Oral History Digital Archive

Dr. Badri Das and Ms. Pramila Taparia (Masala Chat Project)

Badri, 75, and Pramila, 68, Taparia were among the first Indians to move to the United States in the mid-1960s. Badri is a retired obstetrician-gynecologist and his wife, Pramilla, raised their three children and helped in his practice.

Ms. Raziya and Mr. Yusuf Tinwala (Broadening Narratives)

Raziya Tinwala, 81, is a Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, home-based dressmaker, and grandmother living with her family in Naperville, Illinois. The interview includes discussion of her childhood in Bombay (Mumbai), her father’s building-materials business and subsequent mental-health struggles, and the early responsibilities she and her sisters...

Mr. Rishad Tobaccowala (Masala Chat Project)

Rishad Tobaccowala, 57, is an advertising executive and pioneering member of the Chicago Indo-American community. The interview includes detailed discussion of his successful career at the Leo Burnett Advertising Company, which was the largest advertising...

Ms. Naseem Umar (Masala Chat Project)

Naseem Umar, 64, is an educator and dedicated community leader. The interview includes discussion of the obstacles she faced in getting employment that matched her experience after arriving in Chicago, but how she eventually became...

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