The recent (March 25) outing of pervasive prejudice against dark complexioned citizens by Kerala’s Chief Secretary Sreeladdha Murleedharan has resurrected the issue of obstinate colour prejudice in Indian society. The ready adoption by citizens of free India of the mindset and irrational superiority of our erstwhile loot-and-scoot imperial masters on this issue, is clear demonstration of lack of national confidence and insecurity of the middle class that sets standards in such social preferences. In several social media posts, Murleedharan stated that during her career in the civil service she had to suffer taunts and snide remarks about her dark skin. 

The obsession of Indians — the majority of whom are of brown to black complexion — with white/light skin tones and for fair brides resembling second class Caucasians signals not only poor foundational education but pernicious self hate and national inferiority complex. It’s the natural order in the animal kingdom for all species to search for and aspire for mates of similar colouration and skin tone. For example black leopards seldom, if at all, mate with spotted leopards or light-skinned lions. Likewise, normatively white-skinned Caucasians, Europeans, Nordics etc are attracted to light-skinned mates.  Yet curiously, in Indian society — especially within the influential middle class — the normative preference is quite contrary. 

This pervasive colour prejudice perhaps rooted in Brahminism, and prolonged rule over the sub-continent of light-skinned conquerors from Central Asia followed by almost two centuries of British rule, is perpetuated by braindead badshahs of Bollywood who routinely project cinema heroines painted white as models of pulchritude. Educators need to teach children from early age to reject historical prejudices and celebrate India’s rich ethnic diversity and skin tones of citizens, and women in particular. For this public service, Ms. Murleedharan’s spirited response to archaic and pervasive colour prejudice of the middle class is overdue and commendable.