India’s diverse population is a blessing for the country. But the flipside can be discrimination, something Himadri Das, an executive with PRADAN in Udaipur, faced firsthand during her MBA days. Here she recounts her experience.
As I started my MBA, everything was going along fine – until my caste was revealed. Suddenly, I was being judged only on the basis of being a scheduled caste (SC) member. I was subjected to comments like, “Look at her habits, shaped by her scheduled caste (SC) background… Their habits differ from ours due to caste and coming from lower Assam… The food and eating practices of lower Assam are unhygienic, so there are societal norms in the mainstream structure to maintain the expected decorum.”
This left me feeling labelled as a lower caste for the first time. Do eating and cooking habits create an identity of caste?
It was way back in 2014 that I took a big step forward in my life to pursue my MBA at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU). I had always wanted to do an MBA and find a role as a human resource manager in the corporate sector. But destiny had some other plans.
During my MBA, I realised that despite the university’s ideal of equality, discrimination still exists. It was a wake-up call to learn about the biases faced by marginalised communities in food culture, hygiene, and caste purity debates. Dealing with discrimination was tough but taught me about myself and how some view lower castes as inferior. It showed me how discrimination persists daily in institutions, workplaces and society, with outdated notions of hygiene and purity creating ongoing inequalities.
In the hot August weather, I moved into the university hostel and found comfort in meeting B*, a fellow student from Assam. With classes starting soon, I took the opportunity to connect with my hostel mates, all excited for the academic journey. As days passed, the hostel became livelier. B mentioned a senior from Assam was pursuing a PhD, which sparked my interest. As MBA classes began, I looked forward to exploring university and hostel life.
(*The names of those involved have been shortened to initials.)
Everything was good until B and another student from Assam, P, started spreading rumours about me to a PhD student from Delhi, M. They used to say that I come from a scheduled caste background in Lower Assam, that people like me lacked hygiene and discipline, and couldn’t eat properly with one’s hands. Hailing from upper Assam, they considered themselves superior and privileged. I reflected and realised the expectations I had when I met them and how those expectations led to disappointment.
This taught me to approach new environments with an open mind and embrace equality among diverse communities, especially when far from home. As time went on, tensions grew over time as P seemed to dislike me interacting with M.
I remember it was one of our department’s annual cultural festivals, MOSAIC, when M and I were walking back to the hostel late at night after the event. Suddenly, she stumbled and fainted. The other hostel friend and I got frightened, so we immediately took her to the nearest hospital and ensured she received the necessary care. After she was admitted and stabilised, we brought her back to the hostel, feeling relieved that she was okay.
The next day, P and B accused me of helping M for attention, which hurt me deeply. I confronted them about their hurtful words and decided to stop talking to them. Despite distancing myself, they continued to discuss my caste with other hostel mates.
At the hostel, we followed a norm where each group managed the mess for 15 days before it rotated. It was my group’s turn to manage the mess and on the last day of our shift, B and P started complaining about the food, which led to a heated argument. They publicly criticised me intending to hurt my dignity in front of the hostel mates. I couldn’t understand why they were fixated on my caste and I stopped interacting with them completely to protect myself. I focused more on my studies, and eventually, I received a job offer from the Professional Assistance for Developmental Action (PRADAN).
Looking ahead to the new venture in August 2016, I joined PRADAN in the Bankura district, West Bengal. This was not my ambition when I started my MBA, but I embraced the opportunity. I started exploring rural India and believe me, it was nothing less than an adventure – riding through the rural landscapes, walking through fields, sitting by rivers, watching cock fights, attending local fairs.
As I witnessed discrimination in rural communities, particularly issues of “touched” and “untouched,” I began to reflect on my past, but I was not sensitised to the issue at the time and just found the situation uncomfortable. So I chose to focus on moving forward.
Initially, when I encountered discrimination at university, I dismissed it as an unpleasant experience – a part of life that everyone faces at some point. However, my perspective shifted profoundly when I joined PRADAN. There, I participated in various learning programs that explored the histories of caste, class, and gender. We discussed gender dynamics in different aspects of life, from households to workplaces and society. There was a question asked during a session, “Have you ever felt discriminated against for your caste, class, and gender?”
This question made me reflect on my MBA experiences, and I began sharing some of the tough moments I faced. Sharing my experience in the training session, I saw the impact of discrimination and the importance of actively participating in discussions.
I have come to realise we must continue to highlight these issues and work towards a future where people are judged by their character and actions, not by outdated discriminatory social hierarchies.
As I enter eight years in my organisation, I want to express my deep gratitude to one of my mentors, Dibyendu Chaudhuri, for his invaluable guidance and support that helped me reflect on and write about the discrimination I faced during my MBA. His encouragement empowered me to reflect on those moments and put pen to paper, helping me grow and learn from those experiences.
The lead image on top shows author Himadri Das in the field as a development professional. (Photo by Asima Mandal)
Himadri Das is an executive with PRADAN in Udaipur.
