[majika]

Nor should "Indian" be used to refer to South Asians. Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Nepalis are not Indians.

[seanmcdirmid]

Likewise, Tibetans living in India and Nepal are not Indian or Nepali (if these are ethnicities). Nepalis living in Bhutan are not Bhutanese.

South Asia is pretty colorful (at least compared to Han-dominated East Asia). I do think they have "South Asian" as an option on many query forms now.

[shiven]

True! I prefer the more geo-neutral term: desi !!!

[shanev]

Desi is bit of a strange term for some. As a person of Sri Lankan origin, I don't know any other Sri Lankans who refer to themselves as desi. I didn't hear the term myself until college. I don't know why we need a new term when "South Asian" is perfectly adequate.