Life Without India Tribune

When PrashantUncle told me that India Tribune is approaching it's 30th anniversary, I was a little dumbstruck. I have not done anything in my life for thirty years except breathe and eat. When we have a community leader that has impacted our lives for so long, it is very difficult to imagine what life would be like without that person. In my home, India Tribune has always been prominent and there are many memories that I have of India Tribune as I was growing up. For example, I remember how annoyed I used to get when I saw my mother reading matrimonial ads. I kept wanting to tell her that the hot Indian guys don't post matrimonial ads. For the record, I did learn later in life that hot Indian guys also have parents that post matrimonial ads in India Tribune, so ladies, you never know. How many couples in our Indian community came together through India Tribune matrimonial ads? How many kids did India Tribune bring to this world? It's pretty amazing when you think about it like that.

India Tribune clippings always made their way to the refrigerator at my house so my brother and I could see all the great things other Indian kids were doing. Every year there was some amazing story about some Indian kid somewhere that got a perfect score on their SATs. The clipping would remain on our fridge for about a year. A great reminder that my SAT score was far from perfect. Thanks, PrashantUncle.

I remember how much I hated going to practice every weekend to learn how to walk in the India Tribune pageant that took place on India Tribune Night. I knew I was the furthest thing from a beauty queen and we spent so much time learning how to do all this graceful walking. I was the first one to walk out and every girl that came out after me totally ignored all of what we practiced and walked pretty much how they wanted to walk. It was through this experience that I learned that Indian girls don't have to follow rules. Thanks, PrashantUncle!

Though I thought participating in the beauty pageant was so uncool at the time, now that I reflect back, it was the only Indian event that I was involved within my youth. I went to a high school that only had like four Indians, so if it were not for India Tribune and their colossal India Tribune Night, I would not have had any exposure to Indian social events as a kid. As I got older, the temple and our samaj started hosting more things for the kids, but India Tribune is really who kicked it off and set the stage for the rest of us.

It is pretty remarkable when you look at India Tribune as a media powerhouse that started with a dream. PrashantUncle has the same story of coming to the United States and building his dream as all our fathers and uncles. He has built a paper that is respected not only in the Indian community, but also by media and advertising professionals all over the world. Our community has a staple that holds us all together, and I never truly appreciated that until I went from living in Chicago to living in Madison where the Indian community is a small fraction of what was back home. The only connection I currently have with the Indian community is when I get my India Tribune in the mail. I look forward to perusing the paper and seeing what all is going on within our community. How many other Indians out there are like me?

The India Tribune has also assumed the responsibility of defining the transitions within our culture and identity. For example, once we see India Tribune report about people living out unconventional careers, parents are more likely to consider their kids giving filmmaking a shot before enrolling in med school. India Tribune has the power to shape norms in our community, and it has always done so responsibly while fulfilling the needs of readers from multiple generations. PrashantUncle is responsible for building an institution that has shaped our community on many levels. Sure now there are many other Indian publications that can be picked up here, there and pretty much everywhere. But none have the legacy behind them that the name India Tribune carries. It's like the New York Times of the Indian community. Sure New York has all sorts of publications, but the New York Times is what carries the reputation of responsible journalism and reporting integrity. Thank you, PrashantUncle for providing the Indian community with a professional register and record of our last thirty years. Here is to thirty more!