BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – Rakesh Kumar dashes across the room, places the plates of butter chicken, naan bread and rice in front of the customers. With a nod and smile he returns to the cash register, goes over the receipts, makes a quick note on a piece of paper then rushes into the kitchen.
Kumar is the owner and manager of India Garden, a restaurant in Bloomington, and less than 15 minutes walk from Indiana University’s campus.
“We have a family business in India too but I never thought I would open a restaurant,” said Kumar. “When I came to America I have only experience for restaurants, so I opened it.”
He grew up in Ludhiana City and at the age of 22, Kumar came to America. He drove a taxi as well as worked at his uncle’s restaurant in Indianapolis for 15 years until Kumar decided to start his own restaurant in Bloomington.
“When people immigrant to another country they are looking for economic opportunities and so they are probably going to work longer hours… in order to make their business succeed,” said Roberto Garcia, a Clinical Professor of International Business at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Working long hours is nothing new for Kumar. He is the manager and owner of India Garden, which opens everyday 7 days a week from 11am to 3pm then 5pm to 10pm. Kumar and his staff are constantly working to produce their best cuisines and service for their costumers. Life was not always like this for Kumar.
“It was very tough. I used to drive a taxi in Indianapolis and I was very scared. If somebody robs somebody… It was very difficult before,” said Kumar.
Life before India Garden was not comfortable. Kumar said the biggest problem was the sense of uncertainty the future held. His time in the taxi service industry did not provide him with the security he needed. Making $100 dollars one day then drastically making less the other was not the life Kumar had hoped for himself and his family.
Moving to Bloomington was a big change for Kumar and starting India Garden was an even bigger change. Kumar said life is better now. Being able to be his own boss and stay inside when the weather is too harsh. He jokes about being in control of his own schedule and if he is tired he can take a nap.
Kumar said Bloomington’s acceptance of immigrants is positive. Through his experience, Bloomington especially the Indiana University campus is very open and friendly. He believes that if we put love into the world we will reserve the same. If we put hate we will reserve the same. Bloomington has provided the love and security him and India Garden needs.
Before Kumar gained the security he has now from owning his business, he had to go through the process of starting a business.
“It’s very hard. It’s very hard because first you need land, second a good location, third of course you need the money then you buy the location and after that you need a very good cook,” said Kumar.
Kumar said that starting India Garden was difficult and it was a lot more strenuous opening a business as an immigrant. Through saving and hard work he opened India Garden.
“For an immigrant owned business so long as they’ve got the proper documentation and certification for all the necessary government entities and they are properly in the country there is not a huge difference in starting a business compared to a non-immigrant,” said Tom Bunger, a partner at Bunger & Robertson Attorneys at Law in Bloomington, Indiana.
Bunger stated that when starting a business it takes a lot of time and preparation. The main difference in an immigrant starting a business compared to a non-immigrant is having legal residential status in the U.S.
To acquire property in the United States as a U.S. citizen or legal resident, the individual must provide documentation to show sufficient income, bank statements, reference letters from their banking or credit institution, and two forms of identification. Kumar stated that to start a restaurant one needs land and a good location although before this, gaining U.S. residential status is important.
Even though obtaining a business is not very difficult from the legal perspective from a social construct, it is hard to start a business in a country one is not familiar with.
“There are language barriers. Immigrants from countries that are not English-speaking are going to face certain barriers in establishing a business,” said Roberto Garcia.
Even though English is not Kumar’s first language he says communication with his customers and business affiliates has not been extremely difficult. He grew up with the American culture. In Ludhiana city, he was constantly exposed to American movies and music.
Kumar owes his smooth transition into the American culture to the entertainment world and having extended family that already lived in the U.S. before he came in the 90s.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a smooth transition. The transition into the American culture depends heavily on the individual’s legal status.
“If my clients’ parents came here illegally but they were brought here [the United States] at a young age or born here. They have definitely faced many obstacles particularly because there is the constant fear that their parents could be deported,” said Christine Popp, an immigration lawyer and owner of Popp law Office.
Popp explained there are two principle categories for visas. There are what you call immigrant visas then there are non-immigrant visas. Immigrant visas are permanent residents visas. Immigrants are coming to the U.S. to be a lawful permanent resident, so have their green card. Gaining a green card is not an easy process.
Legal residential status plays a huge role in immigration. Kumar sense of security comes from having a stable income but legal status is another aspect of security.
Popp specializes in immigration law and has worked on numerous cases. She works on a wide variety of immigration related cases from asylum cases to family based cases. Popp explained there is a negative stigma that most if not all immigrants in the United States come into the country illegally. This is not true.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, about 42.1 million foreign-born people (legal and illegal) are living in the United States in the second quarter of this year; about 30 million were naturalized citizens, permanent residents and legal residents.
Even though there are some illegal immigration cases not all immigrants in the United States entered the country illegally.
A common trend in immigration is family ties. There is a higher chance for a person to migrant to where he or she has family than where he or she does not.
Family ties also apply to immigrant businesses. Before Kumar moved to the United States he had family in Indianapolis and worked for his uncle and when he was younger he helped his parents run their business in India. Community and family go hand in hand.
Kumar said that an enormous part of India Garden’s success is due to the Indian community in Bloomington.
According to the Office of International Services has of the fall of 2015 there are 914 Indian students enrolled in Indiana University Bloomington. Since there is a huge Indian community there is a high demand for Indian cuisine and culture.
“Some customers they have kids here in Bloomington. So that is very good for me because they know me. They come with their families here. When they come to Bloomington they eat here,” said Kumar.
Bloomington is a college town and home to Indiana University. This is an advantage for Kumar and other business owners in the area. When starting a restaurant location is important and knowing the target demographic is what brings profits.
The increase of Indian students and staff makes Kumar hopeful about the future.
“My future plan is to open one or two more [restaurants],” said Kumar.
Kumar worked hard to obtain his business. He gained prosperity through hard work and determination. From long hours driving a taxi in Indianapolis to calling himself the boss. Kumar obtained what some might call the American dream and he wants the same for his children.