Vivek Ramaswamy Faces Racist Abuse After Sharing Heartfelt Wedding Anniversary Post

Republican politician Vivek Ramaswamy recently marked a personal milestone by posting a heartfelt message for his wife, Apoorva, on their 10th wedding anniversary. What was meant to be a touching celebration of love, however, quickly attracted a barrage of racist abuse on social media.

In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramaswamy recalled his first date with Apoorva, a medical student when they first met in 2011. He shared two photos — one from their first date and another from a recent outing — and described a memorable hiking trip the couple took to Flattop Mountain in the Rockies.

“We got within striking distance of the summit when a blizzard hit. I was foolishly stubborn about still making it, when she grabbed my hand, looked me in the eye, & said we had a lifetime ahead to come back and finish it,” he wrote. “14 years & two kids later, we finally made it back to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary this weekend. Grateful for the love of my life & every day of our journey together.”

Racist Backlash Follows

The emotional post was soon flooded with disturbing racist remarks, many of which targeted the couple’s Indian heritage. Some users told them to “go back to India,” mocked their names, or made cruel references to Indian stereotypes.

One user commented, “We would rather you go back to India and explore the hiking trails there please.” Another wrote, “Beautiful mountain. Too bad there are 2 brown third-worlders blocking the view though.”

A number of posts also questioned the authenticity of his story and resorted to deeply offensive language. “I don’t know man, sounds like a made up story. Indians don’t date. More like an arranged marriage tbh,” one person wrote. Another said, “Apoorva, is that an American name?”

Some of the worst comments took a violently xenophobic turn: “You're all going back, and soon,” wrote one. “This buffoon was willing to risk a girl’s life to reach a summit during a blizzard. A White man would never do that. No wonder you all get hit by trains so often. Damn,” said another.

"Why do you both look 3-4 shades lighter? You didn't bleach your skin, did you?" asked one. 

"Vivek and Apoorva. Two names that are as foreign to this land as David and Ashley would be in India. Yet we’re told that they’re as American as we are. But they’re really not and everyone knows it. This charade is fooling nobody," someone else commented. "Imagine going on a first date alone into the wilderness with an Indian man. I’d rather my daughter date a black guy," remarked another. "Spotted the smelly street shitter," was one of the most vile comment. 

A Look at Past Incidents 

Ramaswamy, one of the few Hindu politicians active in U.S. national politics — alongside Tulsi Gabbard, the current Director of National Intelligence — has previously addressed questions about his background and his religious identity. While many Indian-origin political figures in the U.S. have converted to Christianity to improve their chances of electoral success, Ramaswamy has stood by his beliefs.

At a campaign event, when asked, “What do you say to those who say to you that you cannot be our president because your religion is not what our founding fathers based our country on,” Ramaswamy replied:

“People need to understand this about me, I would rather speak the truth and lose elections than win by playing some political snakes and ladders. If I wanted to map out my political career and really solve for that I could fake convert. I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna tell you about my faith, I'm Hindu.”

During his campaign to be the Republican Presidential candidate, at an event, his wife Apoorva asked someone - 

“What do people say about why they’re not supporting Vivek Ramaswamy, and what answers can I help you provide?”

A woman responded by saying “Well, the only one I have and I couldn’t even remember who said it to me, but they mentioned his dark skin". 

“Not much we can do about that one," replied Apoorva. 

A Snapshot of a Bigger Problem

The online hate directed at Ramaswamy and his wife comes amid a broader rise in racism and xenophobia targeting people of Indian descent in the United States. The vitriol sparked by something as personal and innocent as a wedding anniversary post underscores the challenges faced by those with Indian roots — even those in the public eye. 

Despite the backlash, Ramaswamy’s post continues to receive support from many users who praised the couple’s journey and condemned the hate.