In the United States, informal address is often the norm, contrasting sharply with the more formal traditions observed in India and other South Asian countries, where cultural respect dictates a different approach. However, this deviation has often led to misunderstandings, especially when young professionals adopt a general tone that does not resonate with their senior colleagues, who often prefer traditional addresses.
A recent commentary by Saket, a writer and blogger at X, sheds light on this issue, illustrating how a seemingly innocuous LinkedIn message can spark controversy.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Saket described an encounter with a recent graduate from his alma mater. The graduate's informal greeting, “Hi Saket,” was disrespectful to Saket, prompting him to reflect on the importance of maintaining respect in professional interactions.
“Call me old fashioned,” Saket wrote, but he was in touch with my college fresh out 2025 when he messaged me on LinkedIn. His first message started – Hi Saket, we are in the same college….and he lost me right there. Son, you pass 2025 and address pass 1994 with first name. I still address 1993 and earlier as 'Sir'. This American culture.”
The post quickly gained traction, garnering more than 1.2 million views and sparking a lively debate in the comments section.
Supporters of Saket's perspective emphasized the importance of respect when addressing seniors, with one user commenting, “Saket ji, this is nothing, nowadays sir culture is being eradicated from MNCs and kids in colleges are trending the same way. Now, some movies/ The culture of calling parents by name through web series is working, and in a few years it will become acceptable in the society.”
Another echoed this sentiment, saying, “After 15 years, my college seniors are still called sir, and some of them joined me at the same time.”
On the other hand, some commentators argued for a more relaxed approach to addressing seniors, suggesting that such informality was not inherently disrespectful.
One user commented, “Sir culture is rooted in the colonial era, calling your British masters Sir. Using Sir while communicating in English is as bad as not using “Ji” and using only first name in Hindi.”
Backing up that argument, a second user said, “So age = respect? Interesting you address American culture, however using “sir” is never Indian, it's British. Decades after independence people are still British. Depend on the culture introduced by!