Kahaani Ki Kahaani

Growing up as an Indian American, I always felt uncomfortable in my history classes. My teachers often used “we” when discussing Europe and America, but I knew that word didn’t include me. India was mentioned rarely and usually in the context of religion.

South Asia was invisibilized, and I internalized its absence in harmful ways. I believed that my ancestors were irrelevant to the world I lived in and that I should thank British folks for bringing tea and railways to India. Not only that—I began to believe that I needed to be eternally grateful to America for taking me in, because we were a burden to the world.

It took me two decades to fully understand how wrong I was.

South Asia was not irrelevant in the history of the world. In fact, South Asians have played a key role in all major eras of history, from the Roman Empire to the American Civil War. We just don’t learn it that way because when the subcontinent lost economic power, it also lost power over the narrative.

My ignorance (and corresponding identity issues) were not unique. Many other South Asian Americans believed our absence in the historical narrative was justified because South Asian history wasn’t relevant to other Americans. And this issue extends beyond the Desi community. People of color across the board are misrepresented in American historical narratives, and diaspora and immigrant communities are especially likely to experience resulting struggles with self esteem.

I started Kahaani because Indian Americans, Asian Americans, and all people of color deserve to know that we mattered.

It can be tempting to get cynical when working on stories about misrepresented histories, but we really want Kahaani to energize you. That’s why Kahaani has such a delightful sense of humor ;) Ultimately, I hope Kahaani leaves you feeling empowered by knowledge and equipped with a new lens for engaging with the world.

Want to help us live up to that big, bold promise? ↓↓↓

- Niki Aggarwal