Vishal Ganesan and Anang Mittal: American Hinduism out of Indian Hinduism

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On this episode, Razib talks to Vishal Ganesan and Anang Mittal, two Indian-American Hindus who have been thinking about the role of their faith in the present, and past, of the American social landscape. Ganesan is a California-based attorney and writer who focuses on the history, identity, and representation of the Hindu diaspora in the United States. He is best known for his project “Hindoo History” and his writing on the “Frontier Dharma” platform, which attempts to conceptualize what an American, as opposed to Indian, “Hinduism” might look like. Anang Mittal is a DC-based political communications professional who recently worked for Senator Mitch McConnell. Mittal grew up in India before moving to the US at a young age about 25 years ago. Ganesan, in contrast, was born to an earlier generation of Indian immigrants to the US. He grew up north of Austin, TX. Though their perspectives differ, they both believe that Hinduism and Indian-American identity cannot simply be ported over with no changes into the American cultural landscape.

The conversation is centered on two essays, Ganesan’s The Meaning and Limits of “Hinduphobia” Discourse in the Diaspora and Mittal’s What Hindu Americans Must Build. While Ganesan explores and articulates what it means to be Indian-American and Hindu today in America, and what might mean in the future, Mittal’s argument is framed by a deep understanding of American history and how Hindus fit into the bigger arc of history. Razib, Ganesan and Mittal discuss the past, present, and potential future of Hindus and Indians, two separate categories, in America over the course of two hours. Their discussion was triggered by the online controversy over the fact that Vice President J. D. Vance’s wife is a Hindu, and he has encouraged her to convert to his Roman Catholic religion (in which their children are being raised). But the discussion extends far beyond matters of contemporary politics, probing what it means to be American, and what it could mean to be a Hindu.