ABSTRACT
In his memoir, Ved Mehta recalls his first entry to the United States in August of 1949 when an American immigration officer disparaged Indian doctors “as a breed known to be susceptible to string-pulling, blandishments, and bribery.” In addition to Indian doctors, the chapter describes the reception and flourishing of Ayurveda, the traditional Indic healthcare system, in America, by taking a closer look at several Ayurvedic pioneers and doctors. In her pioneering book on Indian food studies, Anita Mannur shows that immigrant Indian existence is intertwined with their culinary practices. Virendra Kalra focuses on the samosa, a traditional Indian food that has been adopted by many different cultures, including the British and American. Indian cultural ideas are making some impact in America through the spread of Indian cuisine. The chapter concludes with some discussion on how Indian culinary ideas continue to survive and thrive in America.
