Financial analysis columnist Anita Ramaswamy has raised concerns about racism after alleging that a Spanish passport holder made an offensive remark about Indians while waiting to board a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi.
Sharing her experience on X on Tuesday, Ramaswamy identified the man as Joaquin Bonilla Garcia and said she later filed a complaint with the airline.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
What Happened At The Airport?
The incident took place as passengers gathered near the jet bridge before boarding. Ramaswamy said she had briefly moved away from the crowd to catch up with her mother, who was standing in the queue, when she overheard the derogatory remark, “Indian people are like fucking animals.”
She said she immediately challenged the man over what she described as blatant racism. However, he remained silent when she confronted him.
The situation reportedly continued after the flight, when the man realised that Ramaswamy had lodged a complaint with the airline. She alleged that he then attempted to explain the incident as a “misunderstanding”.
Ramaswamy maintained that she had heard the statement clearly and did not believe it was a case of miscommunication.
She subsequently shared the details on X, explaining that she wanted to bring attention to the incident and encourage accountability for discriminatory behaviour.
Why Ramaswamy Spoke Out?
Ramaswamy said her decision to speak publicly was driven by her belief that hateful remarks “should bear consequences”. "I believe in freedom of speech, and I believe just as strongly that words have meaning," she said.
While expressing support for freedom of speech, she stressed that words carry meaning and that people should be held accountable for what they say.
She also said she had been unable to track down the man herself and appealed to social media users for help in identifying his community and shared his photograph in the post.
She Raises Concerns Over Racism
Beyond the individual incident, Ramaswamy highlighted in her post how racism can surface in unexpected places. She said she had not anticipated hearing such language on a flight within South Asia, surrounded by South Asian passengers, from someone who had voluntarily travelled to the region.
As an Indian American, she explained that she feels the need to be especially conscious of her behaviour when visiting another country. She contrasted this with her perception that some travellers appear more willing to behave disrespectfully when they are away from their home countries.
Her account has renewed attention to the experiences of people who encounter discriminatory behaviour while travelling and the importance of taking such incidents seriously rather than brushing them aside.
ALSO READ: 'Struggle Is Real': What Happens After Losing An IT Job? Reddit User Seeks Answers From Ex-Employees
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.