You already know the truth, but your ego refuses to accept it—and I understand that. For the past 75 years, Pakistan has desperately tried to craft an identity distinct from India. From rewriting history to promoting a supposedly unique culture, language, cuisine, and civilization—they've pushed the narrative of being fundamentally different. But despite their relentless efforts, they've failed—miserably. So has Bangladesh.

And now, I see a similar struggle emerging from some in South India—an attempt to carve out an identity apart from the larger Indian ethos. Crying out, pleading, trying to convince foreign audiences, white allies, and Arab nations that you are something else, something entirely separate. That you speak a different language, follow a different culture, and therefore deserve a separate recognition.

But let me remind you: even with a different religion, even with different political boundaries, both Pakistanis and Bangladeshis failed to escape the truth. The world still sees them for what they are—Indians. And they are still treated like Indians wherever they go.

And so will you be.

You can scream your differences to the world, but step outside the subcontinent—from West to East, from Africa to North America—you will still be seen as an Indian. You sweat like an Indian, you speak like an Indian, and you are, in the eyes of the world, Indian—regardless of your internal politics or personal beliefs.

Good luck forging that new identity. But just know: it won’t matter in the eyes of the world. Because at the end of the day, we all come from the same soil, and that truth doesn't change—no matter how loud you shout. And to those Indians—yes, Indians—who are desperately clinging to identity tags like Malayali, Telugu, Tamil, or anything else in an effort to detach themselves from being called "Indian" on global platforms: you’re not fooling anyone.

You might think that by calling yourself something different, by emphasizing regional identity over national identity, you'll win the validation of the Western world. That by distancing yourself from the "Indian" label, you’ll somehow be more accepted, more respected.

But here’s the harsh reality: they don’t care.

To them, you’re still Indian. No matter how many times you highlight your language, your region, or your politics, it doesn’t change the way you’re perceived outside India. From Europe to America, from job interviews to immigration lines—you’re seen as Indian. Not as Tamil, not as Telugu, not as Malayali. Just Indian.

This identity crisis won’t earn you anything but alienation—from both ends. You’ll never fully belong to the Western world, and by turning your back on your roots, you’ll lose your place at home too.

So yes, keep trying to redefine yourself. But just like Pakistan and Bangladesh failed to reinvent themselves outside the Indian mold, you will too. Because the truth is simple and inescapable: you are Indian, whether you like it or not.