CEO Nitish Kannan Fires Back at Anti-Indian Social Media Campaign Targeting H-1B Visa Holders
As anti-Indian and anti-H-1B social media accounts intensify their hate campaigns by sharing screenshots from Indian community groups, payment app CEO Nitish Kannan has issued a powerful rebuttal. Kannan revealed that 15 of his cousins immigrated to the United States on H-1B visas, and collectively they have paid tens of millions of dollars in taxes while achieving significant financial success.
The Telugu-Shaming Incident That Sparked the Controversy
The controversy erupted when a Texan social media user targeted Telugu-speaking Indians in a post that went viral. The argument originated from a screenshot of a Facebook group where a person of Indian descent was seeking suggestions for purchasing a residential property valued between $1 million and $2 million in communities like Frisco or Prosper.
Sharing this screenshot, the Texan user wrote disparagingly: "Be a Telugu, live in a shack with 20 relatives in telugulands -- win an H-1B lottery, come to America on fake docs and suddenly be able to afford a brand new 1-2 M dollar home. That makes sense."
Kannan's Direct Response to the Xenophobic Narrative
Nitish Kannan expressed confusion about why there would be any issue with an Indian individual wanting to buy property, emphasizing that H-1B visa holders typically earn six-figure salaries in technology roles. "Because everybody on the H1B Visa makes six figures a year working in tech jobs by the way, nobody is stopping you from getting a job in technology or studying or working hard," Kannan wrote in his response.
He provided personal testimony about his family's achievements: "15 of my cousins came here on an H1B visa and they all make over six or seven figures and they all own homes and have become citizens. 100% of my family are multimillionaires and owned multiple homes and have paid tens of millions of dollars in taxes."
Challenging the Narrative of American Exclusion
Kannan directly addressed the underlying resentment in the anti-Indian posts, stating that nothing prevents Americans from pursuing similar opportunities. "Nobody is stopping Americans from earning money," he asserted while resisting what he sees as rampant targeting of Indian immigrants.
He offered specific examples of business opportunities available to all: "Why don’t you go buy a bunch of motels then why don’t you guys go manage motels and run them nobody is stopping you. Literally nobody stopping you. Go on loop net right now and buy them."
Kannan further elaborated: "Go apply for an SBA loan and buy a motel. Nobody is stopping you. What are you complaining about? There’s thousands of hotels for sale in America literally thousands."
The Broader Context of Immigration and Opportunity
Extending his argument beyond hospitality businesses, Kannan highlighted that the technology sector remains equally accessible. "Nobody is stopping anybody from starting a tech company, raising money or hiring anybody. White people are welcome to do the same thing and have been doing the same thing," he stated, emphasizing that economic success in America stems from hard work and initiative rather than ethnicity or immigration status.
This exchange occurs against a backdrop of increasing anti-immigrant sentiment on social media platforms, where H-1B visa holders—particularly those from India—face regular scrutiny and criticism. Kannan's comments serve as both a personal defense of his family's achievements and a broader challenge to narratives that question the legitimacy and contributions of skilled immigrants in the United States.
