In honour, in hope and a hello from DoorDesi
A reminder that home is never too far.
Hello DoorDesi,
We imagined launching DoorDesi with a bang. With dhol beats, inside jokes, and that unmistakable NRI nostalgia. But when news of the tragic plane crash reached us, like so many of you, we paused. We sat with the grief. We read the names. We thought of the families, some of whom may have been just like us: people living between countries, carrying India in their hearts, heading somewhere far from home.
We honour them here with a quiet moment and the hope that their journeys onward are filled with peace. Our hearts are with their loved ones.
And now, gently, we bring you the very first issue of DoorDesi. A letter from India about everything (well only the key things) going on inside India for those of us living outside India.
Thank you for joining us!
Just the gist
🔗India’s all out diplomacy with a dash of Tharoorian vocab
India recently sent out seven all-party delegations to 30+ countries including Spain, the U.S., Colombia, and Russia to spread a strong message: zero tolerance for terrorism, especially after the recent Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, that followed.
What was the need for it, you ask? We got a few too many cold shoulders from other countries, friends and foes alike. Some left us at ‘read’ while some others replied with ‘we need to talk’. So we sent out diplomatic delegations to brief foreign governments on Pakistan’s alleged role in cross-border terrorism and asking for global cooperation in cracking down on it.
This move marked a rare show of solidarity across party lines in India. While there were questions raised internally about the real intention behind forming these delegations and if it was a pre-election gimmick, the overall sentiment in country has been positive. Time will tell how successful this move was.
➡️ India’s global outreach isn’t just talk - it is shaping perceptions in key capitals and diaspora hubs. And since diaspora voices were actively engaged, our engagement is part of how India crafts and carries its story on the world stage.
🔗The census that could redefine India
For the first time in nearly a century, India is planning to include caste in its next Census. While this is something that has come up several times in the past two decades, bureaucratic hurdles, political differences, and the sheer scope of the task has kept us from moving in that direction.
The caste census is important because we have been making major policy decisions like quotas and associated benefits based on data from before Independence! Talk about a delayed train!
The government now wants real numbers, especially for the OBC (Other Backward Classes) category. The original 2021 Census got delayed by Covid, but now it's back and this time with tablets instead of clipboards, updated forms, and some big political questions.
The Census will give us a clearer picture of who we are as a country. And that could lead to big conversations about fairness, representation, and the future of reservation policies.
➡️ And for those of us living abroad this is a big moment. This is about how India sees itself - who gets counted, who gets heard, and how they get represented. It’s not just a bureaucratic exercise; it’s a reset moment with deep political and social ripple effects.
🔗Borrowing’s on discount. Saving? Not so much.
The RBI cut its repo rate earlier this month, prompting seven major Indian banks including SBI, Kotak, and Bank of Baroda to lower their home loan interest rates. That means lower EMIs for new borrowers, and the possibility of reduced repayment period for those with an existing homeloan.
Why did RBI reduce the repo rate, you ask?
India’s growth has slowed slightly, and inflation is finally under control. The rate cut is a signal to banks: lend more, boost the economy.
With banks now trying to outdo each other, rates are falling faster than my interest in a show 2 seasons in. Some are now offering sub‑8% home loans, the lowest we’ve seen in a while.
➡️ If you’ve been thinking of buying property in India, as investment or for family, this could be the moment to act. Cheaper loans mean your foreign currency might just stretch a little further. At the same time, opening an FD or an RD is not ideal right now since the interest you will earn from them might also be lowered.
🔗From the U.S. with Tax: A remittances plot twist
A 3.5% tax on remittances by non-citizens just passed the U.S. House, and while it’s lower than the earlier 5%, it’s way likelier to stick. No exemptions, no mercy, even for $100 transfers. With a 2026 start date and India getting 28% of its remittances from the U.S., this could sting.
Nearly 2 million Indians live in the U.S. and a 3.5% tax on the total remittances received from the U.S. is estimated to cost the Indian economy a whopping $1.16 billion and affect sectors such as real estate and retail.
So what now?
The bill still needs Senate approval so there is some time to plan ahead. There may also be exemptions coming out of the Senate deliberation to keep an eye out for that. Finally, this stings so let your family know if this ends up affecting your plans.
➡️ Our little “send-money-home” lifeline just got a price tag; and a political spotlight. So plan ahead, especially if you have large-value remittances coming up.
Keeping up with the internet
18 years. Countless memes. Endless heartbreak.
But on a magical night, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) did the unthinkable: they actually won the IPL. For the first time ever, ending nearly two decades of glorious underachievement and turning Twitter into a Red Sea of disbelief and celebration.
The “Ee Sala Cup Namde” chant has finally retired with honour.
➡️ No, the two of us writing this newsletter for you do not care about cricket BUT we are still obsessed with the Virat-Anushka clips that came out of that evening.
🔗Vijay Mallya’s podcast debut: Jet-Setting into internet outrage
Vijay Mallya—India’s OG “King of Good Times” turned fugitive businessman—has reappeared… not in court, but on a two-part podcast interview that set the internet ablaze.
On the show, Mallya said he is being unfairly painted as a fraud, claimed Kingfisher Airlines was this close to turning profitable, and blamed the Indian government and banks for killing his business. Oh! and he insisted he is "not a chor". :)
Cue the outrage because a man who owes over ₹9,000 crore got a casual, soft-lit sit-down while everyday folks face consequences of missing one EMI.
Then there is the interviewer Raj Shamani who let Mallya speak uninterrupted, didn’t ask tough follow-ups, and nodded along like he was reading bedtime stories, not rewriting his fraud narrative. So yeah, people were upset! But at least some entertaining memes came out of it.
➡️ This reopened deep public frustration around elite impunity, media accountability, and how easily billionaires rewrite the script.
Dil se Desi
🔗From streets to stories: The Bombay to Barcelona Café
What if a café wasn’t just about coffee, but second chances? Enter the Bombay to Barcelona Library Café.
Once a street kid in Mumbai, Amin Sheikh turned his life around—then opened a café to help others do the same. Bombay to Barcelona Café hires and supports former street children, offering food, books, dignity, and second chances. Funded by his self-published memoir, it’s a living, breathing tribute to resilience.
➡️ Stories like this cut through the noise. They remind us that impact doesn’t need millions—it needs belief. Next time you visit Bombay, drop by. Not just for coffee, but for a sip of pure hope.
Talk to us
We know you're out there sending rasam recipes from Rome, celebrating Diwali in Detroit, or hunting down haldi in Helsinki. There is hardly a corner of the world one can go to and not meet a person of Indian origin.
Introducing the Desi Directory: a growing, crowd-sourced map of Indians around the globe.
Pin your spot, represent your city, and help us paint this map rangoli-style with our scattered-but-connected DoorDesi community.
With love from two women who still tear up at airport goodbyes,
Sudeshna & Mili
Founders, DoorDesi 💃
P.S. Save us a chai if we ever end up in your city, we’ll bring the murukku.
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