Uncovering Anti-India Sentiment in the US Through Old Photos

Experiencing racism as a person of colour in the West is unfortunately as common as studying Shakespeare in school. But recently, racism has gone even further—mixing racism with mocking a disability. Several racist posts on X have resurfaced old images of Rajendra Panchal, a 40-year-old man from Pune, to mock Indians.

Panchal was diagnosed with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis after a childhood injury. This rare condition left his jaw fused shut, preventing him from eating solid food or speaking clearly. He lived on a liquid diet for 38 years, suffering severe malnutrition. In 2017, he finally underwent life-changing surgery.

Sadly, his pre-surgery photos are now being misused by several US-based social media accounts to support anti-Indian agendas. Posts labeling him as a “deformed job-stealer” have been widely shared, linking his image to hateful rhetoric about Indians on H-1B visas, often targeting Indian tech professionals.

These posts reflect growing xenophobia aligned with the views of Donald Trump’s MAGA base, which portrays Indian immigrants as threats to American jobs. Terms like “Pajeet” and other racist stereotypes are frequently used to degrade Indians.

A report by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate showed a huge rise in anti-Indian posts since Trump’s inauguration. Between July and September 2025 alone, 680 such posts gained over 281 million views, portraying Indians as invaders abusing the visa system.

Thanks to Dr. Sameer Garde, Panchal now leads a normal life. But what he never imagined is that his painful past would be used to insult an entire community that has played a key role in shaping modern America.

racism, Rajendra Panchal, TMJ ankylosis, H-1B visa, MAGA