NPR More Funniest Driveway Moments by National Public Radio

Middle, right: Ridhay and his mother take in the fall colors on their way to an Indian store. Middle, left: Ridhay and his mother pray to the Indian deities in their prayer room in their home. Top: Ridhay rests on his mother's lap at their dinner table in Novi, Mich., on Oct. Pavan Vemuri, 37, and Keerthi Sanivarapu, 35, moved to America from Telangana, India, for better opportunities and a quality of life called the 'Indian American Dream.' Both are engineers, worked through the immigration process, obtained work visas and bought a home together and currently raise their 2-year-old son, Ridhay Aaryan Vemuri, in Novi, Mich., with their Indian heritage.

surged 86% – the largest uptick in a foreign language-speaking group. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, between 20, the number of native Telugu speakers in the U.S. Telugu-speaking states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India account for 14% of all Indian Americans living in the United States. Telugu photographer Akash Pamarthy explores the Telugu community and identity in the United States through four lenses: family, keepsakes, festivals and food. Telugu Americans are a huge part of the Indian population living abroad. India is a land of diverse cultures and languages. NPR's Picture Show will be bringing stories from these communities to our audience this month. They also adorn their home with lights, a tradition often confused with Christmas lights in the United States.Įditor's note: May marks Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which celebrates the histories of Americans hailing from across the Asian continent and from the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

Keerthi Sanivarapu (from left), Ridhay Vemuri and Pavan Vemuri celebrate Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) by lighting fireworks at their home in Novi, Mich., on Oct.

NPR More Funniest Driveway Moments by National Public Radio