‘Beyond Bollywood and butter chicken’: rethinking Australia’s deeply misunderstood Indian diaspora

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Dr Jasbeer Musthafa Mamalipurath, a lecturer in media studies at Queen’s University in Belfast, who has studied Australia’s Indian diaspora for more than a decade, says high-caste expatriates dominate cultural organisations, and exclude low-caste Hindus or people of other faiths.

“Caste-based divisions can lead to dangerous consequences because they perpetuate social inequalities, normalise exclusion and can even lead to significant psychological, economic and social harm to the marginalised communities.

“Additionally, it poses significant threats to the societal ideals of equality and social inclusion that countries like Australia claim to have been adherent to.”

Last month, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s national anti-racism framework recommended “the Australian government investigate options for legal protections against caste discrimination, including potential reform of existing legislation”.