Desi IPA-hns?d?esi (lang-hi????, lang-pa???? (or ??), lang-ur??, lang-ta????, lang-ml????, lang-te????????) or Deshi IPA-all?d?e?i (lang-mr????, lang-gu????, lang-bn????) refers to the peoples, cultures, and products of India - and subsequent to "Partition (Partition of India)", the wider South Asia (i.e Indian Subcontinent).

lang-ne?????? uses des(h)i (???? / ????)or the related mades(h)i (Madhesi people) (????? / ?????) to refer to people from the Terai (Madhesh) who are racially, linguistically and culturally like people in adjacent India, as well as for people from India proper. In this way, both are differentiated from Paharis and others from the Middle Hills and higher mountains. The distinction matters because the Kingdom of Nepal was essentially run by and for Paharis. Since Nepal became a republic in 2008, full enfranchisement of its citizens in the Terai has become a heated and contentious issue (Madhesi people#Madhesi politics).