Hi, I’m Suraj.

I’ve called myself many things over the years: Indian-American, an American of Indian descent, a third culture kid. But what these labels all point to is one simple truth: I’ve always lived at the intersection of multiple cultures and that intersection has become my home.

Growing up in America, I was surrounded by families who didn’t look like me, but who felt like family all the same. We carved pumpkins together, lit fireworks on the Fourth of July, shared potlucks on warm summer nights. American things like neighborhood barbecues, road trips, and Hollywood cinema became part of my daily life. I loved it. It was all I knew.

At the same time, being of Indian descent gave me another rhythm to live by. I grew up with Diwali lights and Bollywood soundtracks, the smell of home-cooked curries and the sound of Telugu phrases echoing through my home. I was shaped by Hinduism’s stories, rituals, and philosophies—even the parts I didn’t fully understand—because they tied me to generations before me.

Living at this intersection has shown me the beauty in bridging worlds. It’s helped me realize that different doesn’t mean distant. That when we sit with each other’s stories, laugh at each other’s jokes, or grieve side by side, we uncover a shared humanity that runs deeper than our differences. If I could navigate this in my own identity, I began to wonder: what if we could do this on a larger scale?

That wondering led me to spend the last decade building bridges between communities. I’ve sat in circles with people of every belief and background—Christian, Jewish, Baha’i, Muslim, Sikh, atheist, and more—and we’ve shared our lives with one another. We’ve reflected and danced, gathered and grieved, supported and collaborated. And through it all, I’ve seen a glimpse of the kind of society I want to live in: one where difference doesn’t divide but deepens understanding.

As a public health professional, I’ve come to see that this kind of social cohesion isn’t just idealistic—it’s essential. A healthy society is one where people feel seen, connected, and committed to one another’s well-being. And to build that kind of world, we need to get honest about the values we uplift, the questions we ask, and the ways we show up for each other.

My worldview has continued to expand. While Hinduism shaped much of my cultural upbringing and taught me about the universality of humankind, I also identify closely with a humanist or agnostic perspective. I find meaning in what’s tangible, in what we create together in this lifetime.

That urgency of wanting to make this life matter led me to start exploring life’s bigger questions. Questions on love, grief, joy, fear, friendship, purpose. No matter where we come from, we’re all asking the same things. Our answers may differ, but the questions unite us. And they teach us about what values we should stand firmly in, which feels particularly important for me to exemplify as a man.

So here I am: a man shaped by two cultures, rooted in shared humanity, and driven by a desire to help build a healthier, more connected world. This platform is my attempt to do just that—one question, one story, one bridge at a time. Welcome to The Multicultural Man!