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Rewriting India’s social fabric
The enduring legacy of MN Srinivas
In the vibrant world of Indian sociology, few names shine as brightly as Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas — a scholar whose deep dives into the complexities of caste, social change and rural life altered the course of Indian social science forever. Born on November 16, 1916, Srinivas was not just a sociologist; he was a chronicler of change, a torchbearer of empirical fieldwork and a bridge between the classical and contemporary views of Indian society.
Beyond the Ivory Tower: A scholar of the soil
Srinivas did not confine his sociology to abstract theories or historical archives. Instead, he walked the dusty paths of Indian villages, especially Rampura, where he conducted immersive ethnographic research. His masterpiece, The Remembered Village (1976), stands as a seminal text in Indian ethnography, capturing the lived experiences, transitions and contradictions of rural life in post-Independence India. It was this intense commitment to fieldwork that set him apart from the largely archival methodology of his contemporaries in the Bombay School.
The Sociologist who gave us ‘Sanskritisation’, ‘Dominant Caste’
Srinivas’s intellectual contributions redefined how caste and mobility were understood in Indian society. His groundbreaking concept of Sanskritisation explained how lower castes sought upward mobility by emulating the rituals, customs and lifestyle of higher castes, not just the Brahmins. He first termed it “Brahminisation” but soon expanded its scope to include the emulation of any dominant caste, coining the more inclusive term “Sanskritisation.”
Another powerful concept from his intellectual arsenal was that of the “Dominant Caste”—a caste group wielding local power due to its numerical strength, land ownership, political influence and access to modern education and administration. These terms gave scholars, policymakers and activists new tools to understand the shifting hierarchies within caste-ridden Indian society.
Building institutions, shaping disciplines
In 1959, Srinivas founded the Department of Sociology at the Delhi School of Economics, giving Indian sociology an institutional home and a rigorous academic grounding. He later taught at several prominent institutions, including the University of Baroda and the Institute for Social and Economic Change in Bangalore.
His influence extended beyond academia. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 1977, he also became a foreign honorary member of the British Academy, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. His works, including Social Change in Modern India and Caste in Modern India, have been translated into multiple Indian languages, ensuring that his insights reach beyond the confines of academia.
Quote that captured a nation’s soul
Srinivas once remarked: “The caste system is not a rigid structure; it is like a flowing river—always changing, sometimes slowly, sometimes with great speed.”
This quote encapsulates his lifelong mission: to debunk static views of Indian society and to portray caste and community life as dynamic, adaptable and deeply intertwined with India’s democratic evolution.
Legacy that lives on
Today, as scholars continue to interrogate caste, identity and inequality in modern India, Srinivas’s concepts remain foundational. Whether it’s in discussions of affirmative action, village politics, or religious practices, his vocabulary — “Sanskritisation,” “dominant caste,” “vertical and horizontal solidarities” — continues to inform, inspire and illuminate.
MN Srinivas didn’t just study Indian society; he redefined how India sees itself.
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