Who is an 'Indian'?

On February 4^th, 2014, Satya Nadella was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft. The Indian media and Indians around the world celebrated his appointment. An Indian had made it to the top of one of the most reputed technology companies in the world. Reason enough to cheer.

Satya was born in India and grew up there till he completed his undergraduate education. He then moved to the US for higher education and then pursued a career in the US.

Satya Nadella is a naturalized American citizen. To obtain citizenship, Satya took the United States Oath of Allegiance that reads:

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

Before taking the oath, Satya pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States and sang its national anthem.

The euphoria every time an ‘Indian’ is recognised for an achievement always raise a few questions in my mind.

1. Who is Satya?

            - Is he an Indian?

            - Is he an American?

            - Is he both an Indian and an American?

2. Who is an Indian? Is she/he one who:

            - Holds an Indian passport?

            . Was born in India?

            - Has an Indian parent?

            - Looks Indian?

            - Likes Indian culture/food/movies?

            - Speaks an Indian language?

            - Feels Indian at heart?

3. Who is an American then?

4. Is it possible for one to be both an Indian and an American?

5. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, an Indian born British and US citizen, when congratulated by Indians for his Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 supposedly remarked, “We are all human beings, and our nationality is simply an accident of birth.”  

            -  I agree we are all human beings first. Is the world in a position to accept that fact?

Finally, does all this even matter? :-)