There are moments when a country is forced to look into a mirror it usually avoids. The death of a young student from the Northeast, far away from home, was one such moment. It was not just the loss of a life. It was the quiet exposure of a prejudice that many prefer not to name.
He was a student, someone who came with the same hopes as countless others.
Education, opportunity, a future shaped by effort rather than accident of birth. What made him stand out was not his actions or beliefs, but his appearance. The way he looked became a reason for mockery, suspicion, and ultimately, violence.
For many people from the Northeast, this experience is not unfamiliar. Being asked where they are really from. Being told they do not look Indian enough. Being reduced to jokes, labels, and stereotypes. These moments often pass without protest, dismissed as ignorance or harmless behaviour. But repeated often enough, they create a culture where empathy slowly disappears.
The Northeast has always been a part of India’s story. Its cultures, languages, and histories are as old and as valid as any other. Yet, in everyday life, its people are too often treated as outsiders. When difference is constantly questioned, belonging becomes conditional. When belonging is conditional, dignity becomes fragile.
What happened to this student did not begin with violence. It began with words. With attitudes that were never challenged. With a social comfort around othering those who seem unfamiliar. Violence is rarely sudden. It grows quietly in spaces where prejudice is normalised and silence feels easier than intervention.
Culture is not limited to traditions or celebrations. It is reflected in how safe people feel in public spaces. It lives in everyday interactions. A society that prides itself on diversity must be willing to protect it not only in principle, but in practice.
This is not about one individual alone. It is about the many who have felt invisible, uncomfortable, or unsafe because they did not fit a narrow idea of identity. Remembering this young life should move us beyond momentary outrage. It should push us to examine how casually we accept discrimination and how often we fail to speak up.
Unity cannot survive on slogans. It There are moments in a nation’s life when it must pause and reflect, not out of obligation, but out of conscience. The loss of a young student from the Northeast, far away from home, was one such moment. It was not only the death of an individual; it was a reminder of how fragile unity becomes when prejudice is allowed to exist quietly in everyday life.
He was a student, like millions of others who leave their homes with hope in their hearts. Hope for education, growth, and a future shaped by effort and merit. He carried aspirations no different from any other young Indian. Yet, what made him vulnerable was something beyond his control his appearance, his identity, the region he came from. Difference, instead of being respected, became a reason for hostility.
For people from the Northeast, such experiences are not new. Casual remarks, intrusive questions, and subtle forms of exclusion are often normalised. Being asked where one is “really” from, being made to feel foreign in one’s own country, being reduced to stereotypes. These moments are often brushed aside as ignorance, but they slowly shape a culture where empathy weakens and distance grows.
India’s strength has always been its diversity. Languages, traditions, beliefs, and histories coexist within the same national space. The Northeast is an inseparable part of this fabric, contributing not only culturally but economically and socially as well. Yet, when its people are treated as outsiders, it reveals a deeper failure to understand what unity truly means.
What happened did not begin with violence. It began with attitudes that were never questioned. With silence that allowed prejudice to feel acceptable. Violence rarely appears suddenly; it grows where difference is mocked and dignity is denied. When society fails to intervene at the level of words and behaviour, the consequences can become irreversible.
Culture is not limited to festivals, clothing, or food. Culture is reflected in how safe people feel walking down the street, studying in a new city, or building a life away from home. It exists in daily interactions, in the respect we show to those who look, speak, or live differently from us. A mature society is one that protects diversity not only in principle, but in practice.
At this point in time, India stands at a crucial crossroads. Economic growth, innovation, education, and global standing depend on social harmony. A divided society cannot move forward with strength. When communities mistrust one another, progress slows. When young people feel unsafe or unwelcome, potential is lost. Unity is not just a moral value; it is a practical necessity.
This is a time when we must remind ourselves that development is collective. Prosperity cannot be built in isolation. United we stand, united we fight our challenges, and united we win. When people feel respected and included, they contribute with confidence and energy. When society stands together, the nation moves forward together.
Remembering this young life should not end with grief alone. It should inspire introspection. It should encourage conversations in homes, classrooms, and public spaces. It should remind us to challenge prejudice when we see it, rather than ignoring it for comfort.
Unity is not about sameness. It is about standing together despite differences. In this precious time, when the future of our society and economy depends on cooperation and trust, choosing unity is not optional. It is essential.
-Written by Muazzaz Ahmed Choudhury (aka Faaiz Choudhury), law student and writer on society and culture.
