Ivana Perkovic, a Netherlands-born traveller, who has spent over 10 years living and exploring India, is quietly changing the narrative about Indians with her powerful reels. Those who label Indians as “rude” and “unwelcoming”, Ivana through her video show how Indians are exactly the opposite of what people perceive. Her reflections and experiences, now circulating widely, offer a rare insight into this misconception.Misunderstanding shaped by language gapsPerkovic’s argument is simple yet powerful. Clad in a beautiful Indian attire and gorgeous pair of jhumkas, she talks about what many tourists think as rudeness in India is often a result of misunderstanding shaped by language barrier and cultural differences. But at times, it’s the traveller’s own attitude. Perkovic’s strong argument comes after an experience acquired by travelling across the country. She states that the issue is more about mismatched expectations.The viral video It’s a fact that India is a country of over 1.4 billion people where people speak over a hundred languages and dialects change every 50 km! The country doesn’t operate within the same social frameworks as Western countries. Politeness, for example, is not always expressed through the same words like “please” and “thank you.” But this does not mean that the country lacks respect or kindness. It just means that politeness is often conveyed through tone, and actions more than words.Perkovic further highlights that sometimes it is the behaviour of tourists that’s rude. In her video, she explains, “See Indians are very kind, but if you come in with an arrogant know it all attitude, you’re definitely going to be met with the same energy. And then if someone complains about Indians being rude I’m like…you expected kindness when you didn’t dish it out? That’s quite a strange expectation, wouldn’t you agree?”A positive attitude It’s an observation which comes from her extensive travel and her understanding of India’s cultural uniqueness. Respect and openness tend to invite warmth, while entitlement can lead to friction. There are myriad posts on social media creating negative stereotypes, ranging from hygiene concerns to safety concerns about India. And these comments, coming from a woman traveller from a foreign land, at a time when online discourse around travel in India has become increasingly divided, means a lot. In the video, she shows how a group of women on a Mumbai local helped her, admired her and how they also alerted her when her station arrived.She starts by saying, “What’s the difference in what you think Indian people are like vs what Indian people are actually like? Buckle up for this one because I’ll try to explain it in this episode 7 of 9 things I wish I knew before travelling India for the first time.”Indian hospitality: “Atithi Devo Bhava”She stressed on the culture of hospitality in Indian society which is rooted in the ancient principle of “Atithi Devo Bhava”. Hospitality in India often goes beyond politeness and can mean going out of the way to help, host, or feed a stranger.However, Perkovic acknowledges the challenges that tourists may face sometimes such as persistent vendors, crowded public spaces, or communication gaps. But, she calls these problems an experience of a developing nation. In doing so, she encourages travellers to come to India to experience the beauty of the country in person.Her perspective resonates because it neither romanticises nor criticises the country blindly. Instead, she asks travellers to connect and communicate with empathy and awareness.
