WASHINGTON (Diya TV ) — Rep. Ro Khanna has challenged reality TV star Spencer Pratt over comments about India and its cultural achievements. Pratt argued that India’s large population had not produced a figure comparable to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Khanna rejected that claim and pointed to India’s long musical tradition.

The exchange unfolded on X after Pratt responded to a podcast clip featuring Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The discussion focused on human expansion into space and the potential for a much larger global population.

Bezos said he would like to see 1 trillion people living across the solar system. He argued that a population of that size would create more opportunities for exceptional talent.

“If we had a trillion humans, we would have at any given time 1,000 Mozarts and 1,000 Einsteins,” Bezos said.

Pratt disagreed with that idea. He then used India’s population as an example in his argument.

“India has 2X more people than the entire earth did in Mozart’s time and they’ve produced precisely zero Mozarts,” Pratt said. He added that culture, rather than population, creates greatness.

Khanna, who represents California’s Silicon Valley, responded directly. He said people do not need to criticize other cultures to celebrate their own.

The congressman highlighted A.R. Rahman, the Indian composer known for his work in film and world music. Rahman has won an Academy Award and Grammy Awards. He also earned the nickname “Mozart of Madras,” a reference to his influence and musical talent.

Khanna also cited Tyagaraja, the renowned Indian composer and poet from the 18th century. Tyagaraja remains one of the most important figures in Carnatic classical music. His compositions continue to influence musicians across India and beyond.

“You don’t have to run other people down to lift us up,” Khanna said. He also described Tyagaraja as a “melodic genius.”

The debate raises a broader question about how people define cultural greatness. Mozart became one of the best-known composers in Western classical music. However, other musical traditions developed their own influential artists and forms over centuries.

India has a rich musical history that includes classical, folk and contemporary traditions. Carnatic and Hindustani classical music have developed complex systems of melody and rhythm. In addition, Indian musicians have gained international recognition through film music and global collaborations.

Khanna also connected the discussion to the idea of American exceptionalism. He argued that the United States gains strength by welcoming talent and ideas from around the world.

“What makes America exceptional is an embrace of the best traditions of the world, not an ignorant rejection of them,” Khanna said.