Ethnic complexities or relations in India have historically been complex. “Ethnic relations” refers to attitudes, behaviors and opinions towards people of other ethnicity or races. India is one of the most ethnically diverse countries, with more than 2,000 different ethnic groups. There is also significant diversity within regions, and almost every state/province has its own distinct mixture of ethnicities, traditions, and culture. Throughout the history of India, ethnic relations have been both constructive with mutual cultural influences and destructive with discrimination against other ethnicities. In this research paper we will talk about the progress or the current scenario of racial discrimination in India and its various problems.

Racism is most commonly used to name a form of prejudice in which a person thinks that their “race” is better or superior over other races. This most often takes the form of believing that those with other skin colors especially darker skin colors are inferior physically, intellectually, morally, and/or culturally, and mistreating and discriminating against them because of this. Such a belief typically promotes the notion that white people are “the default” that whiteness is “normal” and that people with other appearances are the ones who are “different” (and “inferior”).Racism has existed in our society from ages right from the time of colonization of India.

According to local sources, unity in diversity has been growing in India, making the country more tolerant. One World Values Survey reported 43.5% of Indians responded that they would prefer not to have neighbors of a different race.

What is race?

To fully understand racism, we have to understand the meaning of race. Throughout history, the word race has been used to classify humans based on various physical characteristics, especially skin color, facial form, and eye shape. But sorting people into such races is truly arbitrary they’re not based on meaningful scientific differences (like, for example, those used to determine legitimate scientific classifications such as species and genus). The obsession with the difference in people’s skin color is one of the foundations of racism.

Biases related to the caste system

Racism is linked to the prevalent caste system which is hierarchical in nature. The broad orderings and the sub-orderings in India seem complex and confusing as classifications are often overlapping: region, religion, caste, sub-caste, Jati, Gotra, Kula, Varna and language. “Any effort to simplify them beyond a point can lead to a distortion of social reality.”

earliest classification, as found in Rig Veda, was not based on birth but on the hierarchy that was determined by one’s occupation; however, it is certain that at some particular point in history it became birth-based and rigid

The killing or discrimination was not rooted in color, which some scholars mistakenly believe it to be the case rather this was a time of constant wars and conflicts between the invader immigrants and the actual tribal population of the time..

earliest classification, as found in Rig Veda, was not based on birth but on the hierarchy that was determined by one’s occupation; however, it is certain that at some particular point in history it became birth-based and rigid

The killing or discrimination was not rooted in color, which some scholars mistakenly believe it to be the case rather this was a time of constant wars and conflicts between the invader immigrants and the actual tribal population of the time.

Status of Racial discrimination in the 21^st century

• The next part of this research paper will discuss how skin tone is still so deeply      attached to the normal Indian psyche that it gets confused with the societal value system  of caste, class, and religion
• Skin tone also forms various strata of variables and acceptability in society. Beauty ideals are now governed by the media, which glorifies lighter skinned models–both male and female–who are chosen to advertise almost all products over darker skinned models

• In the wake of George Floyd’s death the debate about colorism and skin tone in India has been discussed in several media outlets, and as part of the general critique a big Indian matchmaking website, Shaadi.com has removed a filter where people could use to mark skin color preferences for their potential partner

In the state of Maharashtra, a group of young tribal girls trained to be flight crew through a government scholarship program that aimed to empower women; however, the program seems to have actually disempowered darker skinned women. The majority of girls were denied employment due to their darker skin tone. A few of those women obtained jobs, but only as out-of-sight ground crew.