The Curse Of Caste Is Alive And Doing Well In India!

It is eerie how disparate news items are related to each other in a manner that provides interesting insights if you look at them closely. First came the news about how iconic athlete PT Usha was ill treated at Bhopal where she was present as the manager of an athletics team. It was sad to see the great athlete break down before TV cameras at the humiliating treatment she received. She quickly regained her poise and asked that the matter be closed.

This incident reminded us of the callous manner in which sports is administered. It also brought our attention to the almost total lack of professionalism in all walks of life that is our bane. Moreover it called to attention the country’s lack of readiness to host The Commonwealth Games just around the corner.

But I wish to make a larger and far more critical point after I point out the following comment from a news item:

“What the IPL has succeeded in doing is create a new generation of half-baked players with faulty techniques who strut around like superstars based on their dubious performances in the IPL. This year in South Africa, Manish Pandey became the first Indian player to score a century in the IPL. He is nowhere in the ‘national’ reckoning. But in a recent interview he glibly explained how he has attained celebrity status due to that century — and proudly stated how he now wears tight shirts with buttons open, low-waist jeans, and spikes his hair.”

The contrast between the way we treat our cricketers and the manner in which we treat stars from other sports is glaring enough. But the point I make is this: We cannot but think along caste lines on any subject.

When we think about any person, institution, event, activity, profession, game, dress, style — anything at all — we think along caste lines often without consciously being aware about it. The Usha incident when contrasted with the Manish Pandey attitude demonstrates how cricket is the ‘upper caste’ sport and how athletics is identified as ‘lower caste’ in origins. It is impossible for Pandey to be treated like Usha even though Pandey has yet to establish his credentials at any high level. If the talented Usha had been fair skinned and considered ‘good looking’ along accepted lines, she would have received more respectful treatment! We classify good looking people as ’upper caste.’ In our ethos it is absolutely necessary to be endowed with white or light skin in order to be considered good looking.

Look at the way the much touted India International Film Awards (IIFA) which are held in exotic cities all over the world. If you notice closely, shorn of the glamour, you will find something outrageous — the awards are given only to Bollywood personalities. Why is that so? Here is a guess — Southern stars — to take just one region of India — are too dark skinned to be seen on stage with the ‘good looking’ Bollywood stars irrespective of the talent of ‘Madrassi’ stars.

I was shocked at the response Amitabh Bachhan gave when he was asked to name the 100 best movies made in India since Indian cinema began. He did not name a single southern film! I believe there is more than ignorance at play here. I also cannot believe that he sincerely but erroneously believes that southern films are not good enough. It is no coincidence that he is the Brand Ambassador for IIFA.

Many readers may be executives who read business magazines. I ask this provocative question: Why is it that the front covers of such industry magazines over the decades have been adorned by assorted CEO’s, CTO’s and CFO’s but not project managers, materials or production managers? There is a caste system here too!

Do we treat the Middle East NRI with the same awe and respect as the US or Canada based NRI? Think about this carefully. It is true that people everywhere tend to resort to classification but for the sheer contempt with which we treat those who rank as ‘low’ Indians take the cake.

I have more to say on this topic but I suggest you wait for my new book: CAN INDANS THINK?