Paper short abstract:

This paper focuses on strategies adopted by Indians living in the United States in the context of Indian identity, their educational and professional attainment The goal of this ethnographic study is to shed light on the process of identity construction of Asian Indians.

Paper long abstract:

Indians migrating to different parts of the world is a historical as well as a contemporary phenomenon. Research on Indian Diaspora has clearly established that wherever they went they maintained their Indian identity in a strong way. While in general language and religion has played important role in identity maintenance, other factors also contribute.

In this paper we will focus on strategies adopted by Indians living in the United States in the context of Indian identity, e.g., their educational and professional attainment, active participation in Indian organizations and festivities, as well as visit to India. The goal of this ethnographic study is to shed light on the process of identity construction of Asian Indians particularly in the context of model minority rhetoric. Asian Indians are stereotyped as an English-speaking scientific community, and an achievement-oriented minority. In the United States Asian Indians and their children are positively stereotyped as "successful minorities," and are ascribed "model minority" status in American society because their educational and economic profile competes with the profile of whites. Like many Asian Americans, Asian Indians are voluntary immigrants who migrated to the United States in the quest of a better life.