Who Will Tell Our Story?
At its first anniversary gala, CoHNA Minnesota brought generations together around a simple idea: Hindu Americans must tell their own stories and prepare their children to carry them forward.
- authored by Dr. Jaishankar Kutty
When Minnesota resident Neha Markanda was a young child, her mother gave her a piece of advice she never forgot: “Neha, it’s up to you to protect your story. No one else will do it for you.” Years later, as a grassroots Hindu leader in America and the director of CoHNA’s Minnesota chapter, Markanda opened the chapter’s first anniversary gala with those words. The event was itself the culmination of a year-long effort that, at its core, was driven by her mother’s wisdom. It was an important step towards making sure that Hindus in Minnesota, and indeed around the US, have the opportunity and the resources to tell their own stories, in their own voices instead of being defined by others.
The theme of the gala, which took place on September 18, 2026, in Golden Valley, MN, was apt: “Hindu Heritage, Shared Civic Values, & the Next Generation.” It brought together roughly 160 people from all walks of life including elected and appointed officials, law enforcement leaders, interfaith partners, and families and students from across the community.
The youngest speaker took the lesson most literally. Eleven-year-old Indira Kurane spoke passionately of “The Lamp We Won’t Let Go Out,” an honest account of growing up Hindu in America, of religious freedom, and of facing anti-Hindu prejudice without giving up pride in her religion. She joined high school students Ansh Shah and Vedanth Srinivasa for “The Next Generation Speaks,” a conversation about identity, misconceptions, and belonging, in which the three described their hope of becoming culturally conscious, competent, and confident leaders. They closed by insisting that religious freedom has to include Hindus without qualification, and that standing up to injustice is everyone’s duty.
Of course, not every story that night was told in words. Vibhashreya Srivatsan performed Bharatanatyam to a devotional composition attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Minnesota artist Sanjukta Mitra exhibited original sacred-themed oil paintings, including Anand Tandav and Ardhanareshwar, and her work supported the evening’s fundraising efforts.
Canadian Hindu influencer and CoHNA Advisory Council member Shawn Binda delivered the keynote on leadership, resilience, and what each generation owes the next. Given his own Indo-Carribean heritage and ‘double-diaspora’ experience, he offered some unique perspectives on holding on to our Hindu practices, traditions and culture. CoHNA’s chief operating officer and New Jersey chapter director Hitesh Trivedi spoke about the importance of sustained grassroots engagement.
Our religion, our people, and our way of life have survived for millennia, but we cannot take that for granted, especially not in the diaspora. If our stories are to endure, we must learn not only to tell them ourselves but also to teach our children and their children to take ownership of them.
And at CoHNA Minnesota’s inaugural gala, I saw that happen. An 11-year-old told a room full of adults what it means to be Hindu in America, and I have never been prouder to call this community home. That has been the whole point of this last year: to help ensure our children can grow up confident in who they are and proud of the heritage they carry forward.”
I am grateful to the Minnesota team, and to every donor, volunteer, family, and partner who made this first year possible. Markanda’s mother told her that no one else would protect her story if she did not. Last week in Golden Valley, MN, there was a room full of people to protect that story, and a new generation ready to carry it forward, like the light of the proverbial lamp that young Indira described.
If you are in Minnesota and want to be part of this work, join us: Become a Member – CoHNA
(The author, Dr. Jaishankar Kutty, is a volunteer with CoHNA Minnesota.)