills. It recognizes womens contributions to society with a specific focus on Asian Indian Women, with the goal of highlighting our contributions within the greater community. AAIWO was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1989 in Ohio. Its founding board members were Usha Ahuja, Nilli Sawhney, Nirmala Shekar, Veena Bhupali, Rita Singh, Susan Karimpil, Uma Ganesan, Manju Rastogi, Vandana Marwaha, Mona Alag, and Nisha Jain. 

The Asian-Indian Americans for Better Government (AIABG) as a non- partisan body and holds events to provide our community with political education and raise funds for candidates. The Indian community raised over $250,000 for Mayor Voinovich’s race to become the Governor of Ohio. 

Mayor Voinovich creates Asian Advisory Council. 

Governor George Voinovich appoints first Asian Indian Dr. Peter Somani as Director, Department of Health 

1991. Governor George Voinovich designates Asians-Indians as Minority Contractors. 

Mayor Perk appoints Mr. (Balu) Balasubramanian as specialist in the department of Human Resources and Economic Development. Where the division of Cleveland World Trade Center, designate Sister City relationship with Bangalore, India in 1976. 

Nirmal Sinha is the first Indian appointed to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Nirmal K. Sinha (Columbus) has been a dedicated advocate for the Asian Indian community and for the equality of all Ohioans. He was invaluable in alleviating the fears and improving relations during that time of uncertainty and unrest among the Muslim and Sikh communities following the attacks of September 11, 2001. In order to promote trade and Ohio’s international relations, Sinha regularly hosts business leaders and diplomatic delegates visiting from various countries like South Africa and China. As Commissioner on the Ohio Civil Rights Commission for 15 years, Sinha developed programs to welcome new immigrants to the United States and created outreach programs for various ethnic groups, including the Asian and Hispanic Communities. Senator George Voinovich acknowledges Nirmal Sinha as a 2003 Ellis Island Medal of Honor winner. He is an outstanding American whose dedicated service to others helps improve the quality of life for his fellow Americans every day. 

Senator George Voinovich wrote, Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and pay tribute to Mr. Monte Ahuja of Hunting Valley, OH as an Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipient. 

The Indian community starts the India Chair program at the Cleveland State University and later is nominated to be the Chairman of its Board of Trustees. Monte Ahuja donates a total of 12 million dollars to Cleveland State University and they honored him by naming the School of Business as Monte Ahuja School of Business. 

2000’s 

India International another newspaper serving the Indian community starts publishing in December 2001. 

The Sikh Gurudwara (temple) in Richfield, Ohio is bestowed The Ohio Historical Marker in 2003. 

The India Community Center is also bestowed The Ohio Historical Marker in 2003. 

· The American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin holds its fi rst national convention in 2003. 

· FICA has the groundbreaking ceremony of the India Cultural Gardens with Mayor Jane Campbell and Congressman Dennis Kucinich in 2004. Soil from India is added to the American Legion Peace Garden crypt, where soil from all the nations represented in the Cultural Gardens can be found. 

· Installation of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the India Cultural Garden on October 1, 2006. It is the fi rst Gandhi statue in Ohio. The second phase of the Garden was completed by October 2, 2007, which is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. This is the premier location in the world that has the tallest Gandhi statue on a Martin Luther Kind Jr. Drive. 

· Ratanjit S. Sondhe “King of the Road” started POLY-CARB now a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company, was/ is the leader in developing and delivering innovative infrastructure preservation and road safety solutions that offer unparalleled performance, quality, safety and service. Now, he is a Speaker, Author, Consultant, Entrepreneur, Radio & TV Personality, and has become Renowned Internationally as “Mr. Stress-Free!”. A man with a gift of creativity. He is also the first Asian Indian Sikh to be on the Board of The Cleveland Foundation. 

· Meet Neel Kashkari: The Man With the $700 Billion Wallet (Also a man from Stow Ohio): As The Wall Street Journal’s Deborah Solomon reported October 6, 2008, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson is promoting Neel Kashkari, the Treasury’s assistant secretary for international affairs, to be the point man overseeing the $700 billion fi nancial bailout as the interim head of Paulson’s Office of Financial Stability. He is now the CEO and President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, MN. Neel Tushar Kashkari is an American banker and politician who is President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. As interim Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability from October 2008 to May 2009, he oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program that was a major component of the U.S. government’s response to the financial crisis of 2007– 08. A Republican, he ran for Governor of California in the 2014 election, but failed to unseat incumbent Jerry Brown. 

· Monte and Usha Ahuja donated $30 million to University Hospital. It is the highest donation made in Northeast Ohio. It is also the highest donation made by an Indian American in the whole country. University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center, which opened in 2011, is a state- of-the-art community hospital focused on patient and family-centered care and the tenets of evidence-based design. It is named in honor of University Hospitals Board Chairman Monte Ahuja, his wife Usha and their family who donated $30 million towards Vision 2010: The UH Difference.”University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.” University Hospitals. Situated on 53 acres in Beachwood, Ohio, the University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center will serve more than 540,000 residents in the Cleveland area. 

· Zahid and Zarina Siddiqui established a public charity Salaam Cleveland some 10 years back and it caters to mostly refugee resettlement efforts and also the members have been feeding couple of shelters, once a month, Laura’s Home and McDonald’s House. Salaam Cleveland has hosted lectures on domestic violence, healthy living and arranged various Health Fairs for the under-served community. Visit www.salaamcleveland.com for details. Salaam Cleveland was established in 2002 with the mission of promoting interfaith harmony through small acts of Charity. We have currently grown to over 50 volunteers who are optimistic and dedicated women of American, Canadian, Indian, Iranian, Pakistani and Syrian Descent. They achieved 501 (c) (3) non- profit status in 2009. Salaam Cleveland takes its name from the Arabic word for peace (Salaam) and encourages harmony between different faiths and ethnicities. We believe simple acts of kindness can make people more loving, compassionate and tolerant. They also, with the community’s help, purchased a building at 9400 Detroit Ave which houses the MRI (Masjid Rasoul- Allah Islamic) Society which also serves as a mosque/community center not only for the refugees but also immigrants of many nationalities living in that area. This building was purchased in 2005 and also serves as a school as well as a tutoring center for the refugee children. 

2010’s · 

Anand and Neeraj Julka donate $6 million to set-up a scholarship fund at the Cleveland State University and CSU dedicated a brand new building housing their college and School of Nursing, calling it Julka Hall in 2010. · Jay Goyal a Democrat is the fi rst Indian-American elected as the State Representative in Ohio in November 2006. Representing the 73rd District, served as the Majority Whip in the 128th Ohio General Assembly. Rep. Goyal proudly serves his hometown of Mansfi eld and other areas of Richland County in the Ohio House of Representatives. www.house.state.oh.us/ index.php · Baiju Shah leads a BioEnterprise team helps build Northeast Ohio’s biomedical industry reports Tom Breckenridge of the Plain Dealer, June 6, 2009. A man variously described as “a walking Rolodex,” “smart as hell” and a “master facilitator” heads BioEnterprise. The nonprofi t, headquartered in University Circle, is charged with boosting growth in the region’s health care economy. So far, BioEnterprise claims a hand in the growth of 89 biomedical companies throughout Northeast Ohio. They’ve drawn $859 million in capital and generated 1,900 jobs. · Anamika Veeramani wins the National Spelling Bee Contest becoming the 2010 National Spelling Bee Champion · The City Club of Cleveland, the citadel of free speech invites Dr. I.J. Singh, Professor and Coordinator, Anatomical Sciences, New York University; Jasjit Singh, Associate Executive Director, Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF) and Paramjit Singh, City Club Special Program member to present American Sikh: Towards a More Perfect Union. Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Paramjit Singh into its 2010 Inaugural Class. · FICA Trustee Paramjit Singh forms a coalition to make Cleveland the City of Peace and Non-Violence in October 2010 and created a Cyber Wall of Non- Violence sponsored by ClevelandPeople. com. Cleveland is the only city in the world that has a Gandhi statue on a Martin Luther King Drive in the Cleveland Peace Cultural Garden. Please visit www.clevelandpeople. com/other/pledge.htm and sign the pledge. · The World Congress of Religion’s Peace Next designates Cleveland as the 73rd Peace City in the world. · FICA invited by Mayor Frank Jackson to celebrate Diwali 2010 in the Rotunda of City Hall of Cleveland. Dr. Raja Shekar conquers Mount Kilamanjaro. · Radhika Reddy, founder and partner of Arial Ventures buys a building on East 40th Street with a great view of Lake Erie to house the Ariel International Center to welcome new immigrants to Cleveland. Arial Ventures will operate it as an incubator for entrepreneurs. · Rajiv Joseph from Cleveland writes a Pulitzer Prize fi nalist Drama “Bengal Tiger on the way to Baghdad Zoo” starring Robin Williams hits Broadway. · Paramjit Singh is selected to be a member of FBI’s Citizens Academy in 2011 · Mr. Vinod (Vinny) Gupta of Wadsworth Ohio is appointed to the Ohio Board of Regents in 2011. Chairman Ohio Board of Regents November 2012----Present The Ohio Board of Regents is the state agency that coordinates higher education in Ohio. The agency is directed by its Chancellor, who is a member of the Governor of Ohio’s cabinet. The Chancellor, with the advice of the nine-member Board of Regents, provides policy guidance to the Governor and the Ohio General Assembly, advocates for the University System of Ohio and carries out state higher education policy Advisory Body to the Chancellor, legislature and governor on Higher education In Ohio. Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Late Vijaya Emani into its 2011 Class. Vijaya Lakshmi Emani was an Indian American social activist known for her work against domestic violence, and was a civic leader among the Indian American community in Cleveland, Ohio. Starting with Northeast Ohio Telugu Association, followed by the Federation of Indian Community Associations and with Greater Cleveland Asian Community, she was the president of the Federation of India Community and a board member of the Federation of India Community Associations. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest United States civilian award, in 2011. U.S. President Barack Obama has honored Indian-American activist Vijaya Lakshmi Emani posthumously with the Presidential Citizens Medal for her courage in overcoming and speaking out against domestic abuse in the Indian-American community, according to an IANS report from Washington. “Breaking long-held taboos, Vijaya Emani lent her voice to protect Indian- American women from domestic violence,” Mr. Obama said while presenting the nation’s second-highest civilian honour to Emani’s daughters -- Sujata and Nirmala -- in the East Room of the White House. “She was a trailblazer who shared her personal story to help other battered women overcome abusive relationships,” Mr. Obama said of Emani, who was killed on January 15, 2009 at the age of 51 when she was hit by a truck in Ohio. · Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Dr. Jaya Shah into its 2012 Class. The Asian Indian Heritage Project was formed on March 1, 2012, partnering with the Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) ad South Asian American Digital Archives (SAADA) https://www.saada. org/ to preserve the cultural legacy of Asian Indians in Northeast Ohio. http:// www.wrhs.org/research/library/signifi cant- collections/asian-indian/ · August 6 , 2012, Finally, Michael Sreshta was the fi rst REAL Cleveland Indian to throw the ceremonial fi rst pitch for the Cleveland Vs Minnesota game. Please note the electronic sign recognizing (FICA) Federation of India Community Associations in the photo on the right. · Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Ratanjit Singh Sondhe into its 2013 Class. · Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Monte Ahuja into its 2014 Class. · The Indian Orthodox Church bought a church in Macedonia in 2014. This is the fi rst time an Indian Christian group buying their own church in Ohio under the leadership of Fr. James Cheriyan. · Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Shiv Aggarwal into its 2015 Class · Citizens Academy, member of Breakthrough Schools renames its founding charter school and campus at 10118 Hampden Road, Cleveland to Mahatma Gandhi Campus, October 2, 2015. It is located about a mile from the India Cultural Garden. Thanks to the major financial support provided by the Bafna family under the leadership of Suresh Bafna who is a Board member of Citizens Academy and several other members of the Indian community. This Campus was opened in 1999 and is currently one of the highest- rated elementary schools in the state of Ohio. Named a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education in 2011, Citizens Academy is a proud leader in high- quality public school education. We are so excited to announce the dedication of our school as “a school dedicated to peace and nonviolence.” Welcome to Citizens Academy, Mahatma Gandhi Campus. Project SEVA participates in Philanthropia every year since 2007 to raise funds. · Cleveland International Hall of Fame inducts Dr. Mohan Bafna into its 2016 Class. Sunita Lyn “Suni” Williams is an American astronaut and United States Navy officer of Indian-Slovenian descent. Sunita Williams who was born in Euclid, Ohio was honored by the Slovak Community of Cleveland.. She holds the records for total spacewalks by a woman and most spacewalk time for a woman. Williams was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and Expedition 15. In 2012, she served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33 As a result of 9/11the Sikh community in this country experienced more than 300 incidents resulting from mistaken identity. Because of their turban the Americans connected them to Osama Bin Laden. The most prominent being Balbir Singh Sodhi of Arizona being shot to death. More than a decade later Paramjit Singh heard being called Osama bin Laden by students from the Cleveland Schools, while participating in St. Patrick Day’s parade. This prompted Paramjit to meet with the following to impress and request the need of multi- cultural education citing that California schools now incorporate multi-cultural education. • Ms. Monyka Price, Chief of Education, Office of the Cleveland Mayor • Dr. Michelle Pierre- Farid, Chief Academic Officer, Cleveland Metro Schools • Ms. Sasheen Phillips, Senior Exec. Dir., Center for Curriculum, Ohio Dept. of Education • Ms. Melissa Thompson, Director of Education reform, Ohio Dept. of Education • Ms. Jennifer Hogue, State Legislative Liaison, Ohio Dept. of Education. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, 2915 Laurel Road, Brunswick, OH 44212