A ‘Singh Walkway’ soon to commemorate the Indian American community.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: A walkway located in central California may soon become a landmark for the ever-growing Indian American community around the nation.
The city of Turlock is considering naming a walkway in their city “Singh Walkway” in commemoration of its Indian American population.
Dr. Ram Saini, who has lived in Turlock for 42 years, submitted the request to the city. In his request, he listed the fact that numerous Indian Americans live in Turlock, saying “We sincerely hope that [the government of the city of Turlock] recognize[s the] Indian-American community people, who are an integral part of our city.”
Saini’s request did not specify exactly what should be named to honor the Indian American community; the Turlock City Council determined that naming the storm basin walkway was the best option, since it allowed for signage to be posted easily and visibly for passersby. The signage, however, will have to be created and installed on the site at Saini’s expense, not the government’s. Dr. Saini could not be reached for comment.
According to the 2010 Census numbers, Turlock has a population of 68,549, with around 3,865 of its citizens being of Asian descent (5.6%). The city, with a square mileage of less than 17 miles, is actually located about six miles from a town called Delhi.
Turlock is known for its farmland; the entire area of the town is land. It’s also the location of California State University, Stanislaus, a liberal arts institution with a total size of under 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The city of Turlock is home to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.