Indian Community • Chicago

Gujarati Community in Chicago

39,000+ Gujarati speakers (Census) • Schaumburg: 5,491 speakers (45% of Indian total) • BAPS Bartlett (2004) • JSMC: 1,800 families • Patel Brothers founded here 1974

The Chicago metro area is home to an estimated 39,000+ Gujarati speakers (ACS 2022) — concentrated in a distinctive “Gujarati Belt” running through the northwest suburbs from Schaumburg to Carol Stream. Schaumburg alone has 5,491 Gujarati speakers (ACS 2022) — 45% of all Indian language speakers in the area. The community is anchored by the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett (a 27-acre marble masterpiece), the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (1,800+ families — the largest Jain center in North America), and Patel Brothers, the $200M+ grocery empire that was founded right here on Devon Avenue in 1974. From Navratri garba mega-events at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center to Annapurna’s Gujarati thali in Hoffman Estates, Chicago’s Gujarati community has built one of the most complete ecosystems in America.

Last updated: March 2026 • Full Indian Community guide for Chicago →

Cost Snapshot Schaumburg 2BR: ~$2,200/mo Naperville 2BR: ~$2,250/mo Median home: $320K–$600K Software eng: $120K–$190K IL flat income tax 4.95% Full Chicago cost of living & jobs → Rent: Zillow • Salary: Glassdoor/BLS • Home: Redfin • Mar 2026

Why Gujarati Families Choose Chicago

Chicago’s Gujarati community is built on three pillars — and they are not the same pillars that draw Telugu or Tamil families:

Entrepreneurship, not just employment. Gujaratis are arguably the most entrepreneurial Indian community in America. Gujarati Patels own an estimated 40% of all hotels and motels in the United States and ~60,000 of the 80,000 Indian-owned convenience stores. The Chicago metro’s I-90/I-290 corridor near O’Hare International Airport is a natural hotel hub, and Gujarati entrepreneurs have been building businesses here since the 1970s. The IT boom of the 1990s added a tech professional layer, but the hospitality and small business foundation came first.

Religious infrastructure is deep and denominationally complete. A Gujarati family’s temple needs are specific: a Swaminarayan family needs a BAPS or ISSO mandir, a Jain family needs a derasar, a Pushtimarg family needs a haveli. Chicago has all of them — five Swaminarayan temples across three distinct lineages (BAPS, Nar Narayan Dev, Vadtal, and Maninagar Gadi), a Jain center with 1,800 families, and the only Pushti Marg haveli in the entire Midwest. This depth of specifically Gujarati religious options exists in only a handful of American metros.

Patel Brothers started here. In 1974, Mafat and Tulsi Patel from Bhandu village, Gujarat, opened an 800-square-foot shop on Devon Avenue selling dal, spices, and rice. Today Patel Brothers is a 52-store, $200M+ chain — the largest South Asian grocery brand in America. Chicago is where the Gujarati commercial ecosystem was born, and Devon Avenue remains the symbolic heart of Indian retail in the Midwest.

Where Gujarati Families Live

Chicago’s Indian community is not one community — it is several distinct linguistic belts occupying different suburbs. The Telugu/Tamil tech community concentrates in Naperville and the DuPage I-88 corridor. The Keralite (Malayalam) community clusters in Des Plaines. The Urdu/Pakistani community dominates Devon Avenue and Skokie. And the Gujarati community forms its own continuous belt along I-90 and Route 20 in the northwest suburbs. Here is where Gujarati speakers actually live, based on Census PUMA data.

Schaumburg — The Gujarati Capital of Chicago (5,491 speakers (ACS 2022))

Schaumburg South (Schaumburg Township, south and east) has the single highest concentration of Gujarati speakers in the entire Chicago metro. With 5,491 Gujarati speakers (ACS 2022) making up 45% of all Indian language speakers, this is not just a Gujarati area — it is a Gujarati-dominant area. The community centers around the commercial corridors near Woodfield Mall, where Patel Brothers has two locations, Bhagavati Plaza is on Golf Road, and the new Vanam restaurant serves pure vegetarian food with a dedicated Jain menu. Schaumburg is also the epicenter of Chicago’s Navratri garba scene — the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center hosts headline garba events with artists like Kinjal Dave and Geeta Rabari drawing thousands. With 9.3% of the population born in India and 80,000+ jobs across 5,000+ businesses (Motorola Solutions, Paylocity, Zurich North America), Schaumburg offers both community density and employment.

Carol Stream & Bloomingdale — The Gujarati-Urdu Corridor (4,541 speakers (ACS 2022))

The Wayne/Bloomingdale/Carol Stream PUMA has 4,541 Gujarati speakers (ACS 2022) — the second-highest concentration in the metro. Gujarati is the #1 Indian language here by a wide margin, with Urdu a close second (4,041). The high Urdu count reflects a large Pakistani and Indian Muslim community living alongside Gujarati families. Telugu and Tamil are nearly absent (118 and 239 speakers respectively) — this is emphatically not a South Indian tech area. The Swaminarayan Gadi Temple is in nearby Streamwood. Housing is more affordable than Schaumburg or Naperville, with newer suburban developments attracting Gujarati families who want space.

Hoffman Estates & Hanover Park — The Northern Extension (4,048 speakers (ACS 2022))

Hoffman Estates and Streamwood mirror the Schaumburg pattern — Gujarati (4,048) + Urdu (2,220) = 66% of all Indian language speakers. This is the northern edge of the Gujarati Belt. Annapurna Simply Vegetarian on Golf Road has served Gujarati thali here for 30+ years — arguably the most authentic Gujarati restaurant in the suburbs. Indiaco grocery recently opened. Major employers include AT&T Midwest HQ (4,700 employees) and the former Sears campus (now redeveloping). Now Arena in Hoffman Estates hosts large-scale Navratri events.

Bartlett — Temple Row (BAPS + JSMC)

Bartlett may not have the highest Gujarati residential population, but it is the spiritual center of the community. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago sit within minutes of each other on Route 59. Both are destination institutions — Gujarati families from across the metro drive to Bartlett for Sunday satsang, Pathshala, Paryushan, and Annakut. The presence of both BAPS and JSMC makes Bartlett a unique anchor — no other Chicago suburb has two Gujarati-tradition institutions of this scale.

Des Plaines & Morton Grove — The Mixed Belt (3,169 speakers (ACS 2022))

Des Plaines has 3,169 Gujarati speakers (ACS 2022), but the community here is more linguistically mixed than in Schaumburg. Urdu leads (4,303), followed by Gujarati, then a surprisingly high Malayalam/Kannada/Dravidian count (2,548) — this is the Keralite capital of Chicago. For Gujarati families, the attraction is affordability and access: Shree Rasoi on Elmhurst Road serves Kathiyawadi thali and farsan, Taj Food & Gifts carries Indian groceries, and the ISSO Swaminarayan Temple in Itasca is just minutes away. O’Hare Airport is close — important for both business travelers and families flying to India.

Devon Avenue — Where It All Started

Devon Avenue in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago is where Indian commercial life in the Midwest began. Patel Brothers opened here in 1974. Sukhadia Sweets has made handmade Gujarati mithai here since 1995. Annapurna has a second location on Devon. Arya Bhavan serves pure vegetarian food from a Gujarati owner. While the residential Gujarati population has largely moved to the northwest suburbs, Devon Avenue remains the cultural shopping destination — the place Gujarati families drive to for fresh mithai, saris, jewelry, and nostalgia.

Temples & Religious Life

Chicago has something remarkable: five Swaminarayan temples representing three distinct lineages, plus a major Jain center and the only Pushti Marg haveli in the Midwest. For a Gujarati family, the question is not “Is there a temple?” — it is “Which tradition does my family follow?” Chicago has the answer for nearly every denomination.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Bartlett

1851 S IL Route 59 (Pramukh Swami Rd), Bartlett, IL 60103 • (630) 213-2277 • baps.org

The crown jewel of Gujarati religious life in Chicago. Opened August 7, 2004, this 27-acre complex is built of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone. Recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 150 Great Places in Illinois and winner of the 2004 Chicago Building Congress Merit Award. The central shrine houses Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj, plus Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, Sita-Ram, Hanuman, and Ganesh. BAPS runs the full Swaminarayan educational ecosystem: Bal Mandal (children), Kishore Mandal (teens), Yuvak/Yuvati Mandal (young adults), satsang exams, Gujarati language classes (ages 6–13, “Akshar Gujarati Learner” curriculum), and community service projects including an annual walkathon benefiting the American Cancer Society. The Annakut celebration at Diwali features hundreds of vegetarian dishes offered to the deities. Open daily 9:00 AM–6:30 PM.

ISSO Swaminarayan Temple, Itasca

21W710 Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL 60143 • (866) 838-4778 • issochicago.org

A historic institution: when this temple was inaugurated on August 2, 1998, it was America’s first shikharbaddha (pinnacled) Swaminarayan mandir. Built at a cost of $10 million, it follows the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Ahmedabad/Kalupur diocese) — a separate Swaminarayan lineage from BAPS. Satsang in the Midwest began in 1978 when Acharya Tejendraprasadji Maharaj first visited Chicago. The temple runs the NNDYM (Nar Narayan Dev Yuvak Mandal) youth body (est. 1994) with camps, seminars, and shibirs. Gujarati language classes, Indian music classes, and blood donation camps are regular programs. The facility includes banquet and wedding halls.

Vadtal Dham & Vadtal Palatine — Two Vadtal Temples

Vadtal Dham: 397 Northgate Pkwy, Wheeling, IL 60090 • (847) 808-9980 • shriji.org
Vadtal Palatine: 1521 N Rand Rd, Palatine, IL 60074 • (847) 701-5725

Both serve the Vadtal Gadi (Vadtal diocese) tradition — distinct from both BAPS and the Kalupur/Ahmedabad diocese. Vadtal Dham in Wheeling offers free prasad every Sunday, youth Hinduism classes, Gujarati language training, and Indian music classes. Vadtal Palatine serves the growing Gujarati population in the northwest suburbs with weekly sabha, Bal Sabha, and cultural programs. Both celebrate Navratri Raas-Garba and all major Hindu festivals. The fact that Chicago supports two separate Vadtal-tradition temples speaks to the community’s depth.

Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (JSMC)

435 N Route 59, Bartlett, IL 60103 • (630) 837-1077 • jsmconline.org

Founded in 1970 by fewer than 30 families, JSMC has grown to 1,800+ families — the largest Jain center membership in North America. In 1992, JSMC built the first significant Jain temple in North America on its 15.4-acre property. The 84,000 sq ft facility in white marble with a shikhara dome intentionally unites all four Jain sects — Shvetambara, Digambara, Sthanakvasi, and Shrimad — under one roof. JSMC runs Pathshala (structured religious education for children), Gujarati language classes, meditation programs, and community service. Major celebrations include Paryushan (the 8–10 day fasting and reflection festival), Mahavir Jayanti, and Diwali. For Jain families, proximity to JSMC is one of the primary reasons to choose the Chicago metro.

Shreejidwar Haveli (Pushti Marg), Addison

440 W Fullerton Ave, Addison, IL 60101 • (630) 568-8600 • shreejidwar.org

The only Pushti Marg haveli in the entire Midwest. Established December 2008 by the Vaishnav Samaj of Midwest, this is a “haveli,” not a “mandir” — in Pushti Marg tradition, devotees perform seva (service) with their own hands. Devotion centers on Shrinathji, a form of child Krishna, following the tradition of Vallabhacharya. The haveli runs the VYO (Vaishnav Youth Organization) where children learn Pushtimarg culture. Events include Chappan Bhog Manorath (preparation of 56 food items — one event featured over 1,000 kg of sweets), garba raas celebrations, and an annual Patotsav anniversary. This tradition is particularly important to Gujarati families from Saurashtra and Kutch.

Organizations & Community Life

Chicago’s Gujarati organizational landscape is among the most layered in America. Beyond the two main cultural associations, there are five Patidar samaj organizations serving families from specific regions of Gujarat — a depth that reflects how deeply the community has rooted here.

Gujarati Samaj Chicago (GSC)

815 Mensching Rd, Roselle, IL 60172 • gujchicago.org

THE primary Gujarati cultural organization in Chicago. Founded in 1976 by Jayantilal Mashar — just two years after Patel Brothers opened on Devon Avenue. With 600+ members across Chicagoland, GSC hosts the community’s signature events: Navratri Garba & Raas at Manav Seva Mandir in Bensenville, the annual Diwali/Year-End Gala at Ashton Place in Willowbrook (with Bollywood performers), Summer Picnic at Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village (cricket, volleyball, Gujarati food), Sangeet Sandhya music nights at Des Plaines Theatre, and bowling nights. GSC is the local affiliate of FOGANA (Federation of Gujarati Associations of North America) and hosts the FOGANA Midwest Regional Raas, Garba & Folk Dance Competition — the 2016 edition at the Copernicus Center drew 1,000+ attendees with 266 participants from 30 teams.

Gandhi Samaj of Chicago

1486 Harmony Dr, Bartlett, IL 60103 • gandhisamajchicago.com

A separate Gujarati organization with 600+ members, focused on keeping inherited culture thriving while integrating into American life. Runs a dedicated “Learn Gujarati” program for children — one of the few standalone Gujarati language programs in the metro. Also hosts garba celebrations and community events.

Patidar Organizations — The Regional Network

The Patidar (Patel) community — the single largest Gujarati sub-group — is organized not as one monolithic association but as regional samaj organizations serving families from specific districts of Gujarat:

Kadva Patidar Samaj Chicago (KPS) — Hosts the annual family picnic at Busse Woods (600+ attendees) with traditional Gujarati dinner: mohanthal, ringan-bataka nu shaak, puri, khichdi, papad, and mango athanu. Youth committee runs a 5K Walkathon. Part of national KPSNA
UMSCM (Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago Midwest) — umscm.org. Established 2016 at 1800 Joliet St, West Chicago. Building a dedicated Umiya Mataji Mandir — Umiya Mata is the kuldevi (clan deity) of the Kadva Patidar community. Holi celebration draws 500+ attendees
Charotariya Leuva Patidar Seva Samaj (CLPSS) — clpss.org. Founded 1988. Serves families from the Charotar region (Anand/Kheda districts). Has its own mobile app for community resources
Sabarkantha Leuva Patidar Samaj (SKLPS) — sklpsusa.org. Serves families from Sabarkantha district of northern Gujarat. Summer camps, garba events, active WhatsApp groups
Saurashtra Patel Cultural Samaj (SPCS) Illinois — Part of national SPCS (est. 1980, 11,000+ members). Hosted its first international convention in Chicago in July 1996

These samaj organizations are more than cultural clubs — they function as professional networks, mutual aid societies, and marriage circles. Members span hospitality, real estate, finance, healthcare, and small business. For a newly arrived Gujarati family, joining the right samaj connects you to both community and commercial opportunity.

Youth & Dance

Garba Gurjari of Chicago — Won First Prize in Minor, Junior, AND Adult Garba at the 2016 FOGANA Midwest Regional. Multi-generational competitive garba team
Chicago Raas (University of Chicago) — Competitive collegiate garba-raas team. The Raas All-Stars National Championship was held at Harris Theater in Chicago (April 2025)
Kaavya Performing Arts — Expression Dance Studio, 25 S Cass Ave, Westmont. (331) 642-0577. Founded by Ami Vaidya (Chicago-raised, winning FOGANA competitions by age 13). Garba, Raas, Bollywood, and Bharatnatyam classes for ages 3+

Seniors

Gujarati Seniors of Chicago — Established 2019. Active in community service, including organizing COVID-19 vaccination camps for seniors. For broader Indian senior programming, the Bharatiya Senior Citizens of Chicago (bscofchicago.org) serves many Gujarati members.

Navratri & Festivals

Navratri Garba — Schaumburg Is the Capital

If there is one event that defines the Gujarati community, it is Navratri — nine nights of garba and dandiya raas. For Gujarati families, a serious garba scene is a genuine factor in relocation decisions. Chicago delivers — and Schaumburg is the epicenter:

Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center — THE mega-venue for headline garba events. In 2025: Geeta Rabari (Sep 5), Jignesh Barot (Sep 6), Kinjal Dave (Sep 14). Regular headliners also include Atul Purohit and Falguni Pathak. Thousands attend in traditional chaniya cholis and kediyus. Tickets $30–$45
Wintrust Field (Boomers Stadium), Schaumburg — Hosts outdoor garba events, including Garba Mela with live Gujarati artists
Now Arena, Hoffman Estates — Large-scale events drawing families from across the metro
GSC Navratri — Gujarati Samaj Chicago’s community garba at Manav Seva Mandir, 101 S Church Rd, Bensenville. More intimate and traditional than the arena-scale commercial events. GSC has hosted Navratri since 1976
Temple garba — BAPS Bartlett, ISSO Itasca, Vadtal Dham Wheeling, and Manav Seva Mandir all host Navratri celebrations with a devotional focus

The Chicago garba scene ranges from intimate temple-based celebrations to arena-scale commercial events with celebrity performers from Gujarat. Events happen across Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rosemont, Oak Brook, and Skokie — there is garba somewhere every night of Navratri season.

FOGANA Midwest Regional Competition

GSC hosts the FOGANA Midwest Regional Raas, Garba & Folk Dance Competition — teams from across the Midwest compete in Minor, Junior, and Adult categories. The 2016 edition at the Copernicus Center drew 1,000+ spectators and 266 participants from 30 teams. Garba Gurjari of Chicago swept all three categories that year. This is competitive garba at its most organized — choreographed routines, matching costumes, and judges scoring on footwork, synchronization, and creativity.

Other Key Festivals

Paryushan — The most important Jain festival: 8–10 days of fasting, spiritual reflection, and the Pratikraman forgiveness ritual at JSMC Bartlett. Culminates in Samvatsari — the universal day of forgiveness. For the 1,800+ Jain families in the metro, this is the defining event of the year
Diwali — GSC hosts the annual Diwali Gala at Ashton Place, Willowbrook (tickets $55–$100). BAPS Bartlett celebrates with a spectacular Annakut featuring hundreds of vegetarian dishes. JSMC observes with Jain traditions. UMSCM and the Patidar samaj groups hold their own celebrations
Janmashtami — Krishna’s birthday celebrated at BAPS Bartlett, ISSO Itasca, and especially Shreejidwar Haveli in Addison (Pushti Marg tradition, where Krishna devotion is central)
Holi — UMSCM’s Holi celebration draws 500+ attendees. Kalapriya Center hosts a free community Holi at Chicago Women’s Park

Gujarati Food & Restaurants

For many Gujarati families — especially Jain and Swaminarayan adherents — strict vegetarianism is non-negotiable. This is not preference; it is religious practice. Finding restaurants that serve pure vegetarian food (no eggs, and no onion/garlic for Jain families) matters. Chicago’s Gujarati Belt has options, though the scene is still growing.

Restaurants

Annapurna Simply Vegetarian — 721 W Golf Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169. (847) 278-0760. eatannapurna.com. THE Gujarati restaurant of the northwest suburbs. Serving Chicagoland for 30+ years (est. ~1990). Pure vegetarian. The Special Gujarati Thali ($16.95) includes 2 daily vegetables, dal or kadhi, rice, 3 puri or roti, raita, papad, pickle, 1 sweet & 1 snack. The Rasranjan Thali ($17.49) features sandwich dhokla, Bombay sukhi bhaji, papdi ringan muthiya shaak, and puran poli. Serves Undiyu with 3 Puri as a standalone item. Also at 2600 W Devon Ave
Shree Rasoi Indian Vegi Delight — 1167 S Elmhurst Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016. (847) 981-4133. shreerasoi.net. Specializes in Gujarati and Kathiyawadi cuisine. Known for Kathiyawadi thalis, made-to-order farsan, churma laddoo, and bhajia. Reviewers describe it as “eating at a relative’s house in India.” Jain food available. Also offers Gujarati catering for events
Vanam — 337 W Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60195. (815) 201-9007. vanamil.com. Opened ~2025 near Woodfield Mall. Pure vegetarian with a dedicated Jain menu (no onion/no garlic options). South Indian, chaat, and Indo-Chinese. The newest pure-veg option in the Gujarati Belt
Arya Bhavan — 2508 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659. (773) 274-5800. aryabhavan.com. Owner is from Gujarat — the name means “Welcome to Our Home” from the family’s farmstead. Est. 1998. Pure vegetarian/vegan, organic, gluten-free, no GMO, no MSG. BYOB. All-you-can-eat vegan buffet Saturdays
Uru Swati — 2629 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659. uruswatichicago.com. Pure vegetarian, Gujarati + South Indian + chaat. 642+ Yelp reviews. Fresh off the menu (no buffet). BYOB

Grocery Stores

Patel Brothers — patelbros.com. Founded right here in Chicago in 1974 by Mafat and Tulsi Patel from Bhandu village, Gujarat. Now 52+ stores nationwide, $200M+ — the largest Indian grocery chain in America. Chicago locations include two in Schaumburg (830 W Golf Rd and 873 E Schaumburg Rd), Naperville (1568 W Ogden Ave), Niles (9555 N Milwaukee Ave), and Devon Avenue (2610 W Devon Ave). Carries all Gujarati staples: toor dal, bajri flour, khakhra, farsan, pickles, papad, Gujarati-brand masalas, frozen thepla and dhokla, and fresh mithai
Indiaco — 15-17 Golf Center, Hoffman Estates. (224) 353-6673. Also in Naperville (Mall of India). Recently opened, fresh Indian groceries
Bhagavati Plaza — 1909 W Golf Rd, Schaumburg. (847) 882-8882. The name itself signals Gujarati origin
Shah Bros. — 188 N Bolingbrook Dr, Bolingbrook. (630) 739-4444. Serves the southern suburb Gujarati community

Sweets & Mithai

Sukhadia Sweets & Snacks — 2559 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659. (773) 338-5400. sukhadiasweetschicago.com. THE Gujarati mithai and farsan shop of Chicago. Founded 1995 by a family from Cambay (Khambhat), Gujarat. Offers ~60 varieties of handmade mithai at any time. Production at the store and a warehouse in Skokie. Delivers to the suburbs via Quicklly. For Diwali sweet boxes, wedding mithai, and fresh farsan, this is the destination
Patel Brothers locations carry packaged Gujarati farsan and some fresh mithai. For the northwest suburbs, this is the most convenient source

Golf Road in Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg is emerging as the suburban Indian food corridor — with Annapurna, Vanam, Patel Brothers, Indiaco, and Bhagavati Plaza all clustered along the route. But for the widest selection of Gujarati-specific mithai, farsan, and dining, Devon Avenue remains the primary destination.

Business & Entrepreneurship

The Gujarati community’s business story in Chicago is not just about hotel ownership — though that alone is remarkable. It is about an entrepreneurial ecosystem that spans multiple industries and is deeply connected to the community’s organizational life.

Hospitality: Gujarati Patels own an estimated 40% of all hotels and motels in the United States. AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) represents 20,000+ members whose properties account for roughly 60% of all US hotel rooms. The Chicago metro’s I-90 corridor near O’Hare — running directly through the Gujarati Belt of Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates — is one of the country’s densest hotel corridors. The phenomenon started with Gujarati immigrants pooling family savings through informal lending circles to buy their first properties — a model that scaled into a multi-billion dollar industry
Grocery retail: Patel Brothers — founded on Devon Avenue in 1974 — is the crown jewel. But Gujarati entrepreneurship in grocery extends to smaller stores like Bhagavati Plaza, Shah Bros., and others across the suburbs
Convenience stores & gas stations: An estimated 60,000 of the 80,000 Indian-owned convenience stores in America are Gujarati-operated. Family-run, community-financed, and ubiquitous across Chicago suburbs
Medical leadership: The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) — 80,000+ physician members — is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, right in the Gujarati Belt. Chairwoman Dr. Hetal Gor has addressed the organization in Gujarati
Technology: The I-88/I-90 tech corridor (Motorola Solutions, Paylocity, Zurich North America, NielsenIQ) employs Gujarati IT professionals alongside the more visible Telugu and Hindi-speaking tech workforce. NetIP (Network of Indian Professionals), the pan-Indian tech network, was founded in Chicago in 1990 by Dr. Satish Chandra

Gujarati Language & Media

Gujarati language instruction in Chicago runs primarily through temples and community organizations — not standalone schools. This means language learning is deeply integrated with religious and cultural identity:

BAPS Bartlett — Gujarati classes for ages 6–13 using the “Akshar Gujarati Learner” curriculum. Annual summer camps include dedicated Gujarati language instruction
Gandhi Samaj of Chicago — Runs a standalone “Learn Gujarati” program for children in the Bartlett area
ISSO Itasca & Vadtal Dham Wheeling — Both offer Gujarati language training as part of their youth programs
Manav Seva Mandir, Bensenville — Gujarati language classes and cooking workshops. Houses a 2,000+ book library including Gujarati religious and spiritual texts

Media: Asian Media USA (asianmediausa.com) actively covers Gujarati community events in Chicago — Navratri, temple inaugurations, Gujarati comedy plays, and community milestones. TV9 Gujarati is available via DISH Network ($10/month) — the only dedicated Gujarati news channel in the US. Desi Junction Radio (96.7–107.1 FM) broadcasts Hindi and Punjabi programming on weekends.

For the full Indian community guide covering all sub-communities, cost of living, H-1B employers, climate, and practical info, see our Indian Community in Chicago guide.

Data Sources

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-Year Estimates) • Community organization websites and direct verification • Local school district enrollment data • Zillow and Apartments.com (rent estimates) • Glassdoor and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (salary data) • Redfin (home price data). Community population estimates reflect available Census language data combined with organization-reported figures. Read our full research methodology →