Halfway to equality

This book is about educated, aspiring
Harijans who have made good in
different fields. Thirty people-students,
government officials, university
professors, journalists, engineers,
doctors and other professionals, and
political leaders speak for and about
themselves. They talk of their family
background, their education, jobs,
social life, their fears and dilemmas,
and their hopes for the future. Their
autobiographical accounts reveal with
searing simplicity what it is to be born
a Harijan and how they have battled
and are still battling with their
environment and their own inhibitions
for a better life.
Many Harijans try to hide their caste
identity or 'pass'. But they hardly
ever fully succeed. Despite popular
misconception they are quite 'visible',
not in a crowd, but always to colleagues,
neighbours, customers and clients.
Clearly the stigma attached to their
caste status still persists; colleagues
often hesitate to share food with them;
landlords in high caste localities refuse
to rent houses to them, teachers show
condescending attitude to them, insulting
expressions are used with or without the
conscious intent to hurt them.
Education, good jobs and privileges of
the Harijans have helped but have by
no means removed prejudices and
stereotypes of the high castes. It is for
the reader, however, to judge whether
they are more or less than Halfway
to Equality.
An intensely human document that will
stir all readers, and that every educated
Indian ought to read and think about.