Dismissed Cisco Caste Discrimination Lawsuit Referenced in US Tech Diversity Debate

On March 15, commentator Natasha Chart referenced a dismissed caste discrimination lawsuit involving two Indian-origin engineers at Cisco Systems, alleging bias against a Dalit employee. The California Civil Rights Department voluntarily dismissed the case in April 2023. The lawsuit claimed denial of promotions and exclusion based on caste, but Cisco's Sundar Iyer reportedly offered a substantial compensation package and employed other self-identifying Dalits in leadership roles. The case drew attention amid debates on diversity and discrimination in US tech firms.