Across Oceans And Ideas: Tracing The Indo-US Saga Through Missions, Mantras, Migrants, And Microchips

Missions, Mantras, Migrants and Microchips: A History of the Indo-US Encounter, 1492 to Present. Leonard A Gordon. Penguin Viking. Pages 688. Rs 801.

The news of the US cancelling green cards and deporting migrants has become increasingly common, particularly after the re-election of Donald Trump.

But the love-hate story between America and Indian migrants is neither new nor recent. A century ago, Indian migrants faced a more disappointing fate, albeit differently.

In 1923, the US Supreme Court declared that Indians were “obviously not of the white race”. The following year, the Immigration Act of 1924 created a “barred zone” that effectively crushed the aspirations of Indians seeking American citizenship.

Even naturalised Indian citizens were targeted. The US government retroactively challenged the citizenship of those naturalised in the early 20th century, leading to widespread revocation.

Yet, a few individuals retained their status through extraordinary efforts. Among them was Taraknath Das, a revolutionary affiliated with the Anushilan Samiti, who reached Seattle via Japan to escape British persecution. Das had become a naturalised US citizen and married Mary Keatinge Morse, an American woman.

However, post-1924, the couple was forced to relocate to Europe and make only occasional visits to the US. Eventually, Das’s contacts succeeded in persuading the US government not to cancel his citizenship. He returned almost a decade later.

Das’s struggle will resonate with many Indians today on H1B visas or green cards, navigating bureaucratic hurdles under shifting US immigration policies.

The Indo-US relationship is rich and layered. Countless Indians have found success in America, rising through corporate ranks, building businesses, and propagating spirituality and religion.

These connections have fostered strong people-to-people ties, cultural exchanges, economic interdependence, and strategic cooperation. The Indian diaspora's lobbying during the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement exemplifies how these links have even shaped policy and partnership between the two countries.

Leonard A. Gordon’s latest Missions, Mantras, Migrants and Microchips: A History of the Indo-US Encounter, 1492 to Present focuses on these encounters. A professor emeritus of history at Brooklyn College and a definitive biographer of the Bose brothers (The Brothers Against The Raj), Gordon brings decades of research on Bengal and the Indian subcontinent to this work.

The book organises the Indo-US encounter into five themes:

1. Missions – primarily about various Christian missions including Catholics, Baptists, Protestants etc., run by Americans in India starting from the time of the British Raj to now. This theme also includes some secular missions involved in social services and education from America.

2. Mantras – mostly about Hindu gurus, religious teachers, and philosophers who preached in the USA and made considerable impact. In this theme, the author also gives information on the history of the Sanskrit language in US universities, the practice of Yoga and Ayurveda, along with many other subjects.

4. Microchips – explores India and the US’s technological and business exchanges—from the foundation of Tata Steel, in which American engineers helped, to the emergence of Silicon Valley, where Indian-Americans played a key role.

5. Mahatma – about Gandhi, whose ideas influenced many Americans and political movements during and after his life. His followers ranged from pastors to political activists across races. Some notable names include American minister John Haynes Holmes, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., and Quaker writer Richard Gregg..

These themes are examined chronologically across four major time periods.

Even though both countries have much to celebrate in terms of mutual achievements and positive contributions, certain aspects of their relationship merit closer scrutiny.

One among them is the racist, stereotypical, and insensitive portrayal of India in the West—an unfortunate trend that began in the 20th century and, in many ways, continues today. Coincidentally or otherwise, these portrayals often gain more traction than balanced or positive commentary.

Take, for instance, American journalist Katherine Mayo’s Mother India, published in 1927. The book argued against Indian independence from British rule and offered a sweeping indictment of Indian society. Ironically, Mayo focused on the treatment of Indian women and the caste system at a time when African-Americans were being lynched in the United States.

She also condemned Hindu culture and smeared Indian freedom fighters, selectively using official statistics while ignoring the work of social reformers. Gandhi famously dismissed the book as “a report of a drain inspector sent out with the one purpose of opening and examining the drains of the country to be reported upon”.

Despite its overtly biased content, the book was a commercial success the American market. It was widely read, reprinted several times, and translated into over a dozen languages, signalling significant public interest.

In contrast, Jabez Sunderland’s India, America and World Brotherhood—which countered Mayo’s claims using official Indian testimonies and statistics—received little attention. Likewise, Patricia Kendall’s Come with Me to India, which blamed Gandhi for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, found success even during the Great Depression.

Gordon’s scholarship throughout the book is meticulous. Drawing from an impressive array of sources—letters, newspapers, autobiographies, secondary sources, and archives—he presents a nuanced and in-depth examination of Indo-American encounters, filling crucial gaps in existing historiography.

However, the “Mantras” section of the book does overlook some significant figures. One notable omission is Virchand Gandhi, who participated in the 1893 World Parliament of Religions. His lecture was well received, leading to more speaking engagements, and he remained in the US for two years.

Swami Vivekananda, also present at the same event, expressed admiration for him. Another omission is Chitrabhanu, the first Jain monk to travel to the US in the 20th century, a rare feat since Jain monks typically avoid air and sea travel. He went on to deliver lectures at Harvard University. The reason for their exclusion is unclear.

Nevertheless, each of the book’s 554 pages offers content substantial enough to merit standalone exploration. Gordon’s research spans both breadth and depth, making the book an ideal read for students and scholars of history and international relations, as well as for general readers.

Through his compelling narrative, readers are introduced to a rich tapestry of celebrated, overlooked, and controversial episodes that shed light on this unique and complex Indo-American relationship.