First-ever Store in India Caste Bias Case vs. Cisco Rejected

santa Clara: The California Civil Rights Department dismissed its case alleging caste discrimination against two Indian-origin Cisco engineers, while keeping alive its litigation against the Silicon Valley tech giant.

The two Cisco supervisors, Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella, were accused of harassing a Dalit employee. The suit fuelled a movement for equality and was named in an ordinance passed by Seattle city council in February against discrimination.

That case was dismissed by an order of the Santa Clara Superior County court last week.

engineers fuelled a movement against caste discrimination led by groups such as Dalit-led advocacy group Equality Labs.

This lawsuit has also been named in groundbreaking actions including the first-in-the-nation ordinance passed by the Seattle City Council in February to include caste in its anti-discrimination laws. Last month, California Senator Aisha Wahab proposed a bill, which if it passes, could make the state the first in the US to outlaw caste-based bias.

MuMbai: The long wait of Apple fans in India ended today, with the company opening its first-ever store in the country. Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the doors to the company’s very first brick-andmortar store in the country, located in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Cook was seen personally extending warm greetings to customers while employees cheered and applauded during the inauguration of the Apple BKC outlet.

Among the crowd, one person was seen carrying the vintage Mac SE, which he said he bought in 1984, and he got it autographed from Cook. Another waited the past night to get his 10-year-old original iPod signed by the Apple CEO.

“The energy, creativity, and passion in Mumbai is incredible! We are so excited to open Apple BKC — our first store in India,” said Apple CEO in a tweet.

“Apple BKC is a reflection of Mumbai’s vibrant culture and brings together the best of Apple in a beautiful, welcoming space for connection and community,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail.

Inside the Apple BKC are a handcrafted timber ceiling of 450,000 individual timber elements assembled in Delhi, two stone walls sourced from Rajasthan, and a 14-metre-long stainless steel staircase. The store, one of the most energy-efficient Apple Store locations globally, operates on 100 percent renewable energy, with a dedicated solar array and no reliance on fossil fuels.

Visitors can explore the latest

Apple products, including iPhone, Mac, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, as well as accessories like AirTag, displayed on surrounding tables and avenues. Customers can avail of the tradein program, place orders online, and pick up products at their preferred time. There will also be Today at Apple “Mumbai Rising” sessions starting today throughout this summer at Apple BKC. Apple BKC employs over 100 members who speak over 20 languages. In a statement, Cook highlighted Apple’s continued expansion in India, noting that the launch of their brick-and-mortar store coincides with their 25th year of operations in the country. It is widely anticipated that Cook will appear at the second store opening in Delhi on Thursday, April 20. -- ToI

The department sent a statement on Monday saying the case against Cisco “remains ongoing”. “We’ll continue to litigate the matter,” it said, adding that it remains committed to “securing relief and ensuring company wide, corrective action”.

A Cisco spokesperson declined to comment. California’s suit against Cisco, filed in July 2020, alleges the Dalit engineer got less pay and fewer opportunities and that the defendants retaliated against him when he opposed “unlawful practices, contrary to the traditional order between Dalit and higher castes”. The engineer worked on a team at Cisco with Indians who all immigrated to US as adults, and all of whom were of high caste, the lawsuit stated.

The suit against Cisco and its

The Civil Rights Department dismissing its case against the two engineers is a vindication for activists who have held the position that “the state has no right to attribute wrongdoing to Hindu and Indian Americans simply because of their religion or ethnicity,” said Suhag Shukla, executive director of the Hindu American Foundation. “Two Indian Americans endured a nearly three year nightmare of unending investigations, a brutal online witch hunt and a presumption of guilt,” she said.

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, founder and executive director of Equality Labs, said last week’s action “does not change anything” including the fact that the Cisco case “has given so many Dalits the courage to come forward with their stories about caste discrimination.” A mediation conference between Cisco and the Civil Rights Department has been set for May 2.