Noticing the Tiny Things
There are two parallel issues faced by youth in rural villages of India and those of multicultural students in the United States. On one end of the spectrum, many children in India lack access to quality English education. On the other hand, many American-Indian students lack opportunities to connect with their culture and roots. According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020, which is a survey conducted across rural India, around 73% of children aged 6-10 years were enrolled in school, and around 91% of children aged 11-14 years were enrolled in school. However, the quality of education can vary significantly, with many children lacking basic reading and math skills.
The ASER 2020 survey additionally found that only around 14% of children in Class in rural India could read simple English sentences. English education is often more widely available in urban areas and in private schools, which are generally not accessible to many rural families. In the US, second generation American-Indians, who are the children of immigrant Indians, often face unique challenges and struggles as they navigate between the cultures. They are often caught in between the cultural norms and expectations of their parents' homeland and the culture of the United States.
They may feel pressure to assimilate to American culture while also trying to maintain their cultural heritage. This struggle to maintain their culture is particularly emphasized with regards to language. Many Struggle with language barriers, especially if their relatives back in India primarily speak a language other than English. A large number of second generation Americans struggle to speak their mother-tongue simply because of a lack of opportunity to practice.