Not that we needed any evidence of the prevalence of caste in India – even amongst the elites who like to pretend caste doesn’t exists when it comes to the reservation debate. The Times of India reports from Mumbai:
In India, it’s well known that couples shopping for sperm demand both looks and brains. What isn’t so well known, despite being fairly commonplace, is a more outrageous request: caste-based sperm. Three years ago, Dr Saurav Kumar, a Patna gynaecologist, created a furore when he told a newspaper that childless couples insisted on knowing the caste of sperm donors. But while one may be tempted to assume that caste biases are entrenched only in states likeBihar, the city’s infertility experts insist otherwise.
Dilip Patil, founding president of Trivector, an infertility solutions firm, says there is a definite preference for Brahim donors in Mumbai. “Even among Muslims, couples want to know whether the donor is Sunni or Shiite,” he says. “However, going by Indian Council of Medical Researchguidelines, we reveal only the religion of the donor, not the caste.” [Link]
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
Reblogged this on newseditor.
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The shame that is caste doubles to pile up on mediocre, shallow and greedy bourgeois minds of our times.
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“we only provide the religion, not caste…” One question. How does that make it better?
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I think I’d want rickshaw walla sperm. Those guys have the hottest, tightest leg muscles ;)
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If we happen to study more in detail then eye brows of many an intellectuals will be raised when they will come to know about the facts that even parents from lower social strata also want brahminical sperms
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Once again, we have gone back to believing ToI as a genuine source of news while it continues to be a tabloid/paid newsletter. Clearly Shivam has learnt nothing from the May 10/May 11 expose of ToI ethics by Hindu.
Also, all ToI has done is found a doctor who said a couple insisted on the caste of the donor. Rest all is unverifiable.
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There was another link of the same TOI report:
Needed: An IITian sperm donor!
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-16/man-woman/30619050_1_sperm-donor-iit-student-iitian
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Which IIT’s sperm…please specify
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