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Indian man credits American wife for making him ‘more Indian’: ‘She helped me be more myself’

An Indian man shared how his American wife made him feel more connected to his roots.

Published on: Sep 1, 2025, 22:05:31 IST
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An Indian man has captured the internet’s attention after crediting his American wife for helping him reconnect with his roots and proudly embrace his culture. The video was shared on the couple’s joint account, ‘Half Past Chai,’ run by Suketu Patel and his wife Hallie.

An Indian man said his American wife helped him reconnect with his culture. (Instagram/halfpastchai)
An Indian man said his American wife helped him reconnect with his culture. (Instagram/halfpastchai)

(Also read: Watch: Indian husband's adorable reaction as American wife greets him in Marathi)

In the clip, Patel reflected on his journey of self-acceptance, saying, “Became more Indian, after I got in a relationship with my now-wife, who is white. I think a lot of Indian Americans, they go through this identity crisis when they’re in America. Everyone around them is white. So you try and be that, you try and be white, right? I’m not proud of it, but that’s what I did. I tried to be white all throughout my high school years. But then, I ran into this girl. Her name is Hallie. She was the first person to ask about my culture and be like, Hey, what does this mean? Why do you do this? Hey, can I come to this event with you?”

He added that her interest in his traditions changed how he saw himself. “It made me really start to think, I love who I am, I love my culture. I think I lost a lot of that because I tried to be someone I wasn’t. It’s really important that you surround yourself with good people. I’m so happy that I was able to find Hallie because she really helped me be comfortable in my own skin. But I truly think that I’m more Indian because of Hallie. She questions me, she challenges me, she loves learning about the Indian culture. She just helped me be more myself. And I hope everyone else can find somebody like that.”

Check out the video here:

The text over the video read, “My wife made me more Indian,” while the caption said, “Married my best friend for real.” The clip has been viewed nearly 58,000 times.

Internet reacts

The heartfelt video struck a chord with viewers, many of whom left supportive messages. One user commented, “So amazing! So realistic.” Another added, “This is so wholesome! I hope I make my husband this comfortable to be himself.”

A third viewer called it “so cute,” while another praised Hallie’s role, writing, “Hallie is an amazing person for encouraging you to be yourself and embracing your culture. Sometimes our own partners are the ones that make us believe in ourselves and appreciate where we come from.”

  • Mahipal Singh Chouhan
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Mahipal Singh Chouhan

    Mahipal Singh Chouhan is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital, with nearly five years of experience in digital journalism and content production. His work primarily focuses on offbeat and trending stories that reflect everyday experiences and evolving conversations on the internet. He has consistently worked on transforming viral content and human interest stories into structured news pieces that engage readers while maintaining editorial clarity. At Hindustan Times, Mahipal contributes to identifying and developing stories emerging from social media trends, online communities, and real-world incidents that capture public attention. His approach involves adding context and journalistic perspective to fast-moving digital narratives, helping present viral moments in a clear and reader-friendly format suited for digital audiences. Before joining Hindustan Times Digital, he was associated with DNA India, where he gained experience in newsroom workflows and digital storytelling practices. Mahipal holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi. He is particularly interested in tracking emerging trends and understanding how online conversations evolve into broader public discussions. His work reflects a focus on accuracy, readability, and relevance in the rapidly changing digital news environment. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Mahipal takes an interest in history and sports and regularly works on improving his general knowledge, which complements his curiosity as a media professional.Read More