Couldn't have explained better myself.
Just to add a few points,
1. It is illegal to practice caste system and it's discriminatory practices in India. Such practices are immediate grounds for incarceration.
2. To correct for the past wrongs, GoI has allowed for affirmative action in form of reservations upto 50% in schools, colleges and public sector jobs.
3. Most countries have had discrimination in less enlightened times of history. It was a collective failing of humanity not one particular country or community.
4. Basis for discrimination is often times economic - religion is just used to make such discrimination more acceptable to conscience.
5. Caste System is just another name for discrimination.
Precisely.
For example, I have a friend who was a classmate of mine back in UC Berkely while i was working on my Masters for Neuroscience and cognitive psychology (I did a dual masters program ), my friend who is of the Jain religion, was working on his Masters in Pharmacology. He eventually would go into University of Pennsylvania and finished his PHD in Pharmacology, specializing in Formulary Science. Anyways, he is the CEO of a bio pharmaceuticals company headquartered in Philadelphia. He is friends with Indians of all kinds of religious background: Christian, Muslim, Jain, Hindu, Atheist etc.
I don't think ANY of my Indian friends who I associate with on a personal and academic / professional level allow religious beliefs to affect them to accept very narrow minded thinking.
I've a lot of Indian friends and from my understanding there is a difference between religion and politics and social life. I think it is just unfortunate that some people have and continue to propagate very false and erroneous generalizations about a country as large as India. Malaysia is not even equal in population to the state of Kerala. To put it to perspective.