,Devcon 8 is visiting Mumbai following the racist assault on the Indian developer in Argentina that created controversy on a worldwide platform. Ethereum Foundation declares Q4 2026 flagship occasion in India.
An Indian developer’s simple greeting on X became a flashpoint for global racism. What followed was unexpected. The Ethereum Foundation announced Devcon 8 would come to Mumbai.
Thirumurugan Sivalingam, known as 0xThiru on X, landed in Buenos Aires for Devconnect Argentina in November 2025.
“His excitement was palpable. “Argentina, I’m in you. Frens, let’s connect before @EFDevcon,” he posted on November 13”.
Source 0xThiru on X
When a Simple Tweet Unleashed Digital Hate
The Chennai developer’s post, which went viral with more than 18.6M views. But not for the right reasons. His timeline was filled with racist remarks. The hate was relentless. American trolls led the charge. Some Argentinians joined in.
According to 0xThiru on X, he remained defiant. “Still standing after the flood of racist comments on my previous post,” he tweeted on November 14. “Not taking those comments to heart. Thanks to my friends and brothers for checking on me.”
Source –0xThiru on X
The event revealed a dark side of the truth. According to a report by the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate, the numbers were shocking.
In July-September 2025, 680 anti-Indian racist posts with high levels of engagement received 281.2 million views on X. Nearly 65% were posted by the United States.
Argentina’s Streets Told a Different Story
While digital hatred raged online, physical reality painted another picture. Local builders approached Thiru on Buenos Aires streets. They offered support. They told him he was welcome.
Source: 0xThiru on X
“After my recent posts, local builders have been coming up to me on the street and at events, offering support,” 0xThiru shared on X on November 15. “The online support has been tremendous, too. A lot of opportunities have come from it.”
Carlos Maslaton, an Argentinian user on X, condemned the racism publicly. “We simply do not accept any kind of racism and discrimination in Argentina,” he wrote. “Those few miserables that insulted the Indian crypto visitor are rejected by 99% of our population.”
Financial Express reported that real Argentinians stepped up to defend the Indian visitor. They called out racism. They did not allow hate to spoil his experience. The difference between the online trolls and street-level humanity was scathing.
The Pin Code Prejudice That Knocks at the Door.
The event had an impact in India. Pratik Jain, the Co-Founder and Director of I-PAC, posted a powerful piece on LinkedIn regarding PIN code racism. The thoughts he made resonated with thousands of people in the nation.
Source: Pratik Jain linkedin
“The most loaded question kids are asked isn’t ‘What do you want to be?’ It’s ‘So, what does your father do?’” Jain wrote on LinkedIn. He explained how this isn’t curiosity. It’s social algebra. A calculation to place you in a societal bracket.
According to Pratik Jain on LinkedIn, the interrogation evolves as you age. “When you’re a little older, the other loaded question becomes, ‘So where do you live?’” He shared. The question isn’t small talk. It’s a background check disguised as a conversation.
Jain detailed the geography of prejudice across Indian cities. In Delhi, saying “GK” becomes a flex. “Uttam Nagar” turns into an apology. In Mumbai, “Bandra” opens doors effortlessly. “Ghatkopar” slams them shut before you finish speaking.
“PIN code racism isn’t a metaphor. It’s the unspoken rule that your address is an indicator whether you like it or not,” Jain wrote on LinkedIn. His words captured a lived reality millions recognise but rarely discuss openly.
The I-PAC Co-Founder shared his journey from Ranchi. He learned to navigate these waters gradually. Yet he often felt like an imposter in elite circles.
According to Pratik Jain on LinkedIn, one golf invitation exposed the harsh truth. He was invited to play with the city’s elite. They asked about his handicap. “The longer clubs,” he replied with complete confidence.
A man in Ralph Lauren nearly choked on his scotch. The silence that followed taught Jain something profound. His real handicap wasn’t about golf clubs at all. It was about pin codes that mark you before your first swing.
Source: Pratik Jain linkedin
“These people pick on subtleties I didn’t know existed – whether you say ‘red sauce pasta’ or ‘arrabbiata,’” Jain wrote on LinkedIn. They’ve drawn invisible borders between neighbourhoods. Between those who use forks and those who prefer chopsticks. Every gathering becomes a minefield of social signals.
Jain noted a disturbing pattern among his peers. Many people lie about their origins. They erase their true backgrounds to fit in. “By lying to fit in, they’re erasing where they come from,” he explained on LinkedIn.
They forget the streets where they learned to cycle. The local shop that gave them candies on credit. The neighbours who taught them their first English words. All erased for acceptance.
According to Pratik Jain on LinkedIn, distance from home brought clarity. “Every city is just a borrowed address,” he reflected. “Every father is a verb, not a job title – they did what they could with what they had.”
His closing words challenged readers directly. “Maybe it’s time we stopped being cartographers of shame and started being architects of acceptance,” Jain wrote on LinkedIn. Every “Where are you from?” hides a story of belonging. A story that deserves telling without apology.
Source: Pratik Jain linkedin
The post was related directly to the experience of Thiru in Argentina. Both were discriminated against on the grounds of native. They both defied systems that pass judgments without knowing. They both led to discussions on acceptance and identity
Mumbai Gets the Global Stage
On November 22, the Ethereum Foundation dropped major news. “@EFDevcon announced on X: “Devcon 8. Mumbai, India. Q4 2026.”
Source:@EFDevcon
The announcement came days after the racism controversy. It felt like a powerful response. India’s crypto ecosystem would host Ethereum’s flagship event.
According to @EFDevcon on X, the decision reflected India’s crypto leadership. “India leads in crypto adoption. And onboarded the most new crypto developers in 2024,” the foundation stated. “It has one of the fastest-growing developer populations in the world.”
Source: @EFDevcon on X
The Ethereum Foundation highlighted India’s strong ecosystem. Projects like ETH Mumbai, Devfolio, and Polygon have driven community growth. The growth potential is infinite, they noted.
Source : @EFDevcon on X
A Timeline of Transformation
On November 13: Thiru posts about arriving in Argentina. November 14: Racist comments flood his timeline, reaching 800,000+ views. November 15 – Argentinian locals offer street-level support. Opportunities emerge from the controversy.
November 17-22: Devconnect Argentina runs successfully despite the online hate. And November 21: Patri’s pin code racism post goes viral on LinkedIn. November 22: Ethereum Foundation announces Devcon 8 in Mumbai.
The sequence tells a story. Hate sparked a conversation. Conversation sparked reflection. Reflection sparked action.
You might also like: How Did Ahmedabad Become India’s Unexpected Web3 Powerhouse?
What This Means for India’s Crypto Future
Moreover, Devcon represents more than a conference. It’s Ethereum’s family reunion. It brings builders, developers, and dreamers together. Mumbai will host thousands of global attendees in 2026.
India’s selection wasn’t charity or sympathy. The numbers speak clearly. India onboarded the most new crypto developers in 2024. The ecosystem is thriving organically.
The Ethereum Foundation referenced a Geode blog breakdown of India’s ecosystem. The analysis shows depth and breadth. Homegrown projects are making a global impact.
For Thiru, the journey came full circle. Racism couldn’t stop progress. Local support in Buenos Aires proved humanity transcends geography. And now his home country gets the spotlight.