Skin color is traditionally an emotive subject in several corners of the globe and in particular India has always been a hot spot for such issues. For centuries, fairness has been incorrectly associated with beauty, status and privilege. The consequence is a mindset where many Indians can think they are “fair” in comparison to others, even when the situation is clear otherwise.
A recent incident highlights this issue: one South Indian insulted an African man with a racial epithet. But when the African man compared his skin color with the South Indian’s, it turned out that he was lighter. This moment emphasizes the irony of the way people view skin color and why the pursuit of fairness has continued to undermine our society.
The concept that fair skin is superior has deep roots in India. Traditionally, invasions and colonial rule reinforced the belief that lighter skin was a marker of superiority. For instance, British colonizers frequently gave superior treatment to fair‑skinned Indians compared to darker‑skinned Indians. Over time, this formed a social hierarchy with skin color. Today, ads for "fairness creams" and beauty products continue to promote the notion that lighter skin is better – success, chances of marriage, respect. There is constant messaging about fairness and it breeds a generation of people to think that being fair is a better outcome.
A South Indian was calling an African man the N word because he was black.
— Oppressor (@TyrantOppressor) January 30, 2026
Then the black man brought his skin and his skin close to each other.
And then black man turned out to be browner than that South Indian.
Why do Indians think they are fair in complexion ? 😂 pic.twitter.com/mkE0eDRFvW
The incident between the South Indian and the African man shows the irony of this mentality. The South Indian man, who in his mind of course used coloration race as his standard, simply saw himself as superior; in fact, the African man had a lighter complexion compared directly with the South Indian. This demonstrates how erroneous and arbitrary such judgments are.
There are also a variety of skin tones in India. From Kashmir to Kerala, there is a shade of brown. And yet many Indians continue to hold onto the myth that they are as it were “fairer” than others, despite ample evidence to the contrary.
Why do so many Indians think that they have the perfect complexion, the complexion they look fair?
- Cultural conditioning: From childhood, people are taught that a fair complexion is beautiful. This belief becomes absorbed into the core self-identities.
- Media influence: Movies, TV serials and ads of all sorts featuring light-skinned actors and models play heavily on the idea that fairness is the norm, suggesting fairness is the benchmark for lifestyle beauty.
- Colonial legacy: The British had a bias and attitude toward lighter‑skinned subjects in their lives and society.
- Social pressure: Fair skin is often praised in marriage markets, job interviews and even casual conversations, while darker skin is often mocked.
Such is the combination in history, media and social conditioning that so many Indians believe they are fairer than they are.
Colorism, the discrimination that comes from skin tone, does real harm. It divides people, reduces self‑worth, breeds prejudice towards other individuals. When someone uses a racial slur or mocks someone else’s skin color, it doesn’t only offend, it shows profound ignorance.
The pursuit of fairness also manifests unhealthy behavior. Most spend money on creams and treatments that promise lighter skin, often with harmful side effects. Society tells people what to do and how to change who they are, rather than celebrating things that make them uniquely diverse.
The moment between the South Indian and the African man is not really a clash of words. It is a lesson in respect. The color of a person’s skin does not measure the worth, intelligence or character of that person. It makes no difference how much brown or black someone is compared with, when what matters is rather his value as well as behavior and humanity.
India, however diverse it may be, is the place to which every hue ought to be looked up. Every skin color from the light brown of the north to the deep brown of the south is a part of the soul of Indian identity. The only way to do it is recognize this diversity.
The idea that Indians are “fair” is a myth made by history, media, and social conditioning. This senseless discrimination is glaringly plain when a South Indian insults an African man only to realize that his own skin color was darker than theirs.
Skin color must never be a measure of supremacy. It all adds up to respect, to equality, to acceptance. And it is through challenging this over-preoccupation with fairness and rejecting colorism that India can move into a society where we value people for who they are, not how they appear.
