From ‘embarrassment’ to acceptance: Zoho's Sridhar Vembu says Mohan Bhagwat’s US visit is a turning point for Hindus in America

Zoho's Sridhar Vembu has said the visit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat to the US represents a significant moment for Hindus in America, linking it to the community’s changing social and cultural acceptance. In a social media post, Vembu reflected on his three decades in the US and recalled a period when terms such as “Hindu”, “Hindi” and “Indian” were often misunderstood in American society.

Vembu said that, in the early years of his stay in the country, the word “Indian” itself could create confusion because it was associated with the indigenous people of America. He noted that even after the term “Native Americans” became widely used, culturally sensitive sections of American society were reluctant to use “Indian” to describe people from India.



“During the early days, ‘Hindu’ and ‘Hindi’ were often confused and even the term ‘Indian’ would cause confusion,” Vembu wrote.

He pointed to the renaming of the Cleveland Indians baseball team as one example of how attitudes surrounding the word changed. The Major League Baseball team adopted the name Cleveland Guardians in 2021.

From embarrassment to acceptance

Vembu said the history was important for understanding the experience of American-born children of Indian origin. According to him, some children growing up in the US initially felt embarrassed by the cultural and religious associations surrounding their identity. He cited Vishal Ganesan as an example of what he described as “vestiges” of that experience.

Vembu, however, argued that this discomfort would gradually disappear as Hindu traditions and the wider Hindu community gain greater mainstream acceptance in the US.

He compared the process with the relationship between secular and Orthodox Jewish communities in America.

“The secularized American Jew is not embarassed by the orthodox Hasidic Jew in New York,” Vembu wrote, adding that he believed secularised Hindus would similarly become more comfortable with deeply religious Hindus as the latter gained wider acceptance.

Thyagaraja festival in Cleveland

Vembu also highlighted the growth of the annual Thyagaraja Aradhana festival in Cleveland, Ohio, as an example of the increasing visibility of Indian and Hindu cultural traditions in the US.

He said the festival attracts more than 10,000 people and suggested that its attendance may now exceed that of the original Thyagaraja Aradhana in Thiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district.

The festival celebrates the legacy of Saint Thyagaraja, one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music, and has become a major gathering for musicians and devotees in the Indian-American community.

For Vembu, such developments point to a broader shift. Indian-origin communities are no longer simply trying to preserve their traditions within private spaces; some of these traditions are becoming increasingly visible in American public life.

Mohan Bhagwat's Visit to New York

Bhagwat's New York appearance was part of his overseas outreach during the RSS centenary year. His tour includes engagements in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, where he is scheduled to interact with overseas Indian organisations and diaspora communities.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said members of the Indian diaspora should recognise their country of residence as their “Karma Bhumi” and give priority to their responsibilities there. Speaking in New York, he said those living and working in the US should identify themselves as Americans and remain loyal to the country they call home.

Bhagwat said Bharat would continue to be the “Janma Bhumi” of people of Indian origin, but that connection does not override their obligations towards the country where they currently live. He said members of the diaspora can contribute to India if they wish, but only after meeting their responsibilities in their adopted country.

Mohan Bhagwat on preserving Indian values

According to Bhagwat, the diaspora’s primary connection with Bharat lies in carrying forward the values they inherited from their motherland. He particularly highlighted the idea of “oneness”, saying it extends beyond humanity to include nature as well.

Bhagwat also described “unity in diversity” as an intrinsic part of Bharat’s identity. He said India has a role in showing the world that different communities and traditions can coexist while retaining a sense of underlying unity.

The RSS chief made the comments while addressing the Universal Oneness Celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York. The gathering brought together members of the Indian diaspora along with spiritual and religious figures, with discussions centred on harmony, unity and peaceful coexistence.

‘Coming of age’ of Hinduism in America

Vembu concluded his post by connecting this evolution with Bhagwat's visit to the US. “I see the visit of RSS chief as the coming of age of the Hindu in America,” he said.

His comments come amid a broader conversation over the identity, visibility and cultural confidence of Hindu Americans. The community has grown significantly over the past several decades, with temples, cultural organisations, religious events and educational institutions becoming more prominent in several parts of the country.

Vembu's argument is that this visibility represents more than demographic growth. In his view, it reflects a gradual transition from a period when some young Indian Americans felt self-conscious about their heritage to one where religious and cultural identity can be expressed more openly.

The comparison with American Jewish communities was central to his argument. Vembu suggested that, over time, a similar degree of acceptance could emerge between secular and deeply religious sections of the Hindu-American population.

For him, the RSS chief's US visit is therefore not simply another overseas engagement. He sees it as a marker of how far the Hindu-American community has travelled in gaining confidence and recognition in American society.