Caste has affected my life in all of the tech jobs I have had, including now at Amazon. Once, at another tech company, my Indian manager pointedly ignored my suggestions in meetings and behaved as if I had never spoken. After many unsuccessful attempts to be heard, my non-Indian colleagues started to notice my exclusion and began to back me up. My manager grew increasingly frustrated and warned me not to touch one of the tools we were working on because I was “ill-fated.” I flinched because this was a direct reference to my being a woman from a Dalit caste.
I left to find another job and have enjoyed a successful career – as long as I avoid working under a dominant caste Indian manager and continue to hide my caste identity.
Know Thyself 