When Lily moved from Imphal to Bangalore to pursue a degree in fashion design, she believed she was stepping into a more modern, open-minded world. Instead, she found herself othered, stereotyped, and constantly reminded that even within India, she was seen as a foreigner.

“I speak Hindi, I carry an Aadhaar card, I vote. But people still ask me if I’m from China,” she says.

Her face didn’t fit their idea of “Indian,” so they mocked her accent, questioned her nationality, and reduced her identity to a racial slur—“chinki.”

Discrimination in Broad Daylight

It began with the stares—long, uncomfortable, loaded with judgment. Then came the comments: “Do you eat snakes?” “You people are easy, right?” Even auto drivers and landlords refused her service, saying things like, “Northeast wale ajeeb hote hain” (People from the Northeast are strange).

Once, while shopping in a local market, she was told she should carry a passport if she wanted to live in “someone else’s country.”

She was 19.

Racism Has Many Faces

The discrimination wasn’t just verbal—it was systemic. Her college offered zero cultural inclusion, professors often ignored racist remarks made by other students, and job recruiters dismissed her with polite disinterest.

When COVID-19 struck, it got worse. She was accused of “bringing the virus from China.” Strangers would yell “Corona!” when she walked by. The fear of violence became real.

“It wasn’t just ignorance—it was hate,” she recalls.

Finding Community and Courage

Isolated but determined, Lily joined forces with other students from the Northeast. They created a digital collective called “We Belong Here”, where people shared their experiences of racial discrimination, city by city.

The platform quickly gained traction, drawing attention from national media. Lily also started speaking at diversity seminars, writing columns, and engaging in campus policy reform.

Her message was clear: “We are not guests. We are not outsiders. We are Indian.”

Her Fight Continues

Now 25, Lily works as a creative designer in Delhi and actively consults with student groups across the country to build safer, more inclusive campuses for Northeastern youth. She also mentors young women who move out of the region for work or education, helping them navigate urban hostility with confidence.

“I don’t want sympathy. I want safety. I want representation. I want us to be seen beyond our eyes and our accents,” she says.

Why Lily’s Story Must Be Heard

Racism within India is often dismissed as ignorance or casual prejudice, but its effects are long-lasting and damaging. For thousands from the Northeast, every metro city is a new battleground—for belonging, for dignity, and for basic respect.

Lily’s story is not just about racism—it’s about reclaiming identity in a country that refuses to fully accept its own.

At Ink of Impact, we believe the fight for social justice must include confronting the racism that hides behind jokes, stares, and slurs. Stories like Lily’s are not rare. That’s exactly why they must be told.