IIT Mandi orders inquiry after poster depicting Shudras as “servants” of higher classes sparks casteism row
07 September 2026 | Maktoob
A row has erupted over a poster displayed at a religious event at IIT Mandi on September 4 that described Shudras as those meant to “serve higher classes”, prompting the institute to order an inquiry into the matter.
The poster, based on themes from the “Bhagavad Gita”, categorised different groups according to their purported roles, describing Brahmins as those who “spread God’s message”, Kshatriyas as those who “protect society and spirituality”, Vaishyas as those who “drive economy, support others” and Shudras as those who “serve higher classes”.
The poster also carried a verse from the Bhagavad Gita that said the four divisions of human society were created according to the “three modes of material nature and the work associated with them”.
IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera attributed the poster to the students’ interpretation of the scripture and distanced the institute from its contents.
In an email to the IIT Mandi community titled “Outright condemnation of recent poster display within campus”, Behera said he was “shocked” to learn about the poster and stressed that it had not been endorsed by the institute “in any manner”.