California State Assembly member Ash Kalra has again presented a goal declaring October 2023 as the “Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month” in the state.
Since 2013, the resolution, which has been introduced nearly every year in California, aims to bring local awareness, recognition, and recognition of the significant contributions that Hindu Americans have made across the US.
A statement from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) stated that “For the 10th year California has recognised October as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month, with the introduction of a resolution by Assembly member Ash Kalra.”
Number of Hindu Americans
In the United States, there are nearly 2,230,000 Hindu Americans.
California has the largest Hindu American population, which includes people from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia, and other countries.
The bill said that the country has benefited from Vedanta philosophy, ayurvedic medicine, classical Indian art, dance, music, meditation, yoga, literature, and community service, highlighting the contributions of Hindu Americans.
“HAF congratulates Assembly member Ash Kalra for once again speaking up for the contributions of the Hindu American community in California, as well as highlighting the challenges being faced by the community, such as misunderstanding of our sacred symbols such as the swastika, immigration issues disproportionately affecting our community, and the rise of Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu hate crimes, and bullying of Hindu students,” HAF Managing Director Samir Kalra said.
The introduction of the bill in the year 2023 imprints the 130th commemoration of when Hinduism was authoritatively acquainted with the US by Master Vivekananda in 1893 at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
In addition, the year 2023 marks the 123rd anniversary of the day in 1900 that he established the Vedanta Society in the city of San Francisco.
Hindus began moving to California in the mid 1900s, and came in expanding numbers after the lifting of the Asian Exclusion Act of 1924 of every 1943 and the abolishment of quotas for immigrants in light of national origin in 1965.
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