Coding Caste: Tech Elites, Dalit Exclusion, and the Myth of Meritocracy in the Indian Diaspora
- Human Rights Research Center
- Jun 12
- 13 min read
Author: Sarisha Harikrishna
June 12, 2025
Introduction
In his monumental book ‘Annihilation of Caste’, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar unpacked the intricacies of the archaic Indian caste system, declaring that, “You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole” (Ambedkar, 2014, p. 283-284). A caste system is a division of society based on differences in wealth, inherited rank or privilege, profession, occupation or race. The four-fold caste system is dominated by the Brahmins (priests), followed by the Kshatryia (warriors), then followed by the Viasya (merchants and landowners), the Sudra (commoners, peasants and servants) with the Dalits (street sweepers and latrine cleaners) at the very bottom of the hierarchy. Believed to have originated with the arrival of the Aryans in India around 1500 BC, it is among the world’s oldest surviving forms of structural discrimination.
The recognition of this form of social hierarchy goes back to the Manusmriti, widely regarded to be the book with the highest authority on Hindu law which “acknowledges and justifies the caste system as the basis of order and regularity of society” (Manusmriti, Chapter 1 Verse 91). Unlike the Vedas (a collection of ancient Sanskrit texts believed to be the foundation of Hinduism), Hindu Law Books which include the Manusmriti were codified by scholars through their own observation and analysis. Therefore, their thoughts, influenced heavily by the views at the time and enshrined in the Manusmriti are not exempt from bias; criticism from the modern standpoint is justified. It is rather peculiar that India has made significant moves in improving the rights of marginalized communities, yet has made little effort to eradicate the caste system - arguably the biggest perpetrator of inequity in the country of 1.438 billion people.
The caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but its structure is maintained in marriage, occupation, social interactions, and access to vital resources. Attitudes toward the caste system are shaped by educational level, regional background, and social context. While an increasing number of mainly younger Indians are critical of the caste system, many individuals still internalize caste-based values passed down by older generations. These individuals internalize these beliefs as they immigrate to countries such as the U.S. On the surface, it seems geographically illogical that the caste system would have a profound impact beyond India, however, it is clear that it has significantly impacted the business scene among Indian communities in the Silicon Valley.
British Colonial Rule and Its Impact on the Caste System
A common myth typically surrounding the caste system is that it was established by the British during colonial rule, when in fact it had existed even before colonialism. Its existence, however, served as an opportunity for the British to implement a “divide and conquer” strategy on a national scale. Through legal and administrative mechanisms, colonial officials reshaped, rigidified, and institutionalized caste hierarchies. This transformation facilitated administrative control and helped justify British rule. As a result, the caste system was converted into a fixed and codified structure, further entrenching existing social divisions across India.
Scholars agree that efforts by the British such as digging separate wells, setting up separate schools, and establishing reservation policies for the lower castes accommodated a system of institutionalised oppression. It is clear that the British supported the caste system. Colonial officials often justified their hesitancy to dismantle the system by claiming that it was intrinsic to Hinduism — an assertion later proven untrue. The Indian caste system cannot be solely based on portrayals by British colonials due to their lack of understanding of Indian social identities.
The “divide and conquer” strategy has been well-documented throughout history as a popular method used by the British to reinforce social divisions, Malaysia being an example of this (then known as Malaya). The majority group (the Malays) were forced to work in the paddy fields, the second largest ethnic group (the Chinese) were forced to work in the tin mines, and the minority group (Indians) tapped rubber in the rubber plantations. At this stage, defining caste as a solely Hindu construct hinders progress for other South Asian groups as well as Dalit Hindus who have converted to other religions in the bid to avoid discrimination, but still continue to be subjected to it.
Silicon Valley and the Modern Diaspora
The presence of caste in Silicon Valley is not incidental, as it travelled through migration patterns, educational pipelines, and class structures moulded by colonial legacy and post-independence Indian state policies. To gain a full understanding of casteism in the tech world, we must first trace the socio-historical roots allowing Indians from the dominant caste to become disproportionately represented in Silicon Valley.
The turning point in the United States was the 1965 US Immigration and Nationality Act which abolished racist quota systems and shifted the focus to skilled immigration, especially in the realm of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Although the Act intended to eradicate systemic inequality within the U.S., it was a double-edge sword: it facilitated the migration of privileged Indians from the upper castes such as the Bhramin and Kshatryia. In contrast, individuals from lower castes such as the Dalits less often immigrate to the U.S. and other countries due to systemic economic disadvantage and the lack of access to education or institutional support.
The birth of the 1965 Act attracted talent from elite Indian institutions, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and other institutions which have typically catered to Indians from the upper castes due to generations of systemic caste exclusion, access to English-medium schooling, and control over economic capital. As a result, a narrow segment of Indian society, predominantly from upper castes formed the first wave of migration into the United States tech sector. As the dominant castes settled in the United States, they established professional networks and religious associations that preserved the caste system in subtle ways. Hiring and referral practices in the tech sector began to reflect this exclusivity, with caste functioning as an invisible filter, akin to a litmus test used to assess a candidate’s potential for a job over their qualifications. Silicon Valley, typically viewed as a progressive and liberal area, has become a conflicting space where the language of inclusion coexists with deeply embedded social exclusion. This contradiction exposes a fundamental truth that progressive geography does not guarantee progressive structures.
Although some Indians from the Dalit caste have secured jobs in the United States in the hopes of living without discrimination, many keep their identity a secret in fear of being subjected to microaggressions, sexual harassment, and unwarranted investigations by employers of colleagues of Indian descent to ascertain whether they were from a lower caste. Dalits are often hesitant to pursue lawsuits against their employers for fostering a hostile work environment in which they are socially excluded or treated differently by upper-caste colleagues. This reluctance is especially pronounced when their immigration status depends on their job; the fear of dismissal, coupled with limited legal remedies discourages them from speaking out.
However, after decades of being marginalized and silenced, Dalit communities in the Silicon Valley and beyond have begun fighting back, inspired by movements such as Black Lives Matter and the #SayHerName movement. This movement against caste-based oppression was further fueled by outrage after a series of atrocities perpetrated against Dalit communities in India such as the 2020 gang rape of a teenager from the Dalit caste by four upper-caste men. After the brutal attack left her paralysed, she unfortunately passed away after being found in a pool of blood and brought to the hospital.
As the world grappled with an uncertain future during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Dalit caste gained attention and press as everyone felt the pain of a wound that never has fully healed similar to those from the Dalit caste. In the United States, the landmark 2020 Cisco case shattered the myth that caste discrimination ends at India’s borders and forced the world as a whole to avoid turning a blind eye to the silent cruelty being perpetrated under the guise of meritocracy.
The Cisco Case and Dalit Resistance in Tech: A Falsehood of POC Solidarity
After understanding the roots of upper caste domination in Silicon Valley, the illusion of meritocracy begins to fracture. Casteism in the diaspora is not a clean break from history but a ritual of re-infliction, a sadistic practice where the knife is driven into the flesh of dignity, withdrawn just long enough to say the bleeding has stopped, then cruelly driven back in under the anaesthetic of merit. The wound simply never closes; it adapts, conceals and aches quietly in boardrooms as candidates from a Dalit background are left wondering if they would have the same opportunities to excel in the tech sector, or have their dreams vanish into oblivion.
In January 2020, a discrimination lawsuit was filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing on behalf of a Dalit engineer alleging two of his supervisors of Indian origin from the upper-caste committed workplace discrimination against him on the basis of his caste at tech giant Cisco Systems Inc.. The engineer complained that his future at the company was hanging by a thread after both supervisors, graduates of IIT, jeopardized his promotions and career prospects. The state argued that Cisco’s treatment of the Dalit employee violated California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They argued that the laws against discrimination enshrined under the act also covered caste discrimination.
The California agency then voluntarily dismissed the case with the intention to refile the case in Santa Clara County state court. In an expected yet disappointing move, Cisco protected the two supervisors accused of caste-based discrimination by filing a demurrer and a motion to strike claiming that the lawsuit lacks a clear legal basis. The hearing for the demurrer and motion to strike, set for March 9th, 2021 was stayed by the court; the court had temporarily paused the hearing and legal proceedings. Stays typically allow for further review, negotiation, procedural issues, or pending decisions on related matters.
From a legal standpoint, questions have arisen as to whether caste is truly “implied” in the Civil Rights Act when there are no federal or state laws in the United States that include caste as a protected category. This legal ambiguity has led to calls for explicit legal protections under American law. California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom blocked a bill in 2023 that banned caste discrimination after non-governmental organizations such as Dalit civil rights society Equality Labs engaged in a hunger strike pushing for the bill to be passed.
Newsome argued that the bill was “unnecessary”, explaining that California “already prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, colour, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other characteristics”, thus the new bill would be repetitive in nature. However, that same year, Seattle became the first state in the United States to ban caste discrimination, bringing relief and happiness to activists who have worked tirelessly to ensure a better life for future generations.
Suggested Reforms
The Cisco case was more than a legal battle, it was a wake-up call and a testament to the sheer courage that the engineer from the Dalit caste embodied when he fought against his employers in the name of justice. Caste should be explicitly recognised as a protected category under US civil rights law, but legal recognition on its own is not enough. Tech companies should embed caste into their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, not as an afterthought, but as a core axis of identity and oppression.
Human resource protocols aimed at increasing literacy on caste discrimination should include mandatory training by Dalit scholars and activists along with the implementation of anonymous reporting mechanisms for employees who are fearful of retaliation. These reforms pave the path to a brighter future for the 5.2 million Indian residents in the United States as discrimination against a marginalized community is collective punishment.
Conclusion
In 2012, the heinous murder and gang rape of a young Dalit woman in India shook the conscience of a nation.The media called her Nirbhaya, which in Hindi and Sanskrit means ‘fearless’. Her unrelenting courage, even in unimaginable pain, became a symbol of defiance against a system built on the foundations of silence and structural violence. Nirbhaya was more than symbolic, it captured a collective yearning for resistance, for dignity and justice, the same spirit that lives on in those who challenge the caste system in spaces where its existence is not even acknowledged.
The Dalit engineer in the Cisco case carried that flame of Nirbhaya into a world that calls itself progressive, yet permits ancient hierarchies to operate in new skins. What Nirbhaya embodied was not the absence of fear, but the presence of resolve, the unshakable will to speak, even when being demanded silence and submission. The question no longer centers on whether caste exists in the diaspora — its existence is indisputable - reflected in discriminatory hiring practices, the reliance on caste-based professional networks, and the exclusion of marginalized groups from leadership positions. The real question is whether the United States and the international community as a whole will continue pretending not to see it. To speak on caste is to press a trembling, empathetic hand to the wound, not to heal it all at once, but to declare that this wound would no longer be buried.
Glossary
Alleging: To say that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof
Annihilation: Complete destruction, so that nothing or no one is left
Archaic: of or belonging to an ancient period or history
Aryans: Belonging or relating to a group of people who invaded northern India about 4,000 years ago and spoke an Indo-European language
Anaesthetic: A drug typically used during medical procedures that makes an individual unable to feel pain
Ascertain: To discover a fact; to make certain
Black Lives Matter: An international social movement founded in the United States in 2013, dedicated to fighting racism and anti-Black violence, especially in the form of police brutality
Class structures: The composition, organization, and interrelationship of social classes within a society. The term encompasses the makeup of individual classes as well as their economic, political, and other roles within the larger social order
Codified: To arrange something, such as laws or rules, into a system
Collective punishment: A form of sanction imposed on persons or a group of persons due to reasons such as in this context being racial discrimination
Colonial legacy: Characterizes the lasting influences and outcomes of colonialism and European expansion which expose the interplay between colonial interventions and domestic decision-making in contemporary policy-making throughout contemporary economic, political, and social structures
Demurrer: A response in a court proceeding in which the defendant does not dispute the truth of the allegation but claims it is not sufficient grounds to justify legal action
Diaspora: A group of people who spread from one original country to other countries, or the act of spreading in this way
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI): A set of values and related policies and practices focused on establishing a group culture of equitable and inclusive treatment and on attracting and retaining a diverse group of participants, including people who have historically been excluded or discriminated against
Educational pipelines: A student’s progress from grade-level to higher education
Enshrined: To contain or keep something as if in a holy place
Eradicate: To get rid of something completely or destroy something bad
Gang rape: An occasion when a group of people use violence or threatening behaviour to force someone to have sex with all of them
Heinous: Very bad and shocking
Hierarchy: A system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance
Hinduism: A major world religion originating on the Indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual
Institutionalised oppression: The systematic mistreatment of people within a social identity group, supported and enforced by the society and its institutions, solely based on the person’s membership in the social identity group
Intrinsic: being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing
Latrine: A simple toilet such as a hole in the ground, used in a military area or when staying in a tent
Litmus test: A test in which a single factor such as an attitude, event, or fact is decisive
Meritocracy: A social system, society, or organization in which people get success or power because of their abilities, not because of their money or social position
Microaggression: a small act or remark that makes someone feel insulted or treated badly because of their race, sex, etc., even though the insult, etc. may not have been intended, and that can combine with other similar acts or remarks over time to cause emotional harm
Motion to strike: A request to a judge that part of a party’s pleading or a piece of evidence be removed from the record
Oblivion: The state of being completely forgotten
Paddy fields: A field planted with rice growing in water
Post-independence: In or relating to a period after a country stopped being governed by another country
Progressive and liberal area: An area where the inhabitants are individuals who believe that society should change gradually so that money, property and power are shared more equally
Progressive geography: A field of geographical study that embraces a left-leaning, politically progressive perspective
Progressive structures: Structures incorporating progressive ideas or systems that are new and modern, encouraging change in society or in the way that things are done
Reservation policies: The policies of keeping a fixed number of jobs or places in schools, colleges, etc. for people who are members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Retaliation: The act of hurting someone or doing something harmful to someone because they have done or said something hurtful to you
Rubber plantation: An estate in a tropical country where rubber trees are grown on a large scale
Sadistic: Getting pleasure, sometimes sexual, by being cruel to or hurting another person
#SayHerName movement: A movement that uplifts those stories of Black women who have been killed by police and who have experienced gender-specific forms of police violence
Segregation: The policy of keeping one group of people apart from another and treating them differently, especially because of race, sex, or religion
Sexual harassment: Unwanted or offensive sexual attention, suggestions, or talk, especially from an employer or other person in a position of power
Silicon Valley: A region in the south San Francisco Bay Area widely recognized for being a global hub for technological innovation where hundreds of companies call it home
Structural violence: A form of violence where one or several social structures of institutions harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs
Systemic inequality: Refers to disparities in wealth, resources, opportunities, and privileges that result from discriminatory practices and are deeply ingrained within the structures and institutions of society. Policies based on discriminatory ideas give rise to systemic inequality within legal, educational, and governmental systems
Unrelenting: Extremely determined; never becoming weaker or admitting defeat
