Caste Is Deeper Than We Think: A Critical Reflection with Dr. Shireen Azam

For generations, the Muslim community in India has been seen—and often described—as casteless, grounded in ideals of egalitarianism and unity. But does this vision truly reflect the lived experiences of Indian Muslims?
In this thought-provoking and fieldwork-driven conversation, scholar Dr. Shireen Azam (PhD, University of Oxford) joins host Ali Javed to unpack the complex intersections of caste, class, and religion in contemporary Muslim life in India.
From deeply personal accounts of growing up in caste-identified households to archival insights from colonial census records, and ongoing legal and political battles over Scheduled Caste status for Muslim and Christian Dalits, this episode confronts long-held assumptions and brings to light the often-silenced realities of caste within Indian Muslim communities.