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What the heck is Diwali, and how Indians became the most powerful minority in the United States?

November 2, 2024

What the heck is Diwali, and how Indians became the most powerful minority in the United States?

Diwali is almost the equivalent of Christmas in India. Indians became the most powerful minority in the United States thanks to their prowess in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most important Hindu festivals, celebrated by over one billion Indians around the world. Diwali typically lasts five days, with each day holding its own significance. It generally falls in October or November, based on the Hindu lunar calendar.

Key Aspects of Diwali:

  • Good over Evil. Diwali signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The festival is rooted in several ancient legends, most notably the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after 14 years of exile and his victory over the "demon" king Ravana.
  • Celebration. People celebrate Diwali by cleaning and decorating their homes with diyas (oil lamps), rangoli (colorful art on floors), and lights. Temples and homes are illuminated, symbolizing the welcoming of prosperity and the goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and fortune. Diwali festivities include prayers (pujas) to gods and goddesses, exchanging sweets and gifts, and enjoying firework displays. Families come together to celebrate, share meals, and partake in cultural performances and festivities.
  • All Indian: While primarily a Hindu festival, Diwali is celebrated by Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists as well, each community associating it with its own cultural and spiritual meanings. For Sikhs, it marks the release of Guru Hargobind Ji from imprisonment, while Jains celebrate Lord Mahavira's attainment of enlightenment.

Diwali brings people together in a spirit of joy, unity, and renewal, marking the start of the new financial year in many parts of India and embodying themes of family, community, and spiritual growth.

Is Diwali the Indian equivalent to Christmas?

Diwali is India's most important holiday and is considered to be as significant to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians. While Christmas symbolizes the birth of Christ, Diwali symbolizes the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. 

Diwali celebrations include: 

  • Lighting oil lamps or candles 
  • Decorating homes with lights 
  • Cooking and eating food 
  • Performing a prayer, or puja 
  • Celebrating with fireworks 
  • Painting the ground with colors 
  • Gathering with family 

Diwali is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin and Kartika, which are usually between mid-September and mid-November. The festival typically lasts for five or six days.

How Indians Became the Most Powerful Minority in the USA?

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). STEM is the secret weapon for world power. STEM allows you to develop superior technologies with civil and military applications. Throughout human history, those who advanced in STEM invariably obtained an edge over their competitors, and most of the time got to rule their regions and epochs. Sumerians in Mesopotamia invented the wheel. Americans in the United States invented computer science. Whoever ends up leading the STEM field of artificial intelligence will end up leading the world. The United States and China are the top contenders. India could be a surprise Cinderella contender.  

For the United States to win the STEM and AI game, the Indian STEM Diaspora is key. There are not enough STEM majors in the United States. Far too many "white" kids are refusing to go to college, Indian kids in turn are pursuing higher education in record numbers. The United States is the top destination for aspiring Indian students, with over about 338,000 Indian students studying in the country.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs report updated on 21 May 2024, there are 35.4 million non-resident Indians (NRIs) and and People of Indian Origins (PIOs) (including OCIs) residing outside India. The Indian diaspora comprise the world's largest overseas diaspora. 

There are about 5.5 million Indians in the United States. This is about 21% of the Asian American population. Indian Americans are the second-largest immigrant group in the country after Hispanics. About two-thirds (66%) of Indians in the United States are immigrants born abroad, while 34% are Indian Americans born in the U.S. Around half of Indian Americans live in California, Texas, New Jersey, and New York. 

Indian nationals are the main beneficiaries of H-1B temporary visas for highly skilled foreign workers. The United States is expected to issue a record number of visas to Indian students in 2024. The number of visas issued to Indian students has been increasing year-on-year. Engineering is a popular field of study for Indian students in the US because it is a STEM field in high demand and many career paths.

Indian Business Leaders

In the last two decades, as racism went down and the need for STEM professionals increased, the prominence of Indians in business, especially in the digital technology sector, increased significantly. This trend is expected to continue as the United States continues to strengthen economic ties with India, diversifying away from China, and as the demand for STEM professionals remains strong in the practically infinite economy of the information era. 

Below a list of 10 prominent Indian business leaders. 

  1. Shantanu Narayen - CEO of Adobe Systems since 2005.
  2. Indra Nooyi - Former CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 - 2018
  3. Jayashree Ullal - CEO of Arista Networks since 2008
  4. Satya Nadella - CEO of Microsoft since 2014.
  5. Sundar Pichai - CEO of Alphabet Inc (Google's parent company) since 2015. 
  6. Nikesh Arora - CEO of Palo Alto Networks since 2018
  7. Arvind Krishna - CEO of IBM since 2020.
  8. Leena Nair - CEO of Chanel since 2022.
  9. Raj Subramaniam - CEO of FedEx since 2022
  10. Ajaypal Singh Banga - President of the World Bank since 2023, and former CEO of Mastercard from 2018 through 2023.

These leaders exemplify resilience, strategic thinking, and ethical leadership, each contributing significantly to their respective industries.

Indian Americans In Politics

Kamala Harris is half Indian. Nikki Haley is Indian American. Usha Chilukuri Vance is Indian American. Indian Americans tend to be conservatives and aligned to Republican values. Our estimate is that most Indian Americans in key battleground states will most likely vote for Trump. Yet another reason why we believe that Trump will win the elections this Tuesday.

We'll see what happens. Election night is still in the future and the future has not been created yet. Now, with early voting has been going on strong. Perhaps Trump already won and we simply don't know it. We see two alternatives: Trump wins by an undisputed landslide; or Trump disputes the election results and gets his Supreme Court to say that he won. Either way, mark our words, unfortunately, Trump will be the next President of the United States. 

Now you know it. 

Live well. Die better. Enjoy.

Creatix, the human intelligence matrix. On the web at www.creatix.one

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