Why do a lot of NRIs assume that you are brown = you must speak Hindi? My experiences in Toronto/North America

I’ve been living in the Toronto region for almost a decade, and I’ve noticed a peculiar trend - Occasionally, fellow Indians try to strike up conversations with me in Hindi. Here’s the thing: I’m South Indian, I don’t speak Hindi, and I’ve never felt compelled to learn it. When I explain that I don’t understand Hindi, I’m often met with a perplexing question: “Are you not Indian?” This response irritates me to no end. These days, I’ve started replying with, “I’m Indian, not North Indian” or just straight up say “I don’t understand Urdu” to shut them up. I’ve observed this behavior not just in the Greater Toronto Area, but also during my trips to the US. It makes me wonder: Why is it so difficult for some Indian immigrants to grasp that we’re not a homogeneous group and never will be? What’s even more perplexing is that most people in North America understand the reality of cultural silos within the Indian diaspora. It’s common knowledge that:Telugus primarily socialize with fellow Telugus;Tamils tend to interact within their own community;Punjabis often live in predominantly Punjabi neighbourhoods;Gujaratis frequently form tight-knit Gujarati social circles and so on. Given this widely recognized phenomenon, it’s baffling that some Indians still fail to grasp this cultural nuance. Has anyone else experienced this? How do you handle such situations? I’m curious to hear your thoughts and experiences on this matter.