The caste system is very much a part of Indian society even though the law forbids discrimination on the basis of it. Anyone who tells you otherwise - that there is no caste system anymore - is lying or is from one of the upper castes and therefore don't know what it feels like to be a non-Brahmin.

My parents didn't believe in the caste system, were opposed to it strongly and therefore it's impossible to figure out which caste I am from just by my name (ambiguous last name). I can't count the number of times people have tried to fish for information about my caste. Some ask me directly while others try to be "more polite" about the question. I just smile and tell them I am not telling you because it's not relevant and I don't believe in it. This makes them very upset. Then some of these people try to make guesses based on the colour of my skin (light skin in India is consider superior and dark skin is looked down upon), my height and other characteristics.

And this has happened not just in India but more so in the US and Canada, where I now live.