The caste thread travels overseas

Sanjana Choudhary, a 23-year-old graduate student in South Asian History at Oxford University, shed light on the continued oppression of Dalits even in the most prestigious academic institutions. Growing up on the outskirts of Bhopal, India, Sanjana witnessed firsthand the caste-based discrimination that plagued her community. After securing a scholarship to Oxford, she anticipated a fresh start, unshackled by the chains of caste and class.

However, her hopes were short-lived as she encountered a hostile environment within the Indian student community at Oxford. Many of her peers, belonging to the dominant castes, dismissed her presence as the result of reservation quotas rather than her own merit.

In an attempt to reclaim her identity and stand against the systemic invisibilisation of Dalits, Sanjana joined forces with a small group of fellow Dalit scholars to form the Oxford South Asia Ambedkar Forum. This anti-caste society aimed to amplify Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's ideas, fight for caste recognition under U.K. anti-discrimination laws, and provide a safe haven for marginalized voices.

Despite their efforts, Sanjana and her comrades still found themselves excluded from the mainstream Indian diaspora at the university, a stark reminder of the enduring caste divides that persist even in foreign lands.

The issue of caste discrimination extends far beyond the campus boundaries and into the homes of Dalit students. Vedika, another Dalit student in the U.K., recounted an incident where she was rebuked for attempting to store meat in a shared refrigerator meant for so-called pure vegetarians. Such subtle forms of oppression and forced justification of one's existence have become all too familiar for many Dalits living in elite universities and workplaces abroad.

These experiences highlight the fact that the shadow of caste continues to haunt Dalits, regardless of their geographical location, leaving them to grapple with the harsh realities of discrimination in every aspect of their lives.