014 - Kala Bagai

Asian Americana

Image of Kala Bagai used with permission, courtesy Rani Bagai

What was it like for a South Asian woman immigrating to the US in the early 20th century, and how did she build a community over her lifetime? And why name a street in Berkeley after Kala Bagai — especially since she may not have spent much time living there, if she did at all?

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Kala Bagai and her family. Photo used with permission, courtesy Rani Bagai and SAADA.

Kala Bagai and her sons. Photo used with permission, courtesy Rani Bagai and SAADA.

Learn more about Kala Bagai and her story on the South Asian American Digital Archive website. There you can also find the recording of her oral history, Vaishno Das Bagai’s letter to the San Francisco Examiner, and other archival materials, such as the newspaper clipping below.

Clipping of Los Angeles Daily News, featuring American Wives of India organization. Photo used with permission, courtesy Rani Bagai and SAADA.

You can read Rani Bagai’s letter supporting the Kala Bagai Way campaign on Berkeleyside here:
Opinion: Berkeley might name a street after Kala Bagai. This is her story

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