Arunachal girl's 'Don't call us Chinese, we are Indians' plea against racism is viral

A little girl from Arunachal Pradesh firmly told a man she was Indian after he asked if she was Chinese. Her response to the racist question has gone viral.

In Short

• A little girl from Arunachal Pradesh has gone viral
• She replied that people from her region are Indian
• The girl said being called Chinese makes them angry and sad

A little girl from Arunachal Pradesh had just one thing to say after being asked if she was Chinese: “Humko Indian bolo (Call us Indian).” In a video that has gone viral, she calmly explained why the racist question made her angry and sad.

The clip showed the girl responding after a man asked if she was Chinese. She did not hesitate to tell him how the racist question made her feel.

“Hum log Indian hain. Aap humko Chinese bolne se hum bohot gussa hotey hain, bohot dukhi hote hain. Humko Indian bolo. Hum India ka hai. Hum Itanagar mein rehte hai (We are from India. When you call us Chinese, we get very angry and very sad. Call us Indian. We are Indian. We live in Itanagar),” the girl said in the most adorable way.

Rather than brushing off the question, the little girl explained why the label upset her and, in her simple but stern way, she made it clear where she belongs.

Watch the video here:

The clip has been widely shared on Instagram and X, where users praised the child for speaking up with such clarity. Many people expressed affection for her earnest response, while others used her words to point out the racial stereotypes faced by people from the Northeast.

Some users also offered words of comfort to the girl, saying she should never have to explain that she is Indian in the first place.

For many from Arunachal Pradesh and other Northeastern states, questions about whether they are Chinese, Nepali or from another country are not merely innocent assumptions.

The little girl’s words, therefore, carry a message far bigger than the video itself. Sometimes, the clearest response to a stereotype is simply to say where you belong.

- Ends