An increasing number of prominent people of Indian origin are joining the movement to rebrand the Indian diaspora in the United States.
In an effort to oppose "Hindu American" as the voice of Indians in the United States, about 60 individuals and families of Indian origin denounced the effort by a group of Indian Americans to self-identify as "Hindu Americans, on Sunday, 11 September.
On Monday, 12 September, the following names joined the list of people of Indian origin who condemn the rebranding of Indian Americans as "Hindu American": Kamesh Aiyer, Anurag Pandit, Meera Siddharth, Raji Patel, Ramendra and Ruchi Chauhan, Vinit Nijhawan, Anu Chitrapu, Rama Ramakrishnan, Nirmala and Paramesh Garimella, Vaishali Gade, and Razia Mashkoor.
Raj Melville, an Indian American activist who is spearheading the opposition to "Hindu American" rebranding, said it was essential to unite the Indian diaspora in order to tackle "real issues" that affect the community, such as, Anti-Asian violence, the thousands of H1B children that are ageing out of the system and the challenges that the second generation Indian Americans face while "living the duality of Indian and American cultures."
"It is time the voices that represent mainstream, secular, Indian Americans speak up and be heard."Raj Melville, Indian American activist leading opposition "Hindu American" rebrarning.
The former president of the Indian American Forum for Political Education-New England, said he was reflecting on the challenges that are faced by Indian Americans today and heralded the spirit of Rabindranath Tagore for understanding that the "spirit of India has always proclaimed the ideal of unity" and that this sentiment needs to be applied to Indian Americans practicing different religions including Hinduism in the United States and in India.
(With inputs from India New England News)
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