A queer Indian guy became a rock star in the 70's?
It's nuts. You wouldn't see that today. I guess society was more progressive back then in a certain way. There are no Indian musicians charting in The U.S or U.K today in a band or solo act.
shareHe had luck in the ancestry lottery and got quite pale. He would also never chart with his original name, so it was smart of him to take a westernized name. Without that, I doubt he would have had a career back then.
And I doubt, that it is a racial barrier today which stops Indian heritage musicians. Most of Indian expats I know either hear totally normal pop or they just listen to Indian music, which is ... very non Western. Especially musicians from India have nearly 0 chance to chart outside the Indian subcontinent because of the special style. The only one who got some success was Punjabi MC with "Mundian To Bach Ke", which I totally associate to the usage of the Knight Rider sample. As he never charted after that outside Indian Bubble, likely proof that.