Beyond Religion and Caste: A Humanist Vision

I was born into a Hindu family, but very early in my life I began questioning the foundations of religion and the role it plays in our society. At the age of sixteen, under the influence of my maternal uncle, Srinivasarao Kandimalla, I chose to step away from belief in God and embrace a humanist worldview. That decision was not born out of rebellion, but out of conviction — the conviction that human beings are capable of creating meaning, morality, and progress without recourse to divine authority.

Leaving Religion Behind

For many, religion provides comfort, but I found that it also fosters blind faith, division, and inequality. I realized that we do not need gods or sacred texts to guide us toward justice and compassion. We only need our reason, empathy, and a commitment to treat each other as equals. To me, humanism is the celebration of human dignity, the belief in freedom of thought, and the pursuit of truth through science and rational inquiry.

The Burden of Caste

One of the most painful realities of Indian society is the caste system. It is, in my view, a deep blot on our culture. By dividing people based on the accident of their birth, caste perpetuates inequality and hierarchy. It denies individuals the chance to define themselves by their talents, character, and contributions.

Caste is not merely a social classification; it is a system of discrimination that has led to centuries of injustice. It is the Indian equivalent of racism in the West, a form of prejudice that denies basic dignity to millions. Untouchability, in particular, stands as a cruel reminder of how deeply ingrained inequality can become when it is sanctioned by tradition and religion.

Living Equality

It is not enough to condemn caste in words; one must reject it in practice. I have chosen not to carry a caste surname, nor do I attach one to my children’s names. I married across caste boundaries, affirming my belief that human relationships should be based on love, respect, and shared values, not the artificial walls of social divisions.

I believe that in a just society, every person must be given equal opportunity to grow, to learn, and to flourish, regardless of the caste or religion they were born into. A society that truly values equality is one that unlocks the full potential of all its members.

A Scientific Perspective on Humanity

When we look at life through the lens of science, caste and religion appear even more absurd. Modern biology tells us that all human beings share a common ancestry. We are all descendants of microbes that emerged billions of years ago. Through evolution, those simple organisms gave rise to the vast diversity of life, and eventually, to us — human beings, the “thinking animals.”

We are united not just by our humanity, but by our shared history as children of the same Earth. Recognizing this truth dissolves the artificial boundaries of caste, creed, and race. It invites us to embrace a broader, universal sense of kinship.

A Call for a Better World

The future I envision is one where caste and religious discrimination no longer have power over us. It is a future where each person is respected not for their birth but for their humanity. Where compassion replaces hatred, where reason replaces superstition, and where opportunity is not determined by one’s surname, religion, or ancestry.

To achieve this, we must cultivate critical thinking, scientific temper, and above all, empathy. We must raise our children in a spirit of equality, teaching them to see others not as Hindus, Muslims, or Dalits but as fellow human beings.

Conclusion

I dream of a world where we can look at one another and see not divisions but connections. A world where no child suffers discrimination, where no human being is deemed untouchable, and where no one is denied dignity because of the family they were born into.

We are all part of a single human story that began in the depths of time. Let us honor that story by building a society that reflects our shared humanity — a society free from the chains of religion, caste, and race.