IIT alumni are among global greats. But they are indifferent to Darshan Solanki, Ashna trauma

When will the IIT alumni network transcend its Brahmin-centric confines? When will these influential voices challenge prevailing norms so that every student can thrive without prejudice?

File photo of a protest by supporters of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and Students' Federation of India alleging caste discrimination in IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki's death by suicide in February 2023 | Photo: ANI

When food delivery platform Zomato released a blatantly casteist ad a few months ago, it sparked widespread outrage, but the IIT factor was absent from the commentary. Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal is a product of IIT, where upper-caste dominance is pervasive, much as it is in other elite institutions in India. The controversy over segregating vegetarians from non-vegetarians in the mess hall at IIT-Bombay is another distressing example, reflecting the caste-based divisions that permeate these institutions.

What’s particularly jarring is the stark contrast in behaviour of the same IITians when they step into the global corporate world. They readily attend non-vegetarian parties abroad and eat without hesitation at tables featuring beef and pork.

Yet, back in India, some of these individuals refuse to share a dining table with their fellow Indian brothers and sisters from different backgrounds. This contradiction not only exposes deep-seated caste biases but also underlines the hypocrisy and duplicity that persist within these esteemed institutions. This pattern is then replicated in the professional sphere—even abroad.

On one side, there are high achievers and intellectual heavyweights like Sunder Pichai, Nandan Nilekani, Narayan Murthy, and Raghuram Rajan. All are recipients of the prestigious IIT Distinguished Alumnus Awards—and all are Brahmins. On the other is a heart-wrenching contrast, a tale less told.

This year alone, Dalit IIT students Darshan Solanki, Ayush Ashna, and Anil Kumar died by suicide. Over the past five years, at least 33 students at IITs have taken their own lives, and in several of these cases, caste discrimination played a role.

Their stories of despair and unfulfilled potential show the chasm that caste can create in a journey through the hallowed halls of IIT.

So, does the shadow of caste loom large enough to determine one’s future? The evidence points to a sombre reality.

Brahmin students don’t just get access to the “pure-veg” tables. They also enjoy a near-guaranteed path to success, buoyed by robust networks and abundant resources.

In contrast, Dalit, minority, and female students, despite being armed with the same knowledge and ambition, are often left to grapple with invisible yet impenetrable barriers, stifling their dreams and aspirations.

The spate of suicides by Dalit students should have been a wake-up call for the entire IIT community, especially the administration, but such stories emerge and then fade, unaddressed and unacknowledged.

This pattern of indifference extends beyond the campus gates to the alumni network, where the lack of recognition for Dalit, women, and minority achievements is not just an oversight but a reflection of a larger systemic bias that has long plagued Indian society.

Distinguished but disregarded

To truly grasp the magnitude of this issue, we must look beyond the IIT campuses and into the global alumni network.

Here, the patterns of exclusion are glaring, particularly in the context of accolades like the IIT Distinguished Alumnus Awards (DAA).

This exploration might just reveal unsettling truths about the societal and institutional forces that shape the experiences and, tragically, the fates of many bright, young minds.

Out of 207 recipients of the IIT-Bombay Alumni Awards since 1998, the vast majority belong to the Brahmin or other upper caste communities, with hardly any women, minorities, or Dalits.

Perhaps this accolade should be renamed as the ‘Brahmin IITian Distinguished Award’ since it so blatantly ignores the achievements of Dalit alumni.

And there are many. For instance, Nilratan Shende leads a major tree plantation initiative while also fostering sustainable livelihoods for tribal communities. Ashok Kumar completed a fellowship at Harvard, doing pioneering research on the interaction between medical missions and local systems of social stratification and religious perceptions over body and illness. I launched a transformative initiative, AI for Social Justice, at the NASDAQ stock exchange.

Yet, none of these impactful contributions have been recognised by the IIT-Bombay DAA.

Does creating the first Dalit platform on NASDAQ not merit a Distinguished Alumnus Award? Are my efforts, alongside Ajit Ranade, Arvind Kejriwal, and Anna Hazare, in building the foundation of the anti-corruption movement not deserving of recognition?

Or is it that only Brahmins, who may build mediocre companies often running at a loss, are pre-destined for these accolades, as a form of modern untouchability?

When alumni like me highlight issues of caste discrimination, the reaction is often one of backlash on social media and accusations of being anti-national, rather than constructive dialogue.

Intriguingly, this criticism frequently stems from upper-caste groups other than Brahmins. These groups, while accepting Brahmin dominance, often cloak their viewpoints in a misguided sense of patriotism, overlooking the deeper systemic issues at play.

This dynamic, where pride and prejudice intermingle, sadly results in the marginalisation of those perceived as lower in the caste hierarchy.

In the esteemed corridors of IIT, the stories and achievements of Dalit, women, and minority students often remain in the shadows, their brilliance unrecognised by the wider alumni network.

Is there no alternative for these underrepresented groups other than creating their own platforms to showcase and celebrate their accomplishments, similar to the African-American community in the United States with awards like NAACP Image Awards, BET Honors, and Coretta Scott King Award?

The ‘merit’ canard

The biggest barrier to any conversation about privileged caste monopoly is the debate over merit. You are instantly deemed anti-merit. But this shield of merit is a politically loaded term. Many scholars have dismantled the way this word is used to block conversations about caste monopoly in prestigious institutions.

Beneath the gleaming success stories of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) lie hidden tales of struggle, resilience, and the unspoken sorrow of caste discrimination.

Ajantha Subramanian’s important book, The Caste of Merit, unveils these layers, revealing how caste dynamics interlace with the pursuit of academic excellence.

She challenges the prevalent belief that India has transcended caste issues, pointing out how the notion of meritocracy often conceals and reinforces upper-caste privilege. She argues that caste has not only facilitated diasporic mobility but has become a significant form of upper-caste social and economic capital.

Subramanian’s examination is a sobering reminder that institutions hailed as meritocracies can perpetuate social inequalities and caste-based divisions.

In his influential book The Tyranny of Merit, Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel delves into the multifaceted nature of merit and its implications in society. This analysis is particularly relevant for caste-based societies like India, where social identities and perceived inherent merit are deeply intertwined.

His concept of the “politics of humiliation” illuminates the dark side of meritocracy and how it can perpetuate exclusion and marginalisation. This theme echoes the experiences in Indian universities, including IITs, where underprivileged students, despite affirmative action promises, often confront stigma and a profound sense of inferiority.

‘Distinguished IITians’ must speak up

One wonders when exactly the IIT alumni network will transcend its Brahmin-centric confines. When will these influential voices challenge the prevailing norms, paving the way for a nurturing environment where every student, no matter their caste or background, can thrive without fear or prejudice?

The time has come for ‘distinguished IITians’ to awaken and contribute meaningfully to the narrative of change.

You, who have climbed to the pinnacle of success and influence, have within your grasp the power to mentor, assist, and nurture entrepreneurial spirits among the underrepresented.

Your expansive networks, stretching from the corridors of NASDAQ to the bustling floors of the Mumbai Stock Exchange, carry the potential to reshape India’s future. Envision an India that stands as a ‘Vishwaguru’—global leader—not merely in name but in the very essence of social equity. This vision can only be realised through a united commitment to fairness, recognition, and justice for all.

Must we wait for another heart-wrenching story like that of Aniket Ambhore, who died by suicide in 2014 after a professor allegedly made disparaging remarks about his caste, to shake us into action?

Change can start with steps like dismantling practices like “pure veg” segregation in the dining halls of the IIT campus. These seemingly small actions are powerful in their symbolism. They signal a commitment to inclusivity and a rejection of deep-seated biases.

There is also an urgent need for institutions like the IITs and IIMs to recognise and honour the extraordinary talent within their Dalit, minority, and women communities.

Such a step could be a watershed moment towards building a society devoid of caste distinctions, where each success story is equally celebrated, and every dream is given its rightful chance to soar.

The author is the president of Foundation for Human Horizon, a UN-affiliated NGO that’s leading the Anti-Caste legislation movement in the USA and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Scholar at Johns Hopkins University. Views are personal.

(Edited by Asavari Singh)