By Keerthi Ramesh
The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) has launched a new task force to document hate campaigns and civil rights violations targeting Indian Americans, marking a coordinated civic response to a recent rise in bias incidents across the United States.
The task force will collect reports of discrimination, support affected individuals and help shape a measured public response grounded in constitutional values, according to a news release from the Stamford, Connecticut-based community organization.
Chaired by Rajender Dichpally, the task force includes Nagaraj Subbarao Sarma, Pankaj Sharma, Miraj Joshi and Jayashri Chintalapudi. Community members have been asked to report incidents through a dedicated email address and hotline.
The action plan emerged from a recent GOPIO-led meeting of Indian American community leaders, where participants discussed concerns over increasing anti-Indian and anti-Hindu sentiment, particularly online. Leaders emphasized that the response should focus on civic engagement, coalition-building and institutional dialogue rather than confrontation.
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GOPIO USA chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham outlined challenges facing the community and stressed the need for strategic, responsible action. Prakash Shah, president of GOPIO International, said recent hostility appears to stem from a small fringe group and does not reflect mainstream American attitudes.
Participants underscored that Indian Americans have a long record of peaceful integration and public service, contributing significantly to the nation’s economy and civic life.
Indian Americans hold leadership positions across major industries including technology, medicine, finance, hospitality and education, and account for a substantial share of startups in Silicon Valley. Collectively, the community contributes hundreds of billions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy, leaders noted.
Community representatives said recent bias is driven less by crime or social conflict and more by economic anxiety, politicized debates around skilled immigration, racial profiling and the spread of stereotypes through digital platforms. These dynamics, they said, require sustained engagement with policymakers, media organizations and civil society groups.
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Beyond incident monitoring, GOPIO’s strategy includes strengthening voter participation, expanding civic education, encouraging youth leadership and deepening bipartisan outreach.
The community group also called on Indian Americans to increase involvement in local communities, interfaith initiatives and charitable efforts to reinforce social trust.
Another key focus is coalition-building with other minority and faith-based groups to promote shared values of pluralism, inclusion and social harmony. Collaboration, it said, is essential to counter digital hate while protecting free expression and democratic norms.
GOPIO reaffirmed its role as a unifying platform for Indian American organizations, emphasizing coordination over duplication. “The Indian diaspora’s story is one of contribution, integration and shared prosperity,” the group said suggesting the community’s response to current challenges must reflect those same principles.