Should Indian Americans lobby the U.S. government on behalf of India?

This episode tackles one of the most contentious debates in the diaspora, sparked by MP Shashi Tharoor's call for Indian Americans to advocate more forcefully for India, and the swift pushback that followed.

Host Sital Kalantry sits down with Kapil Sharma, a veteran of U.S.-India relations and government affairs, to unpack the issue.

They explore:

✅ The history of Indian American advocacy on the U.S.-India nuclear deal

✅ Why the diaspora is too diverse, religiously, politically, and generationally, for a single unified lobby

✅ How immigration status shapes willingness to engage in foreign policy advocacy

✅ What a truly inclusive, government-neutral Indian American political voice could look like

✅ Why domestic policy alignment must come first

This is a conversation about identity, loyalty, political power, and what it means to be part of one of America's most dynamic and divided diasporas.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:

1. Do you agree with Shashi Tharoor's call for Indian Americans to lobby for India?
2. What domestic issues do you think could unite the Indian American community across party and religious lines?
3. Have you ever felt torn between your American identity and advocating for India?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below ⬇️

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📻 About The Hyphen: Brought to you by the Roundglass India Center at Seattle University, The Hyphen explores U.S.-India relations, current events, and the transnational issues shaping Indian American civic life.

Produced by: Ashini Jagtiani-Williams & Shannon Young, Roundglass India Center

Production Partner: Social Sherpa