Why Sindhi Families Choose Chicago

Chicago’s Sindhi settlement is one of the oldest in America. The founding of SAMC in 1965 places the community’s organized presence in Chicago before the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 itself — meaning the early Sindhi community in Chicago came as students, business owners, and early professionals rather than as the tech H-1B wave that shaped Indian communities in DFW, New Jersey, and the Bay Area. This makes Chicago’s Sindhi community unusually multi-generational: families with grandparents who arrived in the 1960s, parents who came in the 1980s and 1990s, and children born here.

Chicago itself draws Indian families for its breadth of opportunity: a diverse economy spanning finance (Chicago Mercantile Exchange, trading firms), healthcare (Northwestern, University of Chicago Medicine, Rush), technology, and manufacturing. The northwest suburban corridor — Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows — has developed a functional South Asian ecosystem with Indian groceries, restaurants, and community organizations that makes daily life practical for Indian families. No Texas-style tech boomtown concentration, but a mature, stable Indian-American infrastructure built over decades.

For Sindhi families specifically, Chicago’s advantage is community depth: SAMC has been running events for 60 years, which means there are multi-generational Sindhi families here who can help newcomers navigate neighborhoods, schools, and professional networks. The Consul General of India called Chicago Sindhis “bearers of one of the oldest living civilizations” at a 2025 Cheti Chand event — which is a measure of how seriously this community is taken even outside its own circle.

Sindhi Organizations in Chicago

Sindhi Association of Metropolitan Chicago (SAMC)

Founded 1965 • 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 36-4195027) • chicagosindhis.com • facebook.com/chicagosindhis/

SAMC is the oldest and most active Sindhi organization in the Chicago metro — one of the oldest in the United States. Its tagline is “Bringing the Sindhi Community Closer,” and for 60 years it has done exactly that through cultural events, religious observances, and community programming. SAMC is connected to the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) Chicago, giving it standing in the broader Indian-American civic landscape. Current leadership (2025): President Vinita Gulabani, VP Puja Jiandani, Secretary Subhash Balaney, Treasurer Nand Belani. SAMC’s Cheti Chand celebration is the community’s signature event; it also hosts an annual Diwali celebration and connects members through ongoing programming. If you are a newly arrived Sindhi family in Chicago, SAMC is the first phone call to make.

SANA Greater Chicago Area Chapter (SANA GCA)

National parent: sanaonline.org • Chapter president: Farhan Qazi • Secretary: Yasmeen Soomro

The Chicago affiliate of the Sindhi Association of North America (founded 1984, ~10,000 national members). SANA’s focus is advocacy — Sindhi language preservation, human rights in Sindh (Pakistan), and cultural unity. The Chicago chapter leadership names suggest a Pakistan-origin Sindhi Muslim constituency, complementing SAMC’s predominantly Hindu-Sindhi membership. For Muslim Sindhi families and for those with strong ties to Sindh in Pakistan, SANA GCA is the relevant organization. SANA held its 17th Annual National Convention in Chicago (July 2001, Sheraton Gateway Suites), drawing 350+ from across North America. Contact SANA through the national website sanaonline.org or +1 (855) 587-7262.

Sindhi Food & Grocery in Chicago

Honest note: No dedicated Sindhi restaurant operates publicly in the Chicago metro as of this research. Traditional Sindhi dishes — dal pakwan, sai bhaji, sindhi kadhi, seyal maani, aloo tuk, koki — are home-cooked and served at SAMC community events. Devon Avenue’s restaurants serve North Indian and Pakistani cuisine broadly; some overlap with Sindhi pantry flavors without specifically labeling them as Sindhi. The best public opportunity to taste Sindhi food in Chicago is at SAMC’s annual Cheti Chand and Diwali celebrations.

Indian Grocery: Northwest Suburbs

Sindhi pantry staples — toor dal, urad dal, sindhi papad, koki flour, dried amchur, tamarind — are available at any large Indian grocery. The northwest suburban corridor is best served:

• Patel Brothers (Schaumburg) — 830 W Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60194 • (847) 519-3200 • Daily 9am–8pm. The largest Indian grocery chain; full range of spices, dals, frozen foods, fresh produce, and festival items.
• Namaste Plaza — 1909 W Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60194 • (847) 882-8882. Indian grocery in the same Schaumburg corridor.
• Indiaco (Hoffman Estates) — 15-17 Golf Center, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 • indiaco.com • Opened August 2023. Specializes in hard-to-source ethnic grocery items; home delivery available. New addition to the corridor, good for specialty pantry items.

Indian Grocery: Skokie, Devon Ave & Southwest

• Indian Groceries & Spices Inc. (Skokie) — 7300 N St Louis Ave, Skokie, IL 60076 • (847) 674-2480.
• Geetha Food and Gifts (Skokie) — 4041 Main St, Skokie, IL 60076 • (847) 677-4848.
• Patel Brothers (Devon Ave) — 2610 W Devon Ave, Chicago • One of the brand’s flagship stores; been on Devon since 1991. Essential for the full range of Indian staples.
• Apna Bazaar (Devon Ave) — 2314 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659. Established Devon Avenue Indian grocery.
• Masalas ‘N More (Naperville) — 1355 S State Route 59, Naperville, IL 60564 • (630) 236-0642. Serves the southwest suburban cluster.
• Kohinoor (Downers Grove) — 275 Maple Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515 • (847) 968-3130. Located in the same southwest suburb as Ashyana Banquets where SAMC holds Cheti Chand.

Sindhi Arts, Culture & Annual Events

SAMC’s event calendar is the public heartbeat of Sindhi cultural life in Chicago. Two major annual events anchor the year; both are open to the full community and have drawn government officials, civic leaders, and multi-generational Sindhi families.

Cheti Chand — Sindhi New Year (April)

Cheti Chand is the most important Sindhi cultural event of the year — celebrating the birth of Jhulelal Sain (the Sindhi patron saint) and the Sindhi New Year on the first day of Chet in the Hindu calendar (late March or early April). SAMC has hosted this celebration for decades at Ashyana Banquets (Downers Grove and Chicago locations). The 2024 event (April 7, Downers Grove) drew ~250 attendees and was honored by Consul General of India Somnath Ghosh, Mayor of Oakbrook Larry Herman, Mayor of Schaumburg Tom Dailly, Dr. Gopal Lalmalani (three-time Mayor of Oakbrook), Alderwoman Shweta Baid, and FIA Chicago Chairman Sunil Shah. The 2025 event (April 13, Ashyana Banquets Chicago) featured: Behrana Sahib ceremony (sacred offerings of lamp, fruits, kalash/water pot, coconut, and Jhulelal murti); Arti led by Devika; Jhulelal Juloos procession with women in Ajrak scarves and men in Sindhi topis; immersion ritual; prasad; Chhej folk dances; and musical performances by Swapnil Sahu and Rinki Talati. Consul General Ghosh called Sindhis “bearers of one of the oldest living civilizations.” Attendee Sudhir Raheja said: “It felt like my childhood temple in Larkana.”

Diwali Celebration (October/November)

SAMC’s annual Diwali celebration is the community’s second major anchor event. The 2021 Diwali was held at Ashton Place in Willowbrook, featuring Mahalaxmi Aarti and a children’s cultural program. The format combines religious opening with cultural performances by children and youth — a deliberate effort to involve the second generation. Check chicagosindhis.com and facebook.com/chicagosindhis/ for upcoming Diwali date and venue.

Chhej — Sindhi Folk Dance

Chhej is the traditional Sindhi folk dance performed during Behrana Sahib processions and festival celebrations. SAMC organizes Chhej performances at Cheti Chand events; both men’s and women’s dance groups participate, led by community members. For families wanting to preserve this tradition, SAMC is the organizational contact for Chhej instruction and performance opportunities.