About 40% of the motel business owners are Gujaratis in the USA. This figure is continuously on the rise. In fact, if you go to the US you will find them in large numbers in states like New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Washington, Philadelphia, etc. But, why are Gujaratis making a beeline to the US? Hence, let us understand the major reasons why the Gujarati population is on the rise in the USA.
Craze To Settle/Study In The US
For a long time, the Gujaratis and Punjabis have had a special inclination to study or settle abroad. Moreover, this has led to special pockets of the Gujarati population in the USA. New York City Metropolitan area or New Jersey and Edison in Middlesex county are examples of highly dense Gujarati areas in the USA. According to the Times of India, a leading Indian daily, 15 lakh Gujarati speaking people live in the USA. In fact, in every Gujarati family in India, 1 out of 5 members happen to be an NRI. The last name Patel is famous and well accepted in the United States. In fact, there are roughly 1,50,000 Patel population alone in the US. Also, parents prefer to get their children married to an immigrant rather than an Indian resident. It is more of a sense of pride for the people back in India if some of their family members or relatives are settled in the USA.
Exemplary Enterprising Skills
The other important reason behind the ever-increasing population of Gujaratis in the USA is that they have excellent enterprising skills. They can earn money and achieve success in any condition they are put into. This ability helps them to stay and survive in any foreign country and fulfil their dreams. If you go to the USA you will find that Gujaratis run motels, convenience stores and diamond businesses very well. They do so not only in the USA but in many European countries across the world.
Accommodating Nature Of Gujarati Community
A Gujarati is very supportive of his native fellows and strives to help them in every way possible. In fact, Gujaratis would genuinely go from pillar to post to back a newly arrived Gujarati to make him feel comfortable in a foreign country. They celebrate festivals together and socialize well to feel at home in the new country. This apart, they have a good nature and easily mingle with the local population. In short, the Gujaratis are good Samaritans in India and abroad.
Optimally Utilised The Waves Of Conducive Immigration Policy
There were times in the history of the United States of America wherein the country had opened its door wide enough to accept citizens from other countries. The laws were conducive for immigrants. In the 1960s. The US government welcomed professionals like doctors and engineers with open arms. This in turn helped them to work and settle in the country. Post that the immigration policy was relaxed so that the relatives and family members of these professionals could come in. The Gujarati community leveraged these policies to bring more people from their community. The rise in numbers made other Gujarati community members realize the potential of living in the USA. They came in legal and illegal manners to cater to the needs of the professional Gujarati community and their family members. They set up departmental stores, temples for rituals, etc. This population has swelled up to a big number in the USA now.
What do some Non-Resident Gujratis in the US have to say about the country and opportunities therein?
Nehal Dixit, an Agile Project manager of a reputed organization in US, told NRI Vision:
“Indians or South-East Asians are treated like any other culture or nationality. It all depends on the place you are in and what occupation you have. If you embrace inclusivity and can put back a rudimentary skew perspective, then people are welcomed and part of their village. Usually, if you are in tech, work-life balance is great, and so does pay. We all have started our families here – bought houses and cars, and invested here. My kid goes to the same school as anyone in my neighbourhood. I had a better exposure to getting into grad school, which gave me access to great alumni like one we have from St Xavier’s High school of Surat, Gujarat.
“Growth opportunities are always there – this country often gives you chances to fail, unlike India where you don’t have many chances,” he added.
Meet Jaswantbhai Patel, a student of a prestigious college in the USA, said: “Gujaratis are treated better because we believe in savings and investing, which makes us different from other communities and talking about opportunities never think to get a top-level position because in this country local experience is more valued.”
Shilpa Patel, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is an Adjunct Professor at Emory University, told NRI Vision: “I can’t speak for all Indians, but as a first-generation Indian American, I have survived both overt discrimination and racism. Micro-aggressions and unconscious bias play out in the workplace, but I think most people mean well and are fair and sensible.”
“I do believe a strong work ethic and self-advocacy go hand-in-hand in determining success. Advocating for oneself may come easier to some than others, but America values those who “speak up” and justify their approach. Growth opportunities vary based on sector (e.g., health, business, education etc.) and where you live in the US,” she added.
