We are spending Christmas in India this year. It’s time for Sonali to meet Sasmita’s family. But visiting India requires a visa. I’ve received multiple Indian visas in the last 10 years. The process requires many documents but is straightforward. I thought it would be simple this time as well. I could not have been… Continue reading I Renounced my Indian Citizenship to Get a Visa
Tag: family
Adoptees Grow Up, Stop Treating Us Like Perpetual Children!
I’ve become more aware of the infantilization of adult adoptees, due to my work with the Adoptee Rights Campaign to give adoptees US Citizenship. The Adoptee Citizenship Act fills a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2001, which gave all international adoptees US citizenship age 18 and younger. A common question I receive is… Continue reading Adoptees Grow Up, Stop Treating Us Like Perpetual Children!
A Few Welcome Changes to International Adoption Rules
In the fall of 2016, the US Department of State presented new rules regarding inter-country adoptions for those adopting foreign-born children into U.S. homes. As an adoptee, I always advocate for greater transparency about fees and the months-long process for international adoption. Not surprisingly, adoption agencies and other stakeholders in the adoption industry decry the… Continue reading A Few Welcome Changes to International Adoption Rules
Who is a ‘Real’ Indian?
Since Narendra Modi became India’s Prime Minister in May 2015, the definition of a ‘true’ Indian is a hot topic. However, for me, people have always questioned my India bona-fides. Let me explain. As an adoptee, raised without Indian culture on a daily basis, cultural Indians in the United States were always unsure how I fit into… Continue reading Who is a ‘Real’ Indian?
‘A.J – I Saw a Creature Today’
Recently, Sasmita and I were eating dinner. About halfway through, her eyes got big, and she excitedly told me that she saw ‘a big creature’ today, in the yard by the mailbox. Intrigued, as always, by such pronouncements, I told her to continue. She told me that it stood as tall high as my knee, with a… Continue reading ‘A.J – I Saw a Creature Today’
Stories Catching My Eye
It’s been a while since I posted what I’ve read lately, so I’ll share a longer list this time. The Tragedy of the American Military An insightful piece about the disconnect between ordinary US citizens and the military and the many consequences of such distance and misunderstanding. The Rapist Next Door This story is about Alaska’s rape… Continue reading Stories Catching My Eye
An Indian-American Speaks on the State of Police in America
In October, the famous New York whistle-blower cop Frank Serpico, gave a long interview to Politico Magazine. As a Serpico fan and certainly of the movie (Al Pacino is fantastic), I read it. Part of the interview is about police accountability and the lack of it when he was in the force and its continuance today. As… Continue reading An Indian-American Speaks on the State of Police in America