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Indian American calls out erasure of Indian identity by NYT
Indu Viswanathan says the headline obscures Indian-specific targeting.
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Anushka Pathak - Thu, 19, Feb 2026
- 12:06 EST
- 67
Indu Viswanathan / Courtesy: X/@indumathi37
A debate over visibility and identity has surfaced after Indian American educator Indu Viswanathan objected to a New York Times headline that used “South Asians” in a report focused on anti-Indian sentiment.
Calling it a case of linguistic erasure, she argued that in a story about rising anti-Indian sentiment in the United States, the broader regional label blurs the specific focus on Indians.
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The New York Times just published a significant article about the uptick in anti-Indian hate in the United States, but placed it under a misleading title that suggests hate is directed at people from multiple countries.
— Indu Viswanathan (@indumathi37) February 16, 2026
It is an important piece. But in using the broader category… pic.twitter.com/uZF9G23wI2
In a Feb. 16 post, Viswanathan argued that the “South Asians” label is “continuously weaponized” against Indian identity, particularly Hindus. She said this is why many Indians and non-resident Indians reject the category.
In a follow-up post, she also acknowledged that while “racists, bigots, and xenophobes are generally indiscriminate in their discrimination,” post-9/11, the NYT article was not about broad anti-brown prejudice.
After my last post correcting the misleading title of the NYT article regarding rising bigotry towards Indians in the United States, a lot of folks went off on rants about how racists can't tell the difference between Indians and Pakistanis and Bengalis, et cetera. (Go ahead and…
— Indu Viswanathan (@indumathi37) February 18, 2026
“The New York Times article, however, was neither about a triggering event that impacted America nor was it about broad, evergreen anti-brown bigotry,” she asserted, stating that the backlash described in the article was to immigration policy debates, particularly the H-1B visa.
She described a resentful perspective she believes is emerging: “These folks are resentful. In their minds, if the (immigration) law is allowing these ‘outsiders’ to come and ‘steal’ their stability, then just change the laws.”
Viswanathan also criticized what she characterized as defensive responses from some Indian immigrants. She wrote that arguments such as “We don't understand why everyone is treating us poorly. We are law-abiding and we are successful” can appear “tone deaf” and “boastful” to Americans who feel economically marginalized.
She emphasized that Indians’ growing visibility contributes to the narrative. Indians, she wrote, are “often highly politically and civically engaged" and increasingly prominent as technology executives, national political figures, and entertainment personalities.
Concluding her argument, Viswanathan reiterated that the headline was misleading because it suggested that people across “South Asia” were equally affected. “They are not,” she wrote.
Her posts have generated significant engagement on X, with ongoing debate over whether the “South Asian” label accurately reflects Indian-specific experiences of discrimination in the United States.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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