And that’s what the internet wants to know. After air pistol shooter Manu Bhaker’s impressive performance at the Paris Olympics, there was a noticeable increase in Google searches related to her caste. She won two medals, including a bronze, but instead of focusing solely on her achievements, many people were curious about her caste background.
Searches for terms like “Bhaker caste” and even the misspelled “Bhaker cast” showed a strong interest in her identity beyond her success as an athlete. This trend is not new. Similar spikes in caste-related searches happened during the Olympic successes of other athletes, such as PV Sindhu. After her medal wins in 2016 and 2021, people also searched for her caste.
On social media, many users from the Jat community proudly identified with Bhaker, sharing posts that emphasized their connection to her caste. The highest number of searches about Bhaker’s caste came from Haryana and Delhi, indicating that caste issues are not limited to one region but are widespread across North India.
While athletes like Manu Bhaker should be recognized for their hard work and talent, sadly they are being defined by their caste by a few.
Tags Manu Bhaker