Poging GOUD - Vrij
INDIAN IDENTITIES: REMAINING VOCAL ABOUT BEING LOCAL
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
|July 01, 2025
Is it wrong for Diljit Dosanjh to project his Punjabi identity foremost? Identities are closely linked to roots. Across India, the community often comes before other connections
am an Indian first and everything else later. Feels good to say that. I am proud that I am an Indian. I am a nationalist, and love to be one. India is in my DNA.
Not everyone needs to say that, or feel that for sure. This is something very personal. Nationalism and a feel for the nation must not be thrust upon you. You must feel it, if at all. And you don't need to feel it all the time as well. You don't need to wear jingoism on your sleeve, do you?
Even as I write this, there is noise around Diljit Dosanjh. Dosanjh is a star who represents Punjabi culture to the Indian and global audiences. He does say, at every show, that he is a Punjabi. He represents the culture proudly. How is it a crime to represent your roots, then? He is the first Punjabi artist to perform at the Coachella fest in the US. The first to make an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. These and his recent appearance at the Met Gala in New York are all personal milestones that put Punjab on the world map, in his own words.
At the Met Gala, Dosanjh presented himself in an ivory-and-gold sherwani paired with a tehmat (draped bottoms) and a sweeping cape embroidered with the silhouetted map of Punjab—not of India. His turban completed the look and around his neck hung a copy of the famed Patiala necklace. What's wrong with representing Punjab? What's wrong with wearing Punjab on your cape? Is Diljit a Punjabi first and an Indian later? And is that a crime of omission or commission?
Think about yourself, then. Who do you think you really are? And who do you pretend you are? The answer is personal and is different to every individual Indian. Are you an Indian first or a Malayali? This reminds me of a film that was a hit in Kerala and among the Kerala diaspora worldwide:
Dit verhaal komt uit de July 01, 2025-editie van The New Indian Express Kozhikode.
Abonneer u op Magzter GOLD voor toegang tot duizenden zorgvuldig samengestelde premiumverhalen en meer dan 9000 tijdschriften en kranten.
Bent u al abonnee? Aanmelden
MEER VERHALEN VAN The New Indian Express Kozhikode
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Census system test for first phase from Nov 10
To check for system bugs, identify challenges, refine operations
1 mins
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
SIZING UP SWADESHI AMBITION
HE meteoric rise of Zoho's messaging app Arattai in India looks like a real-world example of aapada mein avsar (opportunity in adversity), a stage prop which usually serves to dress up debacles as challenges that fortune considerately strews in our path.
3 mins
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
SC sets up equal opportunity panel to protect trans people
IN a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday awarded compensation to a transwoman whose appointment as a teacher was terminated by two private schools in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, respectively, based on her gender identity.
1 min
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
ICAR to revive 5-yr plan to achieve 'Vision 2047' goals
FOLLOWING a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has issued 18 actionable points for immediate implementation.
1 mins
October 18, 2025

The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Rahul visits Zubeen's house in Assam, meets kin of Dalit youth lynched in UP
CONGRESS leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday visited two families in grief-music icon Zubeen Garg's family in Guwahati and the family of Dalit youth Hariom Valmiki in Rae Bareli-calling for justice.
1 mins
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
PROTECT ELEPHANTS FOR A HEALTHIER ECOSYSTEM
INDIA'S elephant population has fallen by 17.8 percent since 2017, according to the latest report from the Wildlife Institute of India.
1 mins
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Rajnath on board of LCA Tejas Mk1A inaugural flight, praises ‘self-reliance’
DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday inaugurated the third Production Line of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik. The move is aimed at increasing production to fill gaps in IAF combat squadrons left by the retirement of MiG fighters.
1 mins
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Maaya, Sahaja given wild cards for Chennai Open
INDIA'S Maaya Rajeshwaran and Sahaja Yamalapalli have been given wild cards for the upcoming WTA Chennai Open at the SDAT Nungambakkam Stadium. It's the first time that city will play host to a tour-level event in three years. The last time the Stadium played host to one, Czech teen Linda Fruhvirtova walked away with the title.
1 min
October 18, 2025
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
₹7.5 CR CASH CBI sends Punjab DIG to 14-day custody
A CBI court in Chandigarh on Friday sent Punjab DIG Ropar Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar, to 14-day judicial custody following his arrest in a highprofile corruption case. Authorities recovered ₹7.5 crore in cash, 2.5 kg of gold, 26 luxury watches, and documents linked to over 50 properties from his residence.
1 min
October 18, 2025

The New Indian Express Kozhikode
SC flags digital arrests, says assault on rule of law
VOICING serious concern over digital arrests, the Supreme Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of such incidents in which fraudsters allegedly impersonate law enforcement agencies and fabricate judicial orders to extort money from people, particularly senior citizens, and sought responses from Centre and the CBI.
1 mins
October 18, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size