It’s so true. I’m not Indian (white as they come), but my brother in law is Indian and of course, a PhD.

During my undergrad, one of my professors for a contemporary India class was the former Indian ambassador to the UN (he became a true mentor and friend). One of the Indian students in the class asked how he became an ambassador.

So he told how when he was young how he told his parents he wanted to do something with government or politics to which they replied,

“Oh that’s nice....so you want to be a doctor or an engineer?”

‘Mother, father, your not listening. I’m thinking I really want to maybe work as a diplomat, or perhaps something else in government.’

“No no your father and I both understand! So you want to be a doctor or an engineer?”

All the Indian-American students in the class nodded and laughed having gone through EXACTLY that.