HighBeam Research

Title: Mona Vijaykar battles to get

misrepresentation of India removed from
textbooks
Date: August 1, 2003 Publication: India Abroad Author: Bhatt, Shakti

India Abroad

08-01-2003

Mona Vijaykar felt vindicated when she recently held the Network of
Indian
Parents in Classrooms' first meeting.

For many years, the Bay Area writer was distraught at the
'misrepresentations' about India and Hindu culture in school textbooks,
and
the 'narrow perspective' with which it was taught.

Vijaykar's first acquaintance with racial stereotyping in American

classrooms was in 1991, when her elder son Nikhil - then in kindergarten -
brought home his assignment, to color the picture of an Indian woman.

"Imagine my shock," Vijaykar said, "when the Indian woman looked like a
cross between an Arab and a Sri Lankan fisherwoman, with a bindi, a lungi
and a Turkish veil. The school had been using this illustration for years."

Twelve years later, little has changed, says Vijaykar. Two years ago, she
found her younger son's 6th grade teacher spent eight weeks on Greek
mythology, whereas the study of Ancient India merited four days.

Vijaykar, who has authored books on raising Indian-American children in

the
US, noticed a disturbing pattern as a result of the inadequate
understanding of Indian culture. "A lot of children begin to feel less
comfortable about their Indian heritage," she said, recalling the time one
of her sons refused to take Indian food to school because his friends
called it 'weird' and 'yucky.'

This year, Vijaykar got clearance from her neighborhood school to provide
a
classroom with a presentation on India. It was not easy as she had to
convince the superintendent she did not have a religious agenda.

"Unfortunately, my efforts to bring about some change in the way

Hinduism
was taught coincided with political problems in India," Vijaykar, 46, said.
"Some of them looked at me like I was part of Hindu fundamentalist
groups."

It was only after she gave a detailed report on her presentation that it
was approved. The presentation received a hearty response, and
convinced
the writer it was time to become an activist.

Vijaykar called together a group of people from the Bay Area, including
community activists, industrial philanthropists and politically connected
Indian-Americans June 29. One of the attendees was Deepka Lalwani, vice
chair, Milpitas City Planning Commission.

"I knew of Mona because I had bought her book The Vee Family more than
10
years ago," Lalwani told India Abroad. "When I heard about what she
wants
to do, I told her I will help her in every way I can to contact school
boards and alert them to relevant concerns."

Lalwani said her experiences as an immigrant are reflective of problems

Vijaykar wishes to address. "When I worked in Canada in a foreign movie
theater, my manager once told me she thought India has a large
population
because there is no electricity there," Lalwani, two-term past-president,
Milpitas Chamber of Commerce, said.

"She said when an artist has to play an Indian character, they paint him or
her black. It struck me as so odd."

Even though both women's children will be out of school by the time the
project materializes, their effort is for children of other Indian parents,
they said. The organization plans to create 'a master presentation' with
the help of experts and this, along with worksheets about Indian history
and culture, would be provided to schools in the Bay Area to incorporate in
their curriculum. When Vijaykar first attempted to interest Indian parents
in her Project, the response was more often than not unwelcoming. "There
is
a need within all of us to belong to the new community in our adopted
country," said Vijaykar. "The way to do that is not carrying your identity
on your sleeve.

"When I began to talk openly about these issues, it was a little unnerving
for them. Indians are so accommodating that their attitude is 'If you don't
know who we are, it is OK.' What they don't realize is that this [attitude]
hurts us."
Vijaykar admits her idea is far from original. There are many people doing
similar work, she said, adding her goal is bring them together and develop
a consolidated effort. The Bay Area's Islamic Network Group, she said,
provides a good example for her group.

"They do a splendid job in bringing awareness to children."

She points out that due to the Network's efforts, children spend more than
two and a half months studying Islam with material and speakers provided
by
the group.

"We hope to eliminate myths and misrepresentations so that in the long

run,
children of Indian heritage are better perceived and have greater
self-esteem. It is time for us to rock the boat."

Article copyright India Abroad Publications, Inc.

This material is published under license from the publisher through

ProQuest Information and Learning Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan. All
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