The colour of prejudice

Racism in India represents a curious anomaly

Caste biases are hardwired into Indian society as a religious construct. Communalism is a British-created paradigm that morphed into a majoritarian political movement in modern India. Entrenched racism across the social spectrum, however, remains a puzzle. Indians suffered nearly two centuries of racism in their own land at the hands of a colonial power. Yet, as cricketer Darren Sammy belatedly discovered, racism is an endemic feature of Indian society. Mr Sammy realised he was the unwitting victim of racism when he played for SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, ironically a hugely successful Indian innovation of a colonially inherited