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Who is Dr. Karishma Reddy? Indian-American surgeon speaks out after facing racism over her ‘bindi’, urges to ‘be kind’
Indian-American surgeon addresses racism over bindi, highlighting rising anti-Indian sentiment in the U.S.
An Indian-American plastic surgeon has gained significant attention after addressing racist remarks regarding her bindi with a message of compassion, thereby reigniting discussions about the increasing wave of anti-Indian sentiment directed at professionals throughout the United States.
Dr. Karishma Reddy, a plastic surgeon based in the U.S., shared a humorous reel that detailed an interaction with a patient concerning her bindi. Rather than initiating a light-hearted dialogue, the video attracted a barrage of xenophobic and anti-Hindu comments, with some people directing her to "go back to India," despite the fact that she was born and raised in the US.
In another video, Reddy responded to the criticism, expressing her surprise at the intensity of the hostility.
“I have never seen so much anti-Indian rhetoric in my entire life,” she admitted in the viral video. “A lot of these comments were regarding telling me to go back to India. I was born and raised here in America.”
Rising anti-Indians hatred in US
The hatred comes against a backdrop of escalating worries regarding the increasing hostility directed at Indian-Americans. Although much of the discourse in recent years has focused on Indian professionals within the technology sector, particularly in relation to H-1B visas and immigration discussions, similar assaults are now increasingly affecting other fields.
Indian American educators, healthcare professionals, and various other workers have also fallen victim to online racist abuse, suggesting that the backlash is no longer limited to a single industry but is progressively aimed at the community as a whole, irrespective of their profession.
Indian-American surgeon called backlash ‘absolutely nuts’
Reddy called the reaction unexpected, as her video was merely a cherished recollection from her medical profession. “Earlier this week I made a reel about a patient encounter regarding my bindi. And it was a light, fun memory that I have. But wow, the comment section went absolutely nuts,” she said.
She mentioned that her experiences in the healthcare field have predominantly been positive, highlighting that Indian Americans are significantly represented in medicine and are typically treated with respect.
“In the healthcare setting, Indian people aren’t really seen as a minority. There’s so many of us in healthcare. We’ve always been treated, for the most part, with kindness and respect from my colleagues,” she remarked..
Indian-American surgeon makes appeal to ‘be kind’
Reddy also took this opportunity to clarify misconceptions regarding Hindu beliefs, particularly after some commenters ridiculed the religion's veneration of cows.
Reddy encouraged viewers to explore cultures that differ from their own and to engage with others empathetically. “You will never lose anything by treating people with kindness and respect and learning more about their backgrounds and cultures, Please be kind," she concluded.
