An Udaipur court’s decision to award the death sentence to a man who burnt his wife alive over her skin tone has brought renewed focus on the cruelty of colour prejudice in India. The judgment rightly described the crime as one that shocks the conscience of humanity. It was not only an act of grotesque cruelty against a young woman but also a reflection of a prejudice that continues to haunt Indian society ~ colourism. For generations, the obsession with fair skin has been normalised, celebrated, and monetised. Matrimonial ads routinely specify the requirement of a “fair bride.” Cosmetic companies have built billion-dollar markets selling skin-lightening creams.

Families, neighbours, and even schools have not hesitated to remark on a child’s complexion as if it were a flaw to be corrected. What begins as casual prejudice often hardens into cruel taunts, discrimination, and in extreme cases ~ as in this tragedy ~ horrific violence.........

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