Anne Applebaum in her article, 'Is The World Ready for a Black President' suggests that skin color is still as one of the factors in "Indian caste system". There is no such thing as Indian caste system. Caste system was (and is) restricted to Hindu religion only. India is a multi-religious, secular country which includes Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians among others. Not every Indian is part of the cast system.

But, I have seen in PBS TV members of the "untouchable" and their families suffer a lot.

Or, is the implication that Caste discrimination is OK if done for Religious Reason? Oh, My God! How have we abandoned You!

The caste system was made illegal under Gandhi, I believe, and as you mention, had nothing to do with skin color as much as social class.

Having said that, most countries, including the US, have vestiges of a type of Caste system. People are discouraged by their families and peers from marrying someone outside there own class.

How many people here know what they're talking about?

How many people commenting on this issue know about Indian society today?

Do you folks know about the significance of hindutva: hindu nationalism, in influencing India today?

The privileged 'light skinned' brahman class is undeniable even if the official position outlaws castes.

Yes, we know about the significance Hindu nationalism, it is nil. Name me one single major Indian newspaper that is pro-Hindu-nationalism. They don't have a Daily Mail or a Fox News in India, as said also in this article:

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The Brahmins are not privilged anymore, in fact it is said that they are the Dalits of today:

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The most priviliged class in today's India are the Muslims, because of the vote bank politics of the Indian Congress and Communist parties.

The Indian Caste system is also observed by many Muslim and Christian converts. Besides, other non-Hindu religions or groups have some sort of class-based system to some degree.