The field of ethnography was originally deeply embedded in colonialism and the agenda of understanding and ruling the ‘other’, the colonised. Even today, in the Indian context, ethnography often involves the study of the ‘other’ – and marginalised communities are typically placed within this category.Ravikant Kisana’s Meet the Savarnas: Indian Millennials Whose Mediocrity Broke Everything is an important contribution to the field of critical caste studies, aiming to reverse the gaze from the marginalised to the privileged castes. Through his ethnographic insights, he ventures into savarna culture and attempts to unpack the caste privileges of the so-called ‘upper castes’, which they refer to as ‘merit’.Ravikant KisanaMeet the Savarnas: Indian Millennials Whose Mediocrity Broke EverythingPenguin India, 2025Throughout the book, the constantly recurring theme is two different cultures, rooted in the caste hierarchy. These differences translate into hierarchies of inferior and superior cultural complexes. The people from the non-savarana backgrounds are always pulled back into their original location by savarna peers, who pose as the gatekeepers of cultural legitimacy. The powerful metaphor of the ‘glass floor’ adds significant weight to Kisana’s argument, suggesting that savarnas have access to all the switches on their floor that control the glass floor below – switching them on and off at their will. Interestingly, there are even conflicts among savarnas over who gets to control all the switches in the room. The author argues that the savarna gaze does not possess the capacity to understand peoples from below the ‘glass floor’ – their dietary practices, the level of poverty, caste privilege, advantage and exclusion.In sociological writings, and in the social sciences more broadly, the analysis of caste relationships has largely been viewed through the lens of oppression, while the nuances of privilege have been overlooked. Contrary to the existing literature on caste, this work investigates how caste privilege is inhabited and unpacks the mechanisms through which it is reproduced in the everyday lives of savarnas. The sites of this reproduction include premier educational institutions such as IITs and IIMs, as well as public institutions like JNU. Since these public institutions are required to implement reservations, they are not exclusively meant to protect the privileges of savarnas. With the introduction of OBC reservation, the earlier domination of savarnas has been further challenged by marginalised communities.Historically, since the colonial period, the formation of the middle class has largely been restricted to a few landed upper castes. Neoliberal reforms in the Indian economy were also largely well received by middle-class savarnas. C. J. Fuller and Haripriya Narasimhan, in their work Tamil Brahmans: The Making of a Middle-Class Caste, argue that Tamil Brahmans, traditionally perceived as a high-status caste, have transformed themselves into an urban middle-class group by successfully navigating modernity through investments in higher education, professional careers (primarily engineering) and global migration, showing how caste and class intertwine in contemporary India.Ravikant Kisana.If we look at the demographic composition of the middle classes in contemporary times, even after the emergence of marginalised middle classes such as the Dalit middle class through affirmative action, they continue to be largely dominated by the privileged castes. The question of accessibility to elite private institutions is tied to the issue of class privilege, Kisana’s work argues. This interaction between class and caste provides a powerful theoretical basis for unpacking caste privilege. These private institutions have the capacity to prevent the entry of “undesired” bodies into the campus. This stops the perceived “infiltration” of “others” – Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes – in these premier institutions. Interestingly, the proliferation of private institutions provides a new tier of elite exclusivity, earlier associated with public institutions. In a way, the formation of elite private institutions provides a shield for their exclusive caste privileges.In addition, marriage is another site through which caste privileges are reproduced. The central focus when talking about marriage as an important institution of society is savarna marriage – a key site for the cultural reproduction of the Brahmanical order within both the family unit and larger society. Even progressive, educated savarnas – those once rebellious during their college days – eventually end up negotiating with their families, Kisana highlights, recognising the cost of love in terms of family caste networks and privileges. This creates a performance of being progressive, which is deeply embedded in particular spaces, including educational spaces. These caste networks and privileges play an important role in shaping the structure of opportunities in contemporary India. To take advantage of such networks, one has to remain within the fold of the same caste group, and practicing endogamy is one way to do so. Dr B.R. Ambedkar also identified this aspect of caste as central to the maintenance of the caste system. He considered inter-caste marriage a radical social act, arguing that without it, we cannot annihilate caste.Understanding savarna culture provides insights and offers a different vantage point on how the world, which contrasts sharply with the culture of marginalisation. There are some limitations to Kisana’s book, such as the tendency to understand things in binary terms and the suspicion surrounding his methodological approach – which he himself acknowledges. Nevertheless, it is a promising and necessary work, emerging at a crucial point in time. The author raises many uncomfortable but essential questions on behalf of millions of people. The book is written in a very lucid and accessible language, and every social science student, researcher or even a layperson who wants to understand the realities of caste in India should read it.Ravi Bharmouri is Research Scholar of Sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.