I lived in the USA for several years (since late 80s) but I have seen the knowledge about India improve dramatically over years. I was asked questions like "do you guys eat pop-corn in India?" by my CEO in my cafeteria (late 80s) to a refrigerator repairman asking me whether everyone from India worked on Software!(early 90s). I have personally seen people having quiet a bit of respect for the Indians (in the North eastern states at the least). Also with movies like "Gandhi", "making killer out of Gandhi" is a common phrase in many sitcoms. You must have recently seen "Raj" as a sitcom character and "Aliens in America" and Indians being accepted in the main stream!.
I need to acknowledge though that a small cross section of people are ignorant - I was also asked at least once whether "I ate monkey brains" after watching Steven Spielberg movie - Indian Jones and the Temp of Doom! (early 90s) I had to vehemently deny I ate any of that and I was a veggie! Also people asking about elephants and snakes roaming all over (dusty Indian roads!)
