An estimated 6.5 percent of the 4.2 million Indian Americans live in poverty, according to “A Study of Poverty in the Indian American Population,” a new report from Indiaspora and researchers Devesh Kapur and Jashan Bajwaat at Johns Hopkins’ Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.

Indiaspora, a nonprofit organization of Indian American leaders from various backgrounds and professions, released the report Oct. 1 at its Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit 2020. The Johns Hopkins’ Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies focuses on the underprivileged segment of the Indian diaspora in the U.S., according to a press release.

While the Indian American community is one of the most affluent ethnic minorities in the U.S., with a median income of $120,000, nearly double that of the average U.S. household, a look into the U.S. Census data found about 250,000 of the 4.2 million Indian Americans in the U.S. live below the poverty line, noted the report.

The incidence of poverty is greater among Bengali- and Punjabi-speaking Indian Americans, stated Kapur, director of Asia Programs and Starr Foundation Professor of South Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.About one-third are not in the labor force and about one-fifth of them are not American citizens, he added.

“With this report, we wanted to draw attention to the plight of the most underprivileged Indian Americans,” said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora.

“With COVID-19 wreaking health and economic havoc, this is an appropriate moment to raise awareness and discuss the issue of poverty that exists in our otherwise affluent community. We hope that the report will lead to an increased focus on this topic, followed by targeted measures to make a positive difference.”

While the study provides a detailed analysis of the impoverished populations of the Indian American community, Indian Americans are still less likely to be living in poverty compared to white, Black and Hispanic Americans. While poverty in the U.S. overall declined from 15.1 percent in 2010 to 11.8 percent in 2018, Indian American households experienced a decline from 9 percent to 6.5 percent in 2018.

“This report unveils the specific characteristics of impoverished Indian Americans. In 2018, 6.5% of Indian American households were living below the poverty line. Their place of residence overlapped with areas where higher numbers of unauthorized Indian American immigrants reside,” said Kapur.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to increase poverty among Indian Americans by between a quarter and half, depending on the duration and intensity of the health and economic shocks.”

The report also details a large percentage of impoverished Indian Americans are not in the labor force, with four-fifths of this group being undocumented. In addition, the study found underprivileged Indian Americans live in the same states as other more affluent Indian diaspora in the U.S. who live above the poverty line.

By identifying the demographics, vulnerabilities, cultural links, and geographies of the Indian diaspora living in poverty, specific strategies can be developed to mitigate the risks faced by these “Invisible Indians,” said the release.

Indiaspora is a nonprofit organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members form a powerful network of global leaders who are committed to building stronger communities with a culture of giving and inspiring social change.

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