Bengaluru entrepreneur says he's often mistaken for a north Indian due to skin colour, Hindi: ‘When I speak in Kannada…’

Srijan R Shetty shares his experiences of speaking Kannada in Bengaluru, highlighting the warmth and kindness locals extend to outsiders.

At a time when online debates around Bengaluru’s treatment of outsiders continue to surface, a city-based co-founder’s personal account has struck a chord with many. Sharing his lived experiences on X, Srijan R Shetty opened up about how language plays a crucial role in shaping interpersonal warmth in the city, and how locals respond with unexpected joy when they hear outsiders making an effort to speak Kannada.

An X user shared how people in Bengaluru have mistaken him from being north Indian due to his skin tone and got surprised while speaking in Kannada, (Shutterstock)

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Shetty, who was raised in North India and speaks with a noticeable Hindi accent, said that people often assume he is a North Indian, partly due to his upbringing and skin tone. But the moment he switches to Kannada, particularly with his Mangalorean-style diction, it transforms the interaction completely.

 

“Every time I speak Kannada with someone new, I see genuine surprise and delight in their eyes,” Shetty wrote. “Conversations become lively, and they’re always curious about how I picked up the language. When I tell them I’m a Mangalorean, they gently point out that my diction is a bit off, but they do so kindly, often chalking it up to regional variations.”

He explained that while there are political undercurrents tied to language and identity, most people in Bengaluru are welcoming. “Yes, there’s a narrative that some locals feel left out of the city’s rapid growth,” he acknowledged. “But I’ve found that very few will force you to speak Kannada. On the contrary, even small efforts are met with kindness and inclusion.”

Shetty also touched on the linguistic diversity within the state, noting that Kannada itself has many regional variants that can be hard to follow for outsiders — especially in areas influenced by Konkani. Despite these nuances, he said, what matters is the attempt.

“People recognise effort,” he added. “In my experience, if you try to speak the language, you're often treated like one of their own.”

He ended the post on a light note, saying, “P.S. In my books, if you’ve stuck by RCB during their bad seasons, you’re Bangalorean enough.”

The post resonated with several users who echoed similar experiences. One user commented, “Totally relatable. I’m a Tulu-speaking Mangalorean, born in Dubai, lived in the US, and now settled in Bangalore. And yes, I’m a Shetty too.”