School textbooks largely steer clear of exploring casteism. Political compulsions, a misplaced pride in our traditions and the inability to atone for historical wrongs are to blame.
Y.S. Raghav has been a teacher for 40 years. He’s spent the last 17 of them as principal of JPGD Inter College at Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 1,000 students, from classes 1 to 12, attend his institute. A few end up in the police or civil services, many go back to work on the potato and lentil farms sprawled across the countryside.
At 61, Raghav has a full head of hair and a beard that makes him look a lot like Narendra Modi. And, like the prime minister, he too is full of platitudes, especially when talking about caste. “ …
Omkar specializes in long-form narrative features and has reported from India, the UK, Germany and the Maldives. He writes across beats, from politics and crime to cinema and sports. His works have been published in Indian and international outlets including The Caravan, Mint Lounge, the BBC, Al Jazeera and The Huffington Post.
Senior Features Writer
omkar@mailtmc.com
Delhi