Hyderabad: As India celebrates the historic achievement of P.V. Sindhu, the first Indian woman to win an individual silver medal at the Olympics, a disturbing trend has emerged. Caste-based searches, including ‘P.V. Sindhu caste’ and ‘Pullela Gopichand caste’, have become top search terms on Google, with over a million people seeking to know their castes in August.

Critics are appalled by this regressive mindset, stating that caste should not be a factor to celebrate someone’s success.

Actor Ananda Krishna Nandu rightly points out that prior to her victory, no one seemed concerned about her caste. Such incidents reveal the deeply entrenched caste system in our society.

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Psychologist Dr. Diana Monteiro expresses shock at the continued prevalence of caste discrimination and advocates for raising children without any form of discrimination. It is imperative to nurture a society where individuals are valued for their accomplishments, irrespective of their caste.

A disconcerting incident surfaced on Twitter when a Hyderabad-based group sought blood donors from a specific caste, triggering debates on caste-based discrimination. The tweet requested donors belonging to the Kamma caste, dominant in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, for a child in need of blood.

The tweet was later deleted, and an apology was issued, claiming the information was unverified.

Health experts, including Dr. K. Hari Prasad, the CEO of Apollo Hospitals, condemn such categorization of lifesaving actions like blood donation based on caste. This disturbing trend highlights the urgent need to eliminate caste-based discrimination and promote unity and inclusivity in our society.