From Houston to Berkeley: How American campuses are misrepresenting Hinduism
First, it was the University of Houston (UH), where a course titled “Lived Hinduism” was marred by overt political bias[1]. The faculty member teaching the course referred to India’s Prime Minister as a “Hindu nationalist”—a term loaded with ideological weight. It was completely inappropriate in a course meant to explore religious and cultural practices. Hinduism, rooted in Sanatan Dharma, is a profound spiritual tradition. Learning to live as a practicing Hindu has nothing to do with the political beliefs of any elected official, Indian or otherwise.
Now, the University of California, Berkeley, is under fire for something even more troubling. The UC Berkeley Student Senate not only rejected a resolution to recognize Hindu Heritage Month, a gesture extended to other communities such as Latiné, Armenian, and Jewish students, but did so in a manner steeped in Hinduphobia and cultural hostility.
The Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) displayed a very disturbing behavior that caught the attention of Indian media. The Times of India reported: “Flushed down the toilet”: UC Berkeley student senate rejects Hindu Heritage Month; sparks accusations of Hinduphobia, bullying[2].
According to the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a straightforward request by a Caribbean Hindu student was met with inflammatory accusations of “Hindu nationalism.” What should have been a simple cultural recognition turned into a hostile attack on Hindu identity, which had nothing to do with Indian politics.
Open anti-Hindu hate at UC Berkeley. Each year its Student Senate approves a number of “Heritage Month” Proclamations (e.g. Latiné, Armenian, Jewish).
But when Hindu students and organizations asked for a Hindu Heritage Month proclamation, they faced hate & mockery!
A🧵 pic.twitter.com/P2yRJcMkSD— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) May 15, 2025
These episodes suggest a worrying trend. At UH, a faculty member politicized Hinduism in the classroom. At Berkeley, student leaders derailed a heritage request by conflating it with global geopolitics. Both are examples of how Hindu identity is being mischaracterized, marginalized, and targeted.
Let us be clear: India, or Bharat, is the world’s largest democracy with secular constitutional principles. Its Prime Minister has been elected three times through a free and fair process and is respected globally. If and when Bharat evolves into a Hindu nation is a question for its citizens, not one for American academics or student senators to weaponize. There is every reason to be proud of one’s Hindu identity. Frankly, no harm will be done globally if one day Bharat’s electorate decides to call it a Hindu nation, similar to many Islamic states worldwide.
Equating Hindu cultural celebration with political nationalism is not only misguided—it’s dangerous. It reveals either deep ignorance or entrenched bias. Universities should be spaces for intellectual curiosity and cross-cultural understanding, not arenas for ideological scapegoating.
Equally disturbing is how Hindu students, born in the US or from non-Indian diaspora communities, are being targeted despite no direct ties to Indian politics. That they are being bullied, harassed, and silenced simply for expressing cultural pride is both unacceptable and alarming.
Even the complex issue of caste, which is often cited on US campuses as a rationale for anti-Hindu sentiment, has been flattened into a political weapon. Hindus have faced accusations based solely on their heritage, as if caste were synonymous with Hinduism itself—another reductive and harmful form of Hinduphobia.
If this stems from ignorance, universities must educate. If it stems from bias, they must act. So far, leadership has been disappointingly silent. My letters to UH’s President have gone unanswered[3]. Berkeley’s Chancellor has been contacted; time will tell if he upholds the university’s principles of inclusion and equity[4].
Let’s be clear: politics has its place in academia, but not when it is out of context, and not when it vilifies faith. Academic freedom cannot become a shield for targeting specific communities. Diversity must include Hindus, too.
In recent years, American campuses have reckoned with rising antisemitism. It is time that the rising tide of Hinduphobia receives the same urgent attention. Universities must be places where all identities—including Hindu ones—are respected, not silenced or politicized.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
3. The author acknowledges using Chat GPT to sharpen his voice on this opinion page.
Reference:
[1] Academic freedom or academic fraud? – Apr 16, 2025, PGurus.com
[2] ‘Flushed down the toilet’: UC Berkeley student senate rejects Hindu Heritage month; sparks accusations of Hinduphobia, bullying – May 16, 2025, ToI
[3] Formal Complaint and Request for an Independent Review of “Lived Hindu Religion” Course at the University of Houston – Apr 28, 2025, Google Docs
[4] Urgent Call to Address Hinduphobia and Bullying at UC Berkeley – Google Docs
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Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
