It’s Thanksgiving and I am at D.C hoping to cover a few museums with Jersey style comfort(parking right outside the museum). I step inside the National Museum of Natural History and look around. There is a board that says “Beyond Bollywood”. Curious, I walk inside the exhibit and am greeted with “pyar kiya to darna kya” from Mughal-E-Azam. Then comes,”jeena yahan” from Mera Naam Joker. All of a sudden, I choke with emotion. Next hour is sheer delight as I walk around learning about the journey of Indian Americans in the U.S. From the initial migration of farmers from Punjab in the late 1800s to the winning of American beauty pageant by Nina Davuluri, the exhibit is an attempt to showcase the struggle and the achievements of Indian Americans. Had it not been for the exhibition, I would not have known about Darsh Singh who was the only turbaned sikh to play in the NCAA basket ball game or about Dalip Singh Saund who was the first Asian to be elected to the U.S House of Representatives. After an enriching experience, I walk out abound with information on my identity as an Indian American.
Sapna Iyer
I'm Sapna Iyer. I am a program host at EBC Radio, and enjoy connecting with my listening audience. I also work as a Digital Marketing consultant covering emerging digital solutions, especially using marketing technology to connect communities.
Website:
http://www.sapnaiyer.com/
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