Anu Mathew

Anu was born in Kerala but brought up in Hyderabad, India. Her aunt came to the US as part of a wave of nurses and she later sponsored Anu’s family. Anu moved when she was around 3 or 4. She found it difficult to relate to her “American” friends and found it much easier to connect to her South Asian friends (although she identifies as “100% Malayalee”). When she was young, Anu’s parents were serious about her learning Malayalam and she was involved with MMA from a young age. She has assumed the same attitude when it comes to her own children. She sees MMA as playing an important role

in her children’s cultural development and understanding of their own heritage. Her family keeps in daily contact with people in India. She discusses the differences she has not iced now that returning to India is something she can do much more frequently and she talks about the differences she has noticed in MMA community members.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 12/22/2019

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Aswathy Krishnan

Aswathy moved to the US with her husband after their marriage and now has been in the country for 18 years. They were introduced to the community through cousins and since then, she and her family have been very active. She is now the president of the organization. For Aswathy, MMA is way for her to “preserve and promote” her culture within the her life but also the lives of people in the community and, importantly, the lives of her children. India has changed: more crowded, westernized, consumption, advanced technologically.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 01/18/2020

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Bhavana Mukundan

Bhavana grew up in Delhi where some aspects of French culture persists, leading her to learn the language and later on work for the French embassy in Delhi. Her parents used to make her visit Kerala during every summer vacation to stay connected with her roots.  She has learned Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, French and English. She got her degrees in Delhi. Her husband was ßin the US studying. He came back to India to get married and then she moved back with him. They eventually ended up in Shoreview, MN for the school district and the Indian community there. Bhavana and her family are very involved in MMA. They go to events and her kids attend programs. She describes various cultural differences between Americans and Indians. She thinks it is easier for newer immigrants because there are more resources for them. Technology has made it easier for them to assimilate and for all immigrants to connect with family back home. She and her husband make an effort for her kids to learn about Indian culture by teaching them Malayalam, having them participate in MMA and by visiting India.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 12/27/2019

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Binoy Bahuleyan and Gauri Binoy

Binoy was born in Kerala but grew up in Abu Dhabi where he attended an English-medium Indian school. He obtained his engineering degree in India where he married his wife Chitra. They then moved to Portland, OR for seven years before moving to Minnesota for the school system. Gauri was born in Trivandrum, India but they moved to the US when she was 1 years old. Binoy slowly became more and more involved in MMA, eventually becoming president of the organization. Their family is very involved in events and programs. Both praise the organization for the sense of community it provides. Gauri, especially, feels it has helped her grow comfortable and confident with the Indian side of her identity. Binoy talks about MMA’s philanthropy as well as their events that bring together all types of American-Indians in MN.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/29/2019

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Cyril Mukalel Thomas

Born in Kerala, Cyril came to South Dakota in ‘93 on a student visa where he earned his masters in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. Only two years later, he moved to Minnesota where he continues to live today with his wife, Kavita, and their three children. Cyril is an author and although he speaks both Malayalam and English fluently, he often writes in English. He has been a part of MMA since before it became an official organization and continues to go to events. MMA as well as other local community organizations supported him with his book. Cyril sees American Indian identity as something positive with much to contribute to the country and the world. He speaks about the follies of religion and how instead of bringing people together as it was meant to do, it is often used as a means to money and as a means to judge others. “First try to be a good human being, then religion makes sense” (12).

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/20/2019

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Domy Tharayil

Domy attained a civil engineering degree in India and later, a degree in computer science in the US. He came to the US for a few years before briefly returning to India to marry his wife. They became involved in MMA, organizing events and participating in musical performances. His involvement in MMA has slowly decreased over the years. All three of their kids were born in MN. Domy mentioned that while the Malayalee community is thriving and growing, he feels its size impedes social connections between members. He has also noticed an increase in the greater Indian community in MN. He has the sense that people back in Kerala are more well off than before as there are now more vehicles on the street and bigger houses there.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/26/2019

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Fazel Haris

One of Fazal’s previous employers sent him to work in Minnesota where he has lived for 29 years now. He became involved in MMA since the association’s early years. Cricket and singing are ways he participates in MMA and also the larger Minnesota Indian community. He notes how much larger the Indian community in Minnesota has grown since he first came. While he frames this change positively, he feels that the social connections are looser in a large group. He thinks technology has made it easier to connect with friends and family far away, consequently lessening people’s need to connect face- to-face with each other. In India, he notes how westernized the food and dress have become. He is fluent in Hindi, English and Malayalam but he also knows some Tamil and Urdu. Fazal has two children with his wife, Sarika. Her family speaks Konkani. They are careful to balance their childrens’ exposure to each of their cultures, equally.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 01/19/2020

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Kunjunjuamma Varghese and George Varghese

Both Kunjunjuamma and George Varghese were born in Kerala where they grew up with Malayalam medium schooling. They got married in India before moving to the US. George moved to Houston, Texas in 1963 for college and Kunjunjuamma joined him later in 1968. They ended up in Minnesota because George had friends there from India. In Minneapolis he attended North-Central Bible College (now known as North-Central University). They’ve both been very involved in the International Student Fellowship in St. Paul through which they have met a lot of Malayalees and also people from all over the world. Together, they have three daughters. They tried to teach their children Malayalam but didn't succeed. Kunjunjuamma and George regard bilingualism as “a gift.” While they speak Malayalam with each other and members of the community, they say that English comes more naturally to them now. Their kids have Indian passports and they used to take them to India every 2-3 years to increase their exposure to their culture. They comment on how different India is now but also how different the Minnesota Malayalee community has become.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 12/26/2019

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Godan Nambudiripad

Godan moved from India to North America to work as an engineer, and has since lived in many Canadian and American cities. He and his family eventually ended up in Minnesota for work and the tight-knit Malayalee community. He has since sponsored many family members, allowing them to immigrate and move to MN. Godan became involved in MMA before it was a formal organization and then was present at its foundation in the early 2000s. He has been an active member and volunteer at numerous MN community organizations. He aims to make Indian art and culture more accessible to the general public and raise awareness of these artistic and cultural contributions.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview: 12/25/2019

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Gopal Narayan

Gopal has lived in MN for 21 years now. After receiving a Masters of Applied Mathematics from Bangalore University, he came to the US to study Public Health in St. Louis, Missouri. He now lives in Plymouth, MN where he and his wife raised their two kids. Their family has been very active in MMA. His kids have learned to dance, performed and taught dance through the organization and his wife has served on the board. His native language is Tamil but he also speaks English, Hindi, Kannada, Sanskrit, and Telugu. He speaks about the value of the Western and Eastern mix of culture that Indian Americans have and his sense that there is an abundance of opportunities for his children. He feels that MMA is more involved in the local MN community than ever before. With respect to changes in India, he has noticed more western influence, a higher standard of living, and increased awareness of a public dispute which, he believes, has the potential to empower the women there. Advancement in technology connects him to friends and family back in India and increased “bonding” but it has also reduced face-to-face socialization which he considers important.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/28/2019

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Jamila Momin

After partition, Jamila’s parents moved to Pakistan where they had her and her siblings. Jamila was raised there and also educated there. Despite the fact that the local language was Urdu, Jamila and her siblings grew up speaking only Malayalam. She describes feeling very embarrassed and shy as a child for only speaking Malayalam and not knowing how to speak Urdu. At age 27, she married an American citizen from Bombay and together they moved to the US. She and her husband decided to stay in Minnesota because the cost of living isn't as high as other places, the community is very close and it's a nice place to raise children. Jamila mostly socializes with Pakistanis and Indians. She feels very connected to Malayalees and she would like to go visit her in-laws for the first time in India. For 15- 16 years she hosted open Eid celebrations at her house. In Minnesota, she has met many Malayalees only to discover that the language has since evolved and she speaks an “outdated” form of it. Because of this, she finds it very hard to communicate. She describes how it has been difficult to get used to American norms and because of that she was a stay- at-home mother for a while, taking care of her three children and her husband’s two children from a previous marriage. After that she has held many jobs, the most recent of which is a position as a patient service coordinator at HCMC.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:01/19/2020

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Pennamma Cherucheril and Kurien Cherucheril

Pennamma came to the US with her sister to study nursing in 1959. She then moved to Minnesota in 1963. Kurien, more commonly known by his nickname “Babusaar,” left India to join Pennamma in the US in ‘68 and then married her the same year. They have three children together and seven grandchildren, all living in the US. Babusaar and Pennamma have been a part of MMA since before it became a formal organization. They were the first to hold an Onam celebration for the community. They have both noticed a lot of changes - both positive and negative - in India since they lived there. They don’t feel like they really belong there anymore but they are pleased that the standard of living has increased. The two of them brought a lot of family members over to the US, when they first moved, seeing it as their duty to support the future of their family. They continue to consume a lot of Indian entertainment and literature like Malayalam movies, Malayalam TV, Indian poetry and Indian music.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/22/2019

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Latha Nair

Latha came to Minnesota in 1987 because her husband was offered a position as a visiting university professor. She has a B.S. in Biology as well as an M.S. in Computer Science. Her family joined MMA and through the organization, her daughter was able to jump started her dance career at a very young age. She feels that MMA provides important opportunities for kids to develop an interest in performance and grow comfortable with it. Although she no longer knows all of the parents and kids at MMA events, Latha continues to feel supported by the generosity of the community; she leaned on them when her husband passed away. Latha notes generational differences between her and her daughter, marveling at how self-sufficient her daughter is.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:01/19/2020

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Paul Kuttikadan

Paul was born in Thazhekkad, Kerala. He immigrated to Minnesota in 1995 where he has settled with his wife, Molly, and their three children. Paul spends his time serving as CEO of his IT consulting company (as he has done for the past 20 years), doing community work for his church and attending as many MMA events as he can. As a member of a “middle generation” of MMA members, he feels he serves as a bridge between older and younger members, a friendly face to all at events. He believes it is important to involve the younger generation in events and art forms so that heritage and culture can be passed on to them. Both of his sons have served as board members of MMA. He has been part of MMA since its inception and has played a role in the creation of its founding principles. Paul sees his community as existing in religious harmony and he is very proud of this. He then articulates his wishes for the future of the Minnesota Malayalee community.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/29/2019

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PG Narayanan

PG came to the US in 1972, knowing no English, to study engineering. After receiving his bachelors and masters of Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University he entered the workforce, eventually holding high level positions among various successful companies. He moved to MN with his family (wife and two sons) for a job where they settled in Eden Prairie. He’s been very locally active, serving on the board of numerous local MN specific and Indian specific organizations and serving as a city council member for Eden Prairie. He sees himself as primarily American and believes that that is what has made him successful. Advancements in technology allow him and his wife to stay connected with people in India, easily. He has noticed a lot of change in Kerala: less poverty, more high level jobs, advancement in technology and higher access to education.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/23/2019

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Rajeev Nayar and Abhishek Nayar

Rajeev came to the US to study. He returned to India to marry his wife and together they moved to the US where they started their family. He discussed the different locations their family has lived (including their brief return to Indian with Abhi). They claim to be more passively involved in the Malayalee community organizations compared to Manju although they both attend events and Abhi has performed through one of their programs. They both feel the Malayalee community has grown in number. They both speak English, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. They talk about the relationship Indian- Americans have with India and Indian tradition. Abhi discusses how he manages, and seems to struggle a little with, his different ethnic/national identities (S Asian, Malayalee, Indian, American).

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/29/2019

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Rajesh Nair

Rajesh was born and raised in Kerala. His father insisted on putting him through English medium schooling so that Rajesh wouldn’t face the same language barriers that his father did. After attending university for Math and Computer Applications, Rajesh did IT work in Bangalore, moved around between a few different countries for work, and then moved to the USA by ‘98. He has lived in Minnesota since ‘99. He became part of the Minnesota Malayalee community before MMA was even a formal organization. He has since served on the board of MMA twice. His wife and two children have participated in MMA’s performances. Rajesh and his wife speak Malayalam at home with their children because they want to ensure that their kids will maintain the language. Now that long distance communication is cheaper and easier, Rajesh keeps in frequent contact with his friends and family back home in India, calling them everyday. He describes his notions of India as “frozen in time,” noting the many ways Kerala has changed since he lived there.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/26/2019

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Raj and Aishwarya Menon

Raj moved with his family from India to Minnesota in ‘98. He and his daughter Aishwarya have been very active in the Indian community organizations within the state. They have both held roles as teachers and community leaders within various organizations including IAM, SILC, MMA and MISA. They also both have surrounded themselves with South Asian social groups, citing them as more culturally relatable and comfortable. Both have noticed a lot of land development in India which, while sad, they agree is part of the price of the country’s economic development. They are seeing more engagement from young people in the Twin City community organizations which they find encouraging. Aishwarya notes that we are seeing a lot of progress being made by progressive social movements within Asian communities. Raj is hopeful that in the future, we will see the American South Asian community successfully turning their economic influence into political influence and political pressure.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/29/2019

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Reverend John Kuruvilla Kaivalethe (Late)

Reverend John Kuruvilla Kaiyalethe was born in Adoor, Kerala (India) in 1936. His parents were ostracized from the family because his father diverted from the family religion (Syrian Orthodox) and became an ordained Pentecoastal Minister. Reverend K.K. John attended a college in Madras for engineering but then went to Theological school, following in his father’s footsteps. He left India in 1961 and moved to Israel where he learned Hebrew and worked as an assistant pastor. He later traveled around Europe and the Middle East. He eventually landed in Tennessee where he attempted to marry his wife, Tammy. Facing great racism there, they took a bus up to North Dakota when their lives were threatened for being an interracial couple. They later moved to Minnesota where he held many jobs including campus pastor at the University of Minnesota, product photographer for General Mills, and director of Campus Ministries. He served on a presidential commission for President Nixon and was consulted on Minnesota riots and the aftermath of the Kent State shooting. Reverend K.K. John strongly believes in giving back to the community. He has worked in numerous disaster relief efforts (despite his heart transplant) and has done a lot to support local Malayalees. He and a few other Malayalees were the first ones to start getting together and he hosted the first Christmas celebration. Their get-togethers eventually turned into MMA. He and his wife still occasionally attended events until he passed away in 2020.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:01/18/2020

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Sanal Kumar Parameshwaran

Born and raised in Kerala, Sanal attended the engineering college at Kerala University. Later, he received an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota. Sanal moved with his wife, Smita, to Minnesota in 1997 for a job in IT. They moved around a lot before coming to Minnesota but they feel at home in the state. They have two children together, Amrit and Nainika. His children have participated in MMA programs and competitions and Sanal has served as president of the organization for a year. The Malayalee programs hosted by MMA and the Malayalee TV he watches make him feel connected to his homeland. Over the years, he has noticed an increase in Indian and Malayalee presence (eg. media and programs) along with a change in attitude towards Indian identity. People used to press for assimilation but now he hears them speaking Malayalam more often and sees Indian- Americans celebrating festivals with possibly even more intensity than in people back in India. He notes that life in India has changed a lot since he lived there (eg. the roads aren’t safe so kids play inside but there are more programs available for kids in general).

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/22/2019

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Sister Teresa Jose

Sister Tresa Jose became a Sister after high school when she joined the Franciscan Clarist congregation. In 1972, there was demand for sisters to serve in churches in the US so she, along with other sisters, came to serve in Deephaven, Minnesota. She teaches religion there to middle schools and organizes her students’ participation in the National Geography Bee. There are no Malayalees in her congregation but nonetheless she feels welcomed and at home in this community which she is very grateful for. When she first arrived, she participated in MMA gatherings. At that time, MMA was just informal gatherings of friends. Now she is part of a group of Malayalees who worship together every Sunday. She comments on how much technology has advanced and how it has affected the human relationship with God.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:01/28/2020

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Sona Nair

Sona and her husband came to the US as newlyweds. After working as a college lecturer, she began her own dance studio in Minnesota. Dance allowed her to form relationships and establish herself in a new place. She became involved in the dance world at an early age in India and in the US, she, her daughter, and her students all dance competitively. She sees her involvement in the dance world as a way for her to spread the art of Indian dance and her culture. For her, dance is inseparable from language and culture. She is very strict about speaking Malayalam with her children at home because she sees the language as a core part of being a Malayalee.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/26/2019

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Sunoj Narayanan and Manoj Narayanan

Both Sunoj and Manoj were born in Colombia, Maryland. Their family moved to Minnesota when Sunoj was 11. Both described being some of the only minorities at school and Manoj mentioned a time when he was racially profiled at his high school for vandalism. This experience opened his eyes to the injustice that brown people often have to face in the US. They both talk about the importance of keeping their American and Indian identities balanced, saying it has been much easier to do so as an adult. Their involvement in the Malayalee community has greatly increased over time and both have held multiple board positions in Minnesota Indian organizations. They are very pleased that their non-Indian friends think their culture and language is cool. Both discuss the importance of passing on their culture, language and tradition to the next generation as to “keep grounded.” Sunoj says that for him, Malayalam vocabulary for food related words is often more accessible than English words. Technology, especially social media, helps connect them to their family back in India.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:01/20/2020

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Suresh Nair & Kamala Nair

Suresh Nair was born in Velloor, Kerala where he attended school in Malayalam medium. He completed his Pre-Degree and Degree at Thalayolaparambu Devaswom Board College. After, he received his Post Graduate diploma in Computer Applications from Palakkad Engineering College. He was working in Bangalore in 1999 when his company moved him to the US, one month after his first child, Kamala, was born. His wife, Anjana, and Kamala joined him in the US six months later. By the end of 2000, they moved to Minnesota. Kamala’s other two siblings were born in the US. Suresh became a citizen of the US in 2011. Suresh and Anjana took the advice of their pediatrician and spoke Malayalam at home with their kids. Because of this, their kids can speak the language but Kamala says English comes more naturally to her. Both Kamala and Suresh appreciate their bilingualism and make sure not to let their language skills disappear. Kamala says she has a different relationship with her Malayalee friends than her white friends because the white friends don't have the same cultural context. Kamala likes to connect with her culture through food, dance and art and Suresh feels similar in that he says food and language are important to his sense of culture. They believe MMA gives Malayalees a place to learn about their culture and opportunities to display what they have learned. Suresh feels it is important as a Malayalee community member, Indian community member and immigrant to raise visibility of his community and encourage community members to increase their community engagement and political engagement. They both comment on how India has developed a lot within the past two decades. Kamala notes how big social media is there among the younger generation. Kamala attends Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/25/2019

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Thomas P. Thomas

Thomas P. Thomas was born in Kerala, India. His sister sponsored his green card to the United States and in April, 1995, he moved to Minnesota where he continues to live with his wife. His children were born in Kerala but they grew up in the US. He has held many different jobs since coming to the US (sometimes even juggling multiple at once) including technician, process engineer, university history professor, Malayalee grocery store owner, quality analyst in IT, realtor and owner of his own real estate business. His grocery store holds a lot of importance as it has allowed him to socialize with people of all races and build a community with them. He held positions on MMA’s board during its early years. While he has since stepped back due to politics, he continues to sponsor MMA events because he sees the organization as a vital part of his Malayalee community. Thomas is also a very active church member. He helped start a chapter of Kerala Christian Congregation in Minnesota. He comments on how much the malayalee community in Minnesota has grown and how different people are back in India. He and his children still enjoy reading Malayalam newspapers and watching Malayalam movies.

Interviewer Name: Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Date of Interview:12/30/2019

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Daniel Kunjummen (Late)

Daniel Kunjummen was born in Kerala in 1937.  He was an an Officer in Accounts department of Kerala State Electricity Board when he decided to migrate to The USA at the age of 40, as a student in Central Baptist Theological Seminary.  In his opinion,  with regards to aspects like opportunity and education, no other country would come up to the level of The USA.   He has studied the American economy and believes that the fundamental tenet of the US economy - the free enterprise system - is the best economic system in the world.  In terms of family and social values, he believes, ours seems to be better.  He believes arranged marriages are more stable as parents mainly look for compatibility.  He quotes the Biblical story where Abraham arranged the marriage of his son Isaac and he believes Love starts with Marriage.

Interviewer Name: Polly Sonifer

Date of Interview:09/22/1994

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The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota.  MNHS's initiative on Oral history projects is helping communities such as Malayalee's to find their roots and revitalize the the need of serving the society at large we live in.

MMA is grateful to MNHS for providing us with the required grant and all necessary support for completing this project.

Ram Gada

Ram Gada is the first NRI elected to the honorary council of Minnesota Historical Society.  Ram was a successful engineering consultant for several decades.  Today he is known as a fine Historian for his services in preserving the history of, and contributions by NRI’s in Minnesota.  Ram was surprised, that Indian immigrants, unlike other groups had not documented their history.  This encouraged him to start the Oral History Projects for the Indian community.

Godan Nambudiripad

Ram Gada’s chief partner in crime with respect to the Oral History project was Godan Nambudiripad.  A former president of the India Association of Minnesota, he is also heavily involved with the School of India for Languages and culture (SILC) and the Hindu Mandir as well as several speaking, cultural and oral history projects.

 The initial oral history projects had covered religious organizations, service organizations, art organizations and diaspora. That was when Godan Nambudirpad challenged the language organizations to take up the oral history project.  He is excited that Malayalees are the first language group to take up and complete this project.

Raj Menon

Raj Menon is spearheading India Association of Minnesota’s Oral History initiative.  As the project consultant, Raj was the main pillar behind this Oral History Project, with his rich experience guiding many other oral history projects.

Dr. Savithry Namboodiripad

Savithry is an assistant professor with the department of linguistics, University of Michigan.  Savithry was the main interviewer for this project.  She made multiple trips from Michigan and volunteered her time in interviewing 25+ community members.

Suresh Pillai

It all started with a chance conversation between Suresh Pillai, then Vice President of MMA and Mr.Godan Nambudiripad, which triggered Suresh’s curiosity to be associated with this amazing program.  Suresh led this project as the project director, took care of all project management responsibilities from project initiation to closure.  He ensured all documents were submitted promptly to Minnesota Historical Society and the grant from MNHS was fully utilized for this program.

https://iamn.org/oral-history

India Association of Minnesota

The India Association of Minnesota [IAM], is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to community service since its inception in 1973. IAM aims to build a strong and cohesive community of Asian Indian origin people, through its three-prong mission of  Culture, Charity, and Connections.

Seeking to build bridges of understanding that promote cultural exchange and preserve our heritage, IAM started its History Initiative in the early 1990s, with significant support and encouragement from the Minnesota Historical Society, especially Shri Jim Fogerty, then head of documentary programs of MNHS.