ABSTRACT
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that being an Indian and a "person of color" would be a disadvantage in the world outside India. In spite of limited opportunities and stiff competition in India, I had no problem in acquitting myself creditably as a student, researcher, and teacher. However, the moment I left India, I realized that I was in a world where I was judged based on the color of my skin and how I spoke English, and not on what I have to offer. After teaching English to both native and non-native speakers of English in the United States, Nigeria, and India for nearly 30, years and writing and presenting nearly 100 lessons on how to improve written and spoken English on television in India and Malaysia, I feel immense satisfaction that I had the will and perseverance not only to overcome many obstacles, humiliating experiences, and loss of self-confidence, but also to seize every opportunity that came my way to prove and excel in my chosen field. I am sure that my experiences are not isolated ones, but I hope they will stir a debate leading to the full and complete acceptance of the significant role of professionals of color in the ever-growing field of teaching English as a second language around the world.
