Team Blitz India
ALTHOUGH the Indian diaspora make up only 1.5% of the population, their contribution to the US tax base is notable, which is estimated at about 5-6% of all income taxes or approximately $250-300 million. Furthermore, their professions indirectly create 11- 12 million American jobs, showcasing their broader economic influence.
This was among the findings published in a new report from the San Francisco-based non-profit Indiaspora. Titled ‘Indiaspora Impact Report: Small Community, Big Contributions, Boundless Horizons’, the report evaluates the impact of Indian immigrants and Americans of Indian heritage on American life.
“With a community that is 5.1 million strong, making up 1.5% of the US population, Indian Americans are woven into the fabric of everyday life in the U.S., contributing richly to its economy, culture, and society. The Indian American diaspora includes 2.8 million first-generation immigrants (including students) and 2.3 million that claim Indian ancestry. Around 70% of Indian Americans are citizens and 60% are between 18-64 years of age,” noted the study.
Share of patents
It also found that between 1975 and 2019, the share of US patents with coinventors of Indian origin grew by 5x. CEOs of Indian origin head 16 Fortune 500 companies, including Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Reshma Kewalramani of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Tech billionaire Romesh Wadhwani, who signed the Bill Gates and Warren Buffett Giving Pledge in 2012, says he’s committed to hand over 80% of his wealth to his Wadhwani Foundation out of an “obligation to give back.”
Kamala Harris, the first woman of South Asian descent to be elected Vice President of the United States, exemplifies the political achievements of the Indian diaspora.
It also found that Indian Americans own about 60% of all US hotels; there are over 6,000 Indian restaurants in the country, making up about 1% of all dining spots. Plus, 3% of Michelin Guide USA restaurants (39 in total) serve Indian cuisine. Celebrated chefs like Maneet Chauhan and Michelinstarred Vikas Khanna, Srijith Gopinathan have brought Indian flavours to mainstream American dining.
Roni Mazumdar’s successful restaurants in New York City including Adda, Dhamaka, and Semma, showcase authentic and innovative Indian dishes, added the report.
Indian festivals like Diwali and Holi are now widely celebrated in the US, featuring vibrant parades, music, dance, and food. Diwali is now celebrated with an official state holiday in Pennsylvania and in New York City, it said.
Below poverty line
And yet, it found the community “is not without its share of challenges. Around 6% of Indian Americans are below the poverty line as of 2020, and an estimated 14% were undocumented in 2021”. Thus, “The community needs to be more proactive about tackling these issues head-on in the years and decades to come”.
