Decolonising Indian sociology: Revisiting colonial Legacies, caste hierarchies, and subaltern epistemologies in the works of Ghurye, Srinivas, and Aiyappan

This article examines the historical evolution of Indian sociology and anthropology, tracing its colonial origins and the methodological frameworks that shaped its development. This study highlights the epistemological biases rooted in caste hierarchies and colonial administrative agendas by critically analysing the works of key figures such as G.S. Ghurye, M.N. Srinivas, and A. Aiyappan. While Ghurye and Srinivas dominated mainstream academia through Indological and structural-functionalist approaches, Aiyappan's ethnographic focus on marginalised communities offers a counter-narrative that challenges Brahmanical hegemony. Drawing on archival sources, ethnographic monographs, and critical scholarship, this article argues for re-evaluating Indian sociological traditions to incorporate subaltern perspectives. The findings underscore the need to decolonize methodologies and reorient academic curricula to reflect India's diverse social realities .