Caste: Its Twentieth Century Avatar is a collection of essays by experts on the complex topic of the caste system prevalent in India. The book is an attempt to describe the effects of India’s caste system on the various political, social and economic aspects of the country.

Caste is a kind of social division of people based on their lifestyle, occupation, hierarchical status, notion of purity and many other factors. The caste system in India is one of the primary drivers that divide the society into separate social groups. It has been a subject of numerous studies and also serves as a reference to the study of caste-like divisions outside of India.

Caste: Its Twentieth Century Avatar edited and introduced by the author describes to the reader the influence of the caste system in the current scenario, in which India is on the brink of modernization. The book discusses how the ancient caste system of India, practiced even today, comes in the way of the country's progress.

The book goes on to give an account of the role of women in keeping the caste system alive in the present day, the correlation between caste and the Indian economy and its effect on Hinduism. It also gives the reader an understanding of the backward classes’ movements and struggle for power in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It also touches upon the topic of efficiency versus job reservation, caste systems existing among Indian Christians and Muslims, and critiques relating to the Mandal Commission Report and its subsequent judgement.