Ravi Raj Kishore wants Americans to know that India is about more than Taj Mahal and spicy food. "We are proud of our heritage and want to share it," said the Bloomington resident, one of an estimated 5,500 Indians in McLean County.

Census figures show the McLean County Indian population forms the third-largest minority, behind blacks and Hispanics.

Sarah Jome, associate director of International Studies and Programs at Illinois State University, said the increased Indian population creates diversity and appears to mirror similar growth at ISU. This spring there were 122 students from India, up from 39 a dozen years ago.

The Festival of India at the McLean County Museum of History in August and various Indian music events have enriched our community culturally, agreed Maura Toro-Morn, a professor of sociology at ISU.

Thomas Arkell, who practices immigration law in Bloomington-Normal, believes the growing Indian population has "helped to diversify McLean County and enriched the community by adding a group of extremely talented, active and well-educated people." He said many of his Indian clients are physicians, professors, scientists and information technology professionals with advanced degrees.

Neeraj Joshi is a 17-year-old senior at Bloomington High School who has been in Bloomington-Normal since he was 8 years old. He is a Hindu, but observes Christmas as a cultural event. There's no Hindu temple in Bloomington-Normal, though fundraising efforts are under way to build one.

In the meantime, the Normal Activity Center at One Normal Plaza hosts Indian religious events. In fact, Cary Frey, recreation supervisor with the Normal Parks and Recreation Department, said more than 75 percent of Activity Center rentals are to Indians holding religious and cultural events.

Cricket games are another sign of the Indian presence here, Frey said.

The British game is played from mid-May to late September at Kelly Detention Basin in north Normal, where the number of cricket teams has grown from 10 teams in 2002 to about 26 today, said Vinod Thaker, a past president of the McLean County India Association.

Getting a bit of Indian culture in Bloomington-Normal wasn't always easy. When Gulshan Bhayana arrived in Bloomington-Normal 24 years ago, he had to drive to Chicago for Indian groceries. Now there are multiple Indian groceries and restaurants in McLean County.

Indian cultural activities also are becoming more prominent. In addition to the Festival of India, there's the Central Illinois version of Republic Day, a Jan. 26 event marking the anniversary of India's constitution, and Independence Day, an Aug. 15 event celebrating India's independence from Britain in 1947.

The Indian Music Society of Central Illinois has brought several Indian recording artists to the area.

As Indian cultural activities continue to grow, so do jobs for technologically savvy Indians, many of whom work in information technology at State Farm, according to Mia Jazo-Harris, a spokeswoman for the insurer.

"We provide a positive economic impact, a highly professional workforce," said Thaker.

Indians are actively involved in the community as well, said Vinod Nambiar, who has been in Bloomington-Normal for about eight years and is president of the McLean County India Association.

"We help Home Sweet Home Mission and are involved in blood drives and cleaning up parks," he said.

Nambiar expects the McLean County Indian population to continue to grow because technology workers are in demand at State Farm and elsewhere. Thaker, however, thinks the number of Indians, some here on temporary work permits, has peaked.

While time will tell, for now their presence is felt in an extraordinary way at Blooming Grove Academy, where 38 of 87 students are Indian.

"This is the highest it has ever been," said Peg Hayden, director of the academy.