Reading "race" into Indic text is Eurocentric scholarship.

19th century Europeans were obsessed with race. For "progressives" racism was a scientific theory. For the conservatives, racism came from the Bible.

So they manufactured "Aryan" race, "Dravidian" race and so on.
Can someone tell me the translation of the word "race" into any Indian language?

"Race" is a construction of the European mind addled by Biblical error and prejudice. It does not have real existence other than in relation to how Europeans classified the world.
In Risley's census of India, he mapped European "Scientific Racism" on Indian society, certain that different communities, "castes" and "tribes" had a "racial origin" could be "scientifically" measured by "nasal index" and such absurdities.

csas.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/…
"Caste" is largely a construction of this racist British census process. It is an Orientalist projection of European racism onto Indian society. The British made lists of different communities. Some were even called "criminal tribes." An entire community was made "criminal."
These are not Indic words, but imports. Even then neither translates to race. One if appearance, the other is community. (In Abrahamic lens, religious community).

Europe's "Scientific Racism" is quite different from ideas and forms of community found in natural societies (which I distinguish from Abrahamic Societies). But European "progressive" intellectuals created scientific racism. European "enlightenment" thinkers are steeped in this.
Since we are all colonized by Europe, one way or another, it is difficult for us to grasp that "race" as we understand it today does not have real existence independent of the European mind. "Race theory" come from European Enlightenment, a heady cocktail of the Bible and Darwin.
It is not that academics in US "South Asian Studies" or the "Left" in India do not know that caste is a European construction. But it is such a convenient stick to beat Hindu society with that they are loathe to give up its value in creating a constant attack on Hindus & India.
In fact, varna is the most anti-racist idea there is. It helped in finding a place for very many different people into Indian society *without* reference to "racial" attributes but merely on the basis of their role in society.

DNA studies tell us that the DNA of Indians is completely mixed. It would be well nigh impossible to tell the jati of anyone by a DNA test.

The very idea of these DNA tests is obsession with European theories. Jati is a knowledge-transmission system.

The narrative of “fight against caste” is itself a new narrative. What specific thing did he address? There are always various debates and movements on how to organize society for better functioning. That does not mean there’s a “caste system.” Society was never static.

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More from @sankrant

12 Jan
This is about the systematic robbery of wealth from private Indian citizens by the British army.

The British regime was systematic robbery. All manner of robbery by the British ruling class of Indians was backed by the State.
Apology is for the birds. Cold hard cash reparations is what India must seek.

Read 4 tweets
12 Jan
Education does not equal either intelligence or emotional quotient.

For most jobs, what you learn by High School is quite enough. You think children have learnt anything special when they get a "BA"? Go to a typical govt college, BA, even MA, teaches hardly anything of value.
In fact, most education deracinates. Social "science" education is even worse. They hardly learn anything useful as a job skill, but they do learn to hate.
I'm not suggesting that those who want to learn or go for higher education shouldn't do that.

Rather I'd like to see less prejudice and structural discrimination against non-degree holders, whether in govt jobs or elsewhere. Degree means very little as such. Skills matter.
Read 5 tweets
12 Jan
The Modi govt's commitment to implementing the #UPA agenda in unparalleled, with even more resources and efficiency. No better example than the Sachar Commission report (though plenty of others—MNREGA, NCERT Textbooks).

The Divisive Report being implemented in toto. ImageImage
The screenshot is from the Ministry of Minority Affairs implementation report.

He is not worried about the problematic divisive schemes. He is worried that revealing the truth is "negative."

Apparently keeping ones head buried in the sand and not opposing discriminatory anti-Hindu policies "helps the Hindu cause." Really?

Read 4 tweets
7 Jan
Synchronized statements by Western powers on the events in Washington—all within hours of each other.

And shouldn't India be expressing concern about peaceful transition of power in the US. 😏 Or whoever is coordinating this doesn't want uppity Brown people to weigh in.
Great. Still it looks like a very coordinated effort. Biden transition team has been calling world leaders to speak?

Or it must just be the standard racism of @twitter "progressives." @narendramodi's statement is not part of their world leaders' story.
Read 4 tweets
6 Jan
Violence at US #CapitolBuilding
International observers called for peace after violence racked the capital city. Recent elections drew charges of widespread rigging from the losing side. Results remain bitterly contested with the incumbent autocrat unwilling to relinquish power.
Human Rights groups repeated calls to ensure the safety of the civilian population and ask the regime to abjure use of violence on protestors.

Recent protests have exposed the ethnic and political divides in this fragile nation state, created by White squatters.
@ruchirsharma_1
It's a satire in line with how @nytimes or other Western media covers "third world" elections. I thought most people would catch on. 😏

Read 4 tweets
6 Jan
Today we take the Decimal System for granted. But this Indian invention revolutionized the world. No modern math or science is possible without it. Imagine doing astrophysics with Roman Numerals! Western Science remained primitive till the Indian import.

That's not all ...1/
It took Europe over FOUR CENTURIES to understand and accept the decimal system. Now advanced calculations could be done "algorithmically", i.e. rather than by the abacus—an extension of counting fingers and toes. The resistance shows how alien and revolutionary that was. 2/
The "backwards Nordic people" of Europe learned this from the Moors and the Arabs (who also took centuries to understand it).

The Church was deathly opposed to these numbers, and forbade their use. The numbers were called ciphers (or code) as opposed to the plain Roman numbers.
Read 11 tweets

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