What an Immigrant Murder in Kansas Says About America

Kiran Chelluri is an American success story. Originally from Hyderabad, India, he moved to the U.S. for graduate school 19 years ago. He got a job as a systems integrator at Sprint Corp. and settled in the area around Kansas City. In 2008, Chelluri and his wife, Saipranathi, moved 20 miles south to Olathe and started an IT consulting firm, Chelsoft Solutions Co., which expects to generate $7 million in revenue this year. They bought a Lexus and a house with a backyard that accommodates 60 guests, large enough for their son’s birthday parties. Chelluri is unabashedly proud of the life he’s built in Olathe. “We have very good schools, a low cost of living, and short commutes,” he says. “You can save a lot more money and grow your family here.”

As more and more Indian immigrants move to the area, it’s come to feel like home. “We have cricket leagues,” Chelluri says. “The Hindu temple is extremely active. We celebrate every festival. When my family and friends from the East and West Coast visit, they say, ‘This is Kansas?’ ”