In 1943, the Kathiawad Hindu Seva Samaj brought together diverse castes of Gujarati‐speaking Hindus to promote language and culture. In doing so, it linked itself to Kathiawad in India outside of South Africa. The Samaj expanded its objective to build much‐needed English‐medium schools open to all Indians regardless of their backgrounds. It used state patronage; and adopted an apolitical stance towards the apartheid regime. After 1970, it redirected its energies towards its primary goals, but expanded its horizons to accommodate new forms of South Africanism among Indians. It redefined ‘Indianness’ within a broader cultural framework even as individual members negotiated ambiguities relating to their identities.