From Seven Rivers to Ten Thousand Lakes: Minnesota’s Indian American Community

Immigrants from the Indian subcontinent have been coming to Minnesota for more than half a century, and today more than forty thousand people of Indian descent live in the state, contributing to a wide variety of professional, educational, and cultural fields. Drawing on historical and cultural legacies from their ancestral home, first-, second-, and third-generation Indian Americans have played significant roles in shaping Minnesota’s community and culture.
Through personal stories and vivid photographs, From Seven Rivers to Ten Thousand Lakes offers an overview of the Indian people and the conditions that have spurred immigration to Minnesota; the experiences of settling in the state and establishing a community here; the professional, political, and economic contributions of Indian Americans in Minnesota, including both permanent and visiting residents; and the pursuit and celebration of cultural and religious traditions in this, their adopted home. Profiles of prominent individuals, businesses, and organizations that form the cornerstones of the Indian American community in Minnesota round out the narrative.

Based on extensive interviews and archival research, as well as on personal experience as an involved member, Preeti Mathur tells of this vibrant community’s past and present, while Dr. S. K. Dash’s foreword looks to its bright future.