untouchables

2 Stories

India's New President Is an 'Untouchable'

Ram Nath Kovind is a member of lower-caste Dalit community

(Newser) - Members of the low-caste Dalit community in India were once known as "untouchables." How times have changed: Two just competed against each other for the largely ceremonial office of president, and 71-year-old Ram Nath Kovind came out on top, reports CNN . In India, the real power is with...

Indian Politician Bridges Caste Divide

Kumari Mayawati, an untouchable, has risen to prominence, power

(Newser) - Kumari Mayawati, the 5-foot-tall, unmarried member of the so-called untouchable caste, has gained unprecedented power and stature in Indian politics. The leader of the nation's most populous state, Mayawati is positioning herself to become India's next prime minister, a feat that would have been unthinkable until recently and for which...

2 Stories