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- Politics
- India Today
Snatching Diwali, giving sex-gang tag: Indians abroad reject South-Asian label
When Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign, she also unveiled a platform titled South Asians for the People. But its messaging backfired. Many from the Indian diaspora reacted angrily to the label "South Asian" altogether. The backlash wasn't just online noise, it revealed a deeper discomfort with being grouped into a broad regional category that many feel erases India's unique identity. "India is at least 2,000–3,000 years old. 'South Asia' is a neologism meant to deny it," one comment isn't just a passing the UK and the US, many Indians are increasingly being vocal about the problems that come with this catch-all label. The term "South Asian" typically refers to people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Last month, Insight UK, which describes itself as a "social movement of British Hindus and Indians", raised a similar objection on its social media platforms. It also explained why many Indians are uncomfortable being lumped together with others under the term South Asian."Broader terms like 'Asian or Asian British' do not distinguish between Indian and other backgrounds as they can group together very different communities, each with distinct histories, cultures, and experiences," Manu from Insight UK told India Today term "South Asian" is increasingly seen by many Indians as a reductive label that erases India's distinct cultural and civilisational are over 1.8 million Indians in the UK and around 4.8 million in the US."Our identity is not defined just by land, it's a civilisational and cultural space that has existed for millennia. There is no confusion about who Indians are. But there is a deliberate effort to blur that clarity, to negate and dilute the distinctiveness of Indian identity," Pushpita Prasad for the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) told India Today festivals like Diwali and Holi, which are being termed South Asian, to racial profiling that isn't benefitting Indians, there's more to why Indians are questioning and rejecting the INDIANS SOUTH ASIANS BLURS CRITICAL DISTINCTIONThe term "South Asian" may sound neutral, but in practice, it often blurs critical distinctions between communities."For example, British Indians and British Pakistanis have different migration histories, religious demographics, and contributions to the UK," Insight UK explained."Labelling them together as 'Asian' or 'South Asian' obscures key differences, whether in workforce representation, health outcomes, or social experiences—making it harder to address specific needs or tackle inequalities."This broad-brush approach has real-world begins with cultural incorporation, which is more than just assimilation."Indian festivals like Diwali and Holi are increasingly being rebranded as 'South Asian' — a move that erases their Hindu roots and appropriates them into a vague regional identity," says Prasad from the New York Times recently did a piece on mithais and called them 'South Asian', when most of those sweets are unmistakably Indian in origin and cultural context."WHY SOUTH ASIAN LABEL IS DANGEROUS FOR INDIANSThe consequences aren't just cultural—they extend to how communities are perceived during moments of crisis."When negative events are reported in broad ethnic terms, reputational damage spreads unfairly," Insight UK notes."Hindus are significantly under-represented in UK prisons — making up just 0.4% of the prison population. Most Hindus in the UK are Indian. By contrast, as of March 2024, 18.1% of the prison population in England and Wales identified as Muslim," it adds."Given that most British Muslims are of South Asian origin and a large portion of them are Pakistani, it's reasonable to infer that a significant share of this group is of Pakistani background."The distinction becomes especially critical in the context of group-based child sexual Rotherham, Pakistani men were found responsible for 64% of child sexual exploitation cases and 62% of convictions under Operation for example, the infamous grooming gang crime in the UK on which PM Keir Starmer has now ordered a national euphemistic term "Asian grooming gangs" in use, has not only diluted the specificity but also unfairly stigmatises the broader Asian community, including Indians. The perpetrators of the organised sexual abuse of underage white girls are primarily Muslim men from distinction was also highlighted by Tesla boss Elon Musk in a tweet in Hindus and Indians point out that when sweeping labels like "South Asian" are used, they risk being unfairly stigmatised for crimes they had no role in. At the same time, positive achievements by Indians and Hindus in the UK often go uncredited or are diffused under the broader has led to growing calls for a more accurate and nuanced recognition of Indian and Hindu identities, distinct from other South Asian IS THIS GENERALISATION BENEFITTING?Categorising British Hindus and Indians this way also denies recognition to their achievements and what they have brought to the UK. For example, ayurveda, yoga and meditation – essentially Indian – would otherwise be labelled "South Asian".The term, many argue, not only obscures difference but also whitewashes both achievement and accountability. For British Indians, the consequences of being mislabelled run deep, impacting how they are seen in policy discussions, media narratives, and even statistical response, Indian community groups in the UK are preparing to push back more term itself emerged during 19th-century British colonial rule, initially used by colonial administrations as a label for people from the at times, it was deployed as a derogatory term, especially to describe individuals of mixed ancestry or those considered racially 'other' by colonial authorities. Over time, 'South Asian' became a more neutral and widely accepted descriptor for people from this region and their descendants living in the in the diaspora oppose the usage of the word 'South Asian'."The Indian diaspora reject the use of the term 'South Asian,' which is frequently employed by Western academics and media. They argue that this label, intended as a convenient regional grouping, tends to obscure India's unique cultural identity rather than celebrate it," Manu from Insight UK told India Today pushback against the term "South Asian" is not about semantics, it's about identity, representation, and fairness. For many Indians in the diaspora, being called South Asian feels like erasure. As calls grow for more precise recognition, it's clear: labels should reflect, not flatten, the rich diversity of those they claim to represent.- Ends advertisement
India Today
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Ajith Kumar hospitalised in Chennai after minor leg injury
Actor Ajith Kumar has been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday after a minor leg injury. He returned from New Delhi after receiving the Padma Bhushan honour from President Droupadi Murmu. A member of the actor's team stated that the actor suffered a minor leg injury after he was mobbed at the Chennai airport on Tuesday. He returned from New Delhi with his family Kumar sir suffered a small injury in his leg when he was mobbed by a huge crowd at the Chennai airport. Hence, he had to be admitted for physiotherapy. The actor is likely to be discharged this evening. There's nothing to worry about his health," the source exclusively told India Today 'Vidaamuyarchi' actor was recently seen in the Tamil film, 'Good Bad Ugly', directed by Adhik Ravichandran. The film, which hit theatres on April 10, is still running successfully. Meanwhile, the actor is concentrating on his racing career. Recently, his team secured a second spot in Belgium 12H race event. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Ajith Kumar opened up about his Padma Bhushan honour. "Honestly, it still hasn't sunk in. I'm still a plain middle-class person at heart, and it feels so surreal to be here and experiencing all these emotions. I'm happy and overwhelmed," he told added that he was overwhelmed at first and added, "I believe moments like these inspire you - or at least reassure you - that you're on the right path and should continue doing what you've been doing all these years. I feel I'm on the right track, so I focus on my work, stick to my work ethic, and move forward."Ajith Kumar is expected to head to Europe in the coming days to take part in more racing events this year.
