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Three or four years back, at an Indian Professionals Network (IPN) meeting, perhaps at the one jointly held with the American Jewish Committee, Dr. Jagdish Sheth, a chaired professor of Marketing at Goizueta Business School at Emory University, made a forecast and it is gradually coming to fruition now: the mainstream will adopt Indian market segments as their own, and it will cause a quantum explosion in the goods and services found now only in our ethnic market, such as Indian grocery, entertainment, and dresses. He used the example of “salsa,” which experienced explosion in sales not merely due to the growth of the Latino population in America, but due to its adoption by mainstream America. Similarly, Indian restaurants should quickly learn to cater to the taste buds and health consciousness of prospective American clients, since the timing is right for fusion food. If Indian-American entrepreneurs do not do it, someone else will. The adoption is two fold: entry of current products and services into the homes of the mainstream, and American products morphing by adopting the characteristics of their ethnic counterparts. There will be an explosion of “fusion” products!
Both the Senate and the House have passed their versions of the India US civil nuclear cooperation bill. As I pen this column, there is still a good chance that the Conference Committee will make passing of the bill into a law in the current session a reality. Even those who oppose the bill for various reasons, such as India accepting second-class status and the possible unraveling of the NPT regime, will also agree that this law is more of a symbolism signifying the US government seeing India as a true alley, and still not stick to the Cold War mindset. Anyway, we can expect immense growth of Indo-US trade. As the President-Elect of the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (GIACC), I am truly excited about the current trends. Thus, we will witness drastic changes within our American society, as well as at the bi-national trade level. India being invited by the US to join its handful of nations in the relief efforts of the 2004 Tsunami, and the joint military exercises that have been taking place over the past few years also support this argument. The Congress is already discussing increasing the H1B quota from 65,000 to 120,000, with an open upper limit!
Vijay Amirtaraj is not the only Hollywood actor of Indian origin any more! As we speak, Kal Penn is the star of a major Hollywood release. Way to go Van Wilder. Also, Bollywood movies are getting access into mainstream theaters. The Indian American film festival hosted by Ani Agnihotri a few weeks back at Emory, Georgia Tech, and GSU clearly illustrates the growing number of up and coming directors, producers and actors in our community. Watch out, Hollywood AND Bollywood.
If Lakshmi brand and Deep brand and 777 brand do not rise up to the challenge, soon Neuman’s brand of spices blended in China will find shelf space in Publix and Kroger. If Ashiana and Bombay Grill and the Palace do not have healthy and moderately spiced dishes that meet the tastes of the mainstream Americans, their market share will grow only in proportion to the growth of the Indian community, and they will miss out the real growth. If you are starting a new radio station or a television program, do not just target the Indian community. There is a larger market that is ready for you now. Of course, with the name as “NRI Pulse” this publication should stay a niche player. But, perhaps Veena Rao will launch another magazine a year from now to cater to the mainstream! I want my column to be read by a broader audience, after all!!
Please send in your comments to narsi@paalam.com or
editor@nripulse.com.
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