Indian Immigrant Fosters and Shares Indian Culture in the Community By Founding a Monthly Print Magazine

In 1986 at age 23, Vandana Kumar left India to marry a fellow Indian immigrant in San Jose. It was a tough transition. “I felt so lonely, and I longed for the sights and sounds of home,” she says. Then her brother-in-law invited her to a traveling exhibition about India. It made her wonder what other cultural events she might be missing.

Kumar soon learned there was a growing community of Indian immigrants in San Jose who also wanted to feel connected to their homeland—and each other. So in 1997, Kumar and her brother-in-law launched a monthly print magazine called India Currents to be that kind of community resource. “We didn’t realize what a need we were filling,” Kumar says. “It became a platform where people shared information and made connections.” For example, readers could find listings for Indian classical dance classes or advice on making their favorite Indian dishes with American ingredients. Local businesses began to advertise in its pages. Within a decade, India Currents had become a viable business with a regional circulation of 30,000.

Today the publication is exclusively digital. To sustain it for future generations, Kumar is now considering a new reader-supported business model and is also seeking philanthropic support.

“We bring a unique point of view and tell immigrant stories,” she says. “The community trusts us, and we’ve earned that over the years.” She adds that India Currents has expanded as the Indian community has grown, especially following the arrival of Indian tech workers in the late 1990s. 

Kumar is pleased to see Santa Clara recognizing the importance of her community. “They’ve made an effort to get to know us,” she says. For example, representatives from several city and county agencies have attended round table discussions hosted by India Currents that have focused on the needs of Indian American seniors, LGBTQ+ and the unhoused. “Officials have talked about the services available and helped us all feel more connected,” she says. “For our part, we’ve been able to show the county that our community isn’t just tech people. We’re also nurses, teachers and truck drivers who are the backbone of our society.”