A video featuring a Zimbabwean man living in India has gone viral after he shared his personal experience of racism, claiming that he was never asked to “go back to his country” while in India, but heard the remark more often in the West. The comparison of his experiences in India and Western countries has sparked a wider conversation online about racism, stereotypes and the different experiences faced by people of colour across the world.
The video was shared on Instagram by a Zimbabwean man identified as Kalumba Mwale. A text overlay on the clip reads, “I’m Zimbabwean, living in India. No one asked me to ‘go back to my country.’ Funny, I heard that more in the West.”
In the accompanying caption, Mwale shared more about his experience of living in India as a ”Black African.”
“Hi, I’ve been living in India as a Black African, and honestly, I’ve never personally experienced racism here,” he wrote. However, he clarified that his experience should not be taken to mean that racism does not exist in India.
“That doesn’t mean racism doesn’t exist in India. It just means my own experience has been very different from what I expected before coming here,” he added.
Mwale further encouraged people to experience places for themselves rather than relying solely on perceptions created online.
“Sometimes you have to experience a place for yourself instead of letting the internet tell you what to expect,” he wrote.
The video has since gained significant traction on social media, with users sharing a range of reactions. Several people welcomed Mwale’s experience and highlighted India’s traditional belief in treating guests with warmth and hospitality.
Social Media Reaction
One user wrote, “India is always welcoming. Guests are God.”
Another commented, “Why would anyone ask you that? We all treat our guests like our family members.”
A third user said, “Nobody would ever do that, no matter what part of India you live in.” Several others echoed the sentiment by commenting “Atithi Devo Bhava”, referring to the Sanskrit phrase meaning “the guest is like God.”
However, not everyone agreed that Mwale’s experience represented the reality for all people in India. Some users pointed towards the discrimination faced by people from Northeast India, particularly those living or working in other parts of the country.
One user highlighted the experiences of people from the Northeast, writing, “But Indians are telling northeast people to go to China. Please do visit our Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram.”
Another user, identifying as being from Nagaland, shared a personal experience of facing ignorance about the region’s status within India. “I’m from Nagaland, which is an Indian state btw. I’ve been asked a few times if I need a passport and visa to work in Delhi,” the user wrote.
The contrasting reactions have turned Mwale’s video into a broader discussion about how individual experiences can differ significantly and how perceptions of racism, both in India and abroad, are shaped by personal encounters.