India’s cultural diversity and the limitations of treating “Indian culture” as a single, uniform concept

On a recent trip to Meghalaya, I visited the Don Bosco Museum, a treasure trove of knowledge about the tribes of hashtag#Northeast India. This region alone is home to nearly 140 hashtag#indigenous tribes, each with its own rich history and deep connection to the land. This experience made me reflect on the hashtag#diversity of the entire country and how each state has its own unique cultural diaspora, influencing behaviors in distinct ways.Many cultural models used by interculturalists tend to hyper generalize Indian culture, yet India is a country that's impossible to define in a singular way. Pre-colonial India consisted of princely states, each with its own independent culture and influences. From what point do we begin to define Indian culture as one unified entity?As an Indian, where do I find my identity? Born in Mumbai, identifying as South Indian, and having socialized in France, my experiences are varied. When I work with European participants to create strategies for effective collaboration with Indians, I must constantly check my own biases. My aim is not just to represent what India means to me, but to highlight the complexity and beauty of the different cultures and sub-cultures within the country.As an intercultural trainer, my hope is to find/build credible models and data points that can help in capturing India's version of diversity. To find out more about my process of conducting Intercultural Agility workshops for teams and leaders reach out to me on pratha.shetty@strengthminer.com