Why do many Indians claim to be Eurasian or Anglo-Indian?

[True Believer]

During the British colonial era in India, many Indian Christians adopted Western surnames after conversion or marriage to a British man, claimed English as their mother tongue and lived Western lifestyles in terms of clothing, diet and cuisine. As such, many families look entirely Indian, but identify as Anglo-Indian or Eurasian. During Colonial rule, Indians of mixed Indian and European descent often considered themselves superior to pure Indians, but below the British Colonists. Such attitudes persist until today.

 

[True Believer]

Are Anglo-Indians stuck up? A controversial view by Clifford D'Vaz of London, England

 

[syed putra]

Because they are aryans.

The term Aryan primarily derives from ancient Sanskrit and Old Persian roots meaning "noble," "honorable," or "cultured". Historically, it served as an ethnocultural designation for Indo-Iranian peoples. Today, its meaning is split between historical/linguistic contexts and offensive modern usage. [1, 2, 3, 4]

1. Ancient and Linguistic Meaning

• Etymology: Derived from the Sanskrit word ā́rya (आर्य) and Old Persian arya. [1, 2]
  • Historical Context: In ancient India and Persia, it was a respectful, cultural term used to describe those who spoke the language, practiced the religious/social norms, and belonged to the elite class—basically meaning a "gentleman" or a "freeman". [1, 2]
  • Linguistics: It designates the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family (including languages like Hindi, Bengali, Persian, and Pashto). The name of the country Iran literally translates to "Land of the Aryans". [1, 2, 3]

2. The 19th-Century Co-optation and Racist Usage

• Historical Distortion: In the 19th century, European scholars misinterpreted the ancient linguistic term to construct a pseudoscientific theory of an "Aryan race"—a group of supposedly superior light-skinned, northern European peoples. [1, 2

3. Usage as a Modern Given Name
Despite the tainted historical baggage, "Aryan" remains a popular, traditional masculine given name in modern India and Iran. In this context, it is used purely in its original, positive sense to mean noble, educated, or strong. [1, 2, 3]