So, I am no DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) expert. But I am an expert in taking offense when something regressive and downright silly happens in the business world…. or in society at large! So, when I see global companies tripping over themselves and making a beeline to denounce their DEI initiatives, I can’t help but be appalled.

It’s as if DEI were just another business line that failed to prove its unit economics. “Well, folks, the numbers don’t add up. Time to shut it down and cut our losses!” And just like that, years of progress are discarded. But what’s even more alarming is how Indian companies, many of whom were just beginning their DEI journey, and make a more inclusive environment, are now smugly concluding that DEI was just a trend that has come and gone. Like Compact Discs. Like Orkut. An idea whose time has passed.

A Constitution that has promised more

A few years ago, after watching the brilliant Hindi film Article 15, I was inspired to dig deeper into India’s legal framework on inclusion. Article 15 of our Constitution is a cornerstone of our democracy…. prohibiting discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. A powerful promise of equality.

That promise was later reinforced by two landmark pieces of legislation, particularly for workplaces:

1. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 – Ensuring 26 weeks of paid maternity leave
2. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 – Mandating equal pay for equal work

And as our society evolved, people became more mature and thoughtful, the Government marched in tandem with a few more progressive laws:

3. The POSH Act, 2013 – Safeguarding women from workplace harassment
4. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 – Advocating for accessibility and employment rights
5. The Supreme Court’s 2018 Verdict on Section 377 – Decriminalizing same-sex relationships and protecting the LGBTQ+ community
6. The Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons Act, 2019 – Recognizing and securing rights for transgender individuals

So, the history of constitutional and judicial protection of such communities is a recent development in India, most of these happening in the last decade or so. Our judiciary and lawmakers have done a commendable job in establishing these frameworks, laying the groundwork for an inclusive society where diverse individuals can coexist, collaborate, and thrive.

Corporate India’s role – A Work in Progress

While our legal framework has been steadily evolving, corporate India has had a mixed track record when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

Over the decades, efforts to increase female participation in the workforce have seen some success. Having been a CEO since 2011, I have personally witnessed the benefits of gender diversity. In my wealth management teams, 6 out of my top 10 professionals were women. The pattern repeated in my online real estate broking firm, and now at ANAROCK, where we continue to champion an inclusive environment. Gender diversity, when approached with intent, isn’t just a moral responsibility, it’s a business advantage.

I am also a big fan of hiring frontline sales people with “fire in their bellies, and backs to the wall”. I have seen that such people perform spectacularly, with an urgency of a possessed individual. This also allows us to hire people from the underprivileged sections, but again riding on a strong business case.

However, when it comes to inclusivity for people with disabilities or the LGBTQ+ community, we in Corporate India have barely scratched the surface. A few progressive MNCs and Indian private sector banks have taken small steps, but by and large, corporate India is still at the starting line. As per some study, 5-10% of humans fall in the LGBTQ+ category, which is a sizeable chunk, and it is the duty of corporate leaders to create environments which understand where they come from, and give them an enabling ecosystem to work to their fullest without distractions and unnecessary judgments.

The DEI Backlash in the West – Why should India care?

In the West, DEI initiatives gained significant momentum in the early 2000s, with the U.S. government actively promoting inclusivity – in schools, universities and workplaces. Many CEOs, sometimes willing, sometimes reluctant, jumped on board. However, with the recent Republican (Conservative) Government in place, the pendulum seems to have swung in the opposite direction. A growing conservative backlash…. fueled by the idea that DEI has been “forced” onto the American society and into the living rooms of American middle-classes, has led to major corporations quietly backpedaling. And with Trumpian forces regaining ground, DEI is now being dismantled at a disturbing pace.

But here’s the real question: Why should India follow suit?

Must we always mimic Western trends, even when they are regressive? Blindly importing ideas…. whether progressive or conservative…. without considering our own context is not strategic thinking. It’s lazy thinking.

Indian corporates do not have to follow the western world again. That will reflect lack of original thinking and not being cognizant of our peculiar circumstances or our unique situation of evolution on this journey.

India’s DEI Journey – It’s Just the Beginning

Unlike the West, where DEI has seen decades of development and is now facing a backlash, India is still in the infancy of this journey. While they have completed a cycle, we are just beginning. We are nowhere close to achieving true inclusion. There is still resistance, still discomfort, still a lack of awareness.

Rather than being distracted by global narratives, Indian corporates should stay the course and forge a uniquely Indian DEI model, one that reflects our social realities and business landscape. Educating workplaces on empathy, understanding, and inclusion must be a priority. We need to build foundational equity before we can even dream of real inclusion.

This is not a passing trend. It’s a long-term commitment. And if Indian businesses genuinely aspire to be world-class, they cannot afford to opt out of DEI just because the West is retreating. Corporates are a microcosm of societies and have a matching responsibility ton building communities and the nation.

So, to those writing DEI’s obituary: Not so fast. India still has work to do. But we must do it on our own terms. The die has been cast 😊.