Caste discrimination in India in spotlight after student suicide

On January 17, 2016, 26-year-old Rohith Vemula, a PhD student at India’s Hyderabad Central University, committed suicide. As a member of the Dalit caste, Vemula belonged to the 16% of Indian society still considered untouchable in many contexts, according to Jacqueline Bhabha, director of research at the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health & Human Rights. Although Vemula attained higher education in spite of difficult odds, his outspokenness in championing minority rights was met with heavy criticism and repercussions from college officials. Bhabha said that it remains to be seen whether Vemula’s death will prompt change regarding caste discrimination in India.

Read an article by Bhabha about Rohith Vemula: A Glorious Thing Made Up of Stardust