For a child growing up in Arunachal Pradesh, being Indian is not something that needs explaining. Yet, for many people from India’s Northeast, questions about whether they are “Chinese” or from another country are not unfamiliar. A little girl from Itanagar named Karga Tinkle Gongo has now put that frustration into words in the simplest way possible.In the video posted on Karga’s Instagram page, she is seen responding to people who repeatedly call her Chinese. The video has crossed over 2 million views and has now gone viral on social media.
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
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Little Karga’s message is short but powerful: “Humko Indian bolo”- call us Indian.In the video, Karga explains that she is from India and lives in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. She also makes it clear that being called Chinese makes her and people from her community feel angry and sad. Her innocent but firm response has struck a chord online, turning what could have been another uncomfortable interaction into a larger conversation about identity, stereotypes and what it means to belong.Watch the video here:Arunachal Pradesh, one of India’s eight northeastern states, is known for its extraordinary ethnic and cultural diversity. It shares international borders with Bhutan, China and Myanmar and is home to numerous indigenous communities, languages and traditions. Itanagar, the state capital, is a part of this culturally diverse region. Yet, despite being an integral part of India, people from the Northeast have for years spoken about being mistaken for foreigners because of their facial features. For some, the experience begins in childhood and can continue into adulthood.Being asked where they are “really” from, being assumed to be Chinese or being treated as though they are outsiders can become particularly hurtful when it happens repeatedly.That is the backdrop against which the little girl’s words have resonated.
‘Hum log Indian hain’
In the viral video, the girl makes her position clear. She says that she and her community are Indian and explains that being called Chinese makes them feel “bohot dukhi”- very sad.She then makes a simple request: “Humko Indian bolo.”At another point, she identifies her home, saying that they are from India and live in Itanagar. There is no complicated argument in her response. She is simply asking people to recognise her identity for what it is. And perhaps that is exactly what has made the clip so relatable.India is an extraordinarily diverse country, and there is no single way an Indian looks. The girl’s response brings that point home without making it complicated. She is not asking people to understand every community in Arunachal Pradesh. She is asking them to understand one basic fact: She is Indian.
The internet reacts to the little girl
The video quickly began circulating on social media, with many users praising the child for speaking so confidently. Several reactions focused on how calmly she articulated something that many adults from the Northeast have experienced.The clip has therefore become more than just another viral video. It has opened up a familiar conversation about how stereotypes can make people feel like outsiders in their own country.
‘We don’t all look the same’
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the little girl’s response is also the simplest. India does not have one face. For the little girl in the viral video, however, the issue is much more personal. She knows where she belongs. She knows her home is Itanagar. And she knows that she is Indian. So when someone calls her Chinese, her answer is not complicated or confrontational. It is a child’s straightforward request for recognition:“Humko Indian bolo.”- Sometimes, a few words are enough to say what an entire conversation needs to hear.
