An Indian student at Harvard recently took to LinkedIn to share the story of her friendship with a classmate who hails from Pakistan. She admitted to growing up with prejudices promoted by the rivalry between the two nations and overcoming those when she met her friend.
Sneha Biswas says notions Indians have about Pakistanis are fuelled by what is seen in media but such perceptions usually change when they interact with people across the border. She also shared a photograph of the duo holding national flags of India and Pakistan.
The two friends were celebrating flag day at Harvard.
She wrote that she grew up in a small town in India and her knowledge about Pakistan was limited to cricket, history books, and the media. Most of the information she received was about rivalry and hatred.
When Sneha met a girl from Islamabad on the first day at Harvard Business School, they liked each other in five seconds. By the end of the semester, they became close friends. She further said their friendship evolved over chais, biryanis, financial models, and case study preps. Sneha wrote their backgrounds and lives were similar.
"Her stories of growing up in a conservative Pakistani backdrop, but blessed with supportive parents who gave her and her younger sister the courage to break the norms and chase their dreams, resonated with me. Her stories of fearless ambitions and bold choices inspired me," wrote Sneha.
She added that they both have pride in their nations but other than that, love for people transcends geographies and boundaries.
"People, fundamentally, are similar everywhere. Boundaries, borders, and spaces are built by humans. While it all might make sense to the head, the heart often fails to understand them," said the Harvard student.
Sharing the picture taken on flag day, she said they are happy to break barriers, "not just literally between India and Pakistan, but also for the countless little girls from India and Pakistan who are scared to shoot for the stars."
The photo and caption were posted on the networking platform on Tuesday. It has already received over 39,000 likes and over 1,400 comments.