Founder calls out ‘PIN code racism’ in Indian cities, sparks debate: ‘They’ve drawn borders’

Pratik Jain, co-founder of the political consulting firm I-PAC, recently took to LinkedIn to highlight "PIN Code Racism". The founder claimed that "PIN code racism" is a deeply ingrained bias in Indian cities based on which part of a city a person lives.

In a long, thought-provoking post, Jain talked about how in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, residential address can be used to determine a person's social standing and even how they are perceived in professional and personal circles.

‘Where do you live’

"The most loaded question kids are asked isn’t “What do you want to be?” It’s “So, what does your father do?" It isn’t curiosity about his job—it’s social algebra, a calculation to place you in a certain societal bracket. When you’re a little older, the other loaded question becomes, “So where do you live?” “Where do you live?” isn’t just small talk—it’s a background check. In Delhi, “GK” is a flex. “Uttam Nagar” is an apology. In Mumbai, “Bandra” opens doors. “Ghatkopar” slams them," he wrote.

Jain said that "PIN code racism" is an unspoken rule that lets everyone know that a person's address is an indicator. Sharing a personal anecdote, the IIT Bombay graduate added that coming from Ranchi, he often felt like an imposter due to such social rules.

Take a look at the full post here:

"I was once invited to play golf with who's who of a city. They asked me about my handicap. "The longer clubs," I said with complete confidence. Some guy in Ralph Lauren nearly choked on his scotch. The silence that followed taught me something – my real handicap wasn't about golf clubs at all. It was about pin codes that mark you before you even take your first swing," he said.

He said such bias can take into account the subtleties that many might not even thing twice about. "Whether you say 'red sauce pasta' or 'arrabbiata.’ They’ve drawn borders between "GK" and "Seemapuri", and between those who use forks and those who prefer chopsticks," he added.

Social media reacts

He also slammed those who choose to lie to change their perception, arguing that this erases the people who taught us how to survive. "Maybe it's time we stopped being cartographers of shame and started being architects of acceptance. Because behind every "Where are you from?" is a story of belonging that deserves to be told without apology," he wrote.

The post resonated with many who thanked him for highlighting the bias. "Pincode racism is real, but can we remain true to ourselves when constantly bombarded with such questions and judgments, or do we start becoming someone else?" wondered one user.

Another said, "So relatable! I've had people tell me that they're surprised to hear me speak good English (because of my appearance, outfit etc). It's not a compliment."

A third user added, "This is a very Delhi / Mumbai thing ,where one's personality is determined mostly on the basis of his social factors like colony he lives in, even at this age I am asked about my school irrespective of where I am now as it does reflect ones thought process."

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