Day 122: Kala Bagai Way, Berkeley, California
📌APIA Every Day (122) - Kala Bagai, also known as "Jhaiji," was an infamous South Asian immigrant and community leader in California. Born in 1892, she and her husband Vaishno Das Bagai arrived in San Francisco in 1915 with their three young sons. Kala was one of the very few South Asian women in the United States at the time. Their arrival was mentioned in the San Francisco Call-Post, which noted her as the “first Hindu woman to enter the city in ten years.”
The Bagais faced severe racism, including being physically barred by neighbors from moving into their new home in Berkeley. Following the 1923 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, Vaishno Das had his citizenship revoked, leading to his tragic suicide in 1928. Kala Bagai continued to raise her children, remarried family friend Mahesh Chandra, and embraced Western culture, eventually gaining U.S. citizenship in 1946 after the passage of the Luce-Celler Act. In Southern California, Kala became a community builder. She hosted cultural events and fostered connections between American and South Asian cultures. Her home became a hub for South Asians, promoting inclusivity and support for new immigrants. She continued this work until her death in 1983.
To honor her contributions, Berkeley renamed a two-block stretch of Shattuck Avenue to "Kala Bagai Way." This renaming recognizes her role as an immigrant from colonized India who overcame anti-immigrant attacks and helped establish one of the earliest South Asian communities in Southern California. The proposal received public support and endorsements from various councils and committees, including APIAHiP. Naming this street after Kala Bagai acknowledges her contributions to building a welcoming community and the presence and contributions of Asian Americans in Berkeley.
LEARN MORE:
Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour: Kala Bagai Way in Downtown Berkeley
Berekelyside: Opinion: Why Berkeley’s newest street name should honor an Asian American
KQED: Berkeley Renames Downtown Street 'Kala Bagai Way' After South Asian Immigrant Activist
APIAHiP’s Letter of Support for the naming of Kala Bagai Way
South Asian American Digitial Archive: Kala Bagai Timeline
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