From Wikipedia:

"Etymology The term patel derives from the word Patidar, literally "one who holds (owned) pieces of land called patis", implying a higher economic status than that of the landless,[6] ultimately from Sanskrit paṭṭakīla,[7] with the ending -dar (from Sanskrit "धार" - supporting, containing, holding) denoting ownership.[8]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patel

https://archive.ph/K9lux / https://theprint.in/india/who-are-patels-and-how-they-have-b...

Fascinating, thanks. What's the closest parallel in the Western world?

I'm afraid there is none. Also its better if people from the west do not try to draw parallels with their experiences and culture. It simply doesn't match. This would help you understand the caste system and once you do, you would literally see it in any place where Indians live/work. The revelations would be mind boggling for sure.

For ex, if there are a bunch of Indians in a work place and a few of them are from lower caste, they will not be invited for lunches, dinners or any socialising event by their upper caste counter parts. Implicit untouchability.

I have read that in the US tech companies this is far too common and since their white (only white specifically. Because they don't care about what their black/asian/latino colleagues think.) colleagues don't understand caste, there are no repercussions for any discrimination.

Any suggestions on how an European can tackle this? I now have quite a bunch of Indian collegues, and while I know what the caste system is and how it sucks, it is all just theory for me. If women are cut short in meetings I see it and can do something. If all Indians are excluded, or all Blacks, Asians,..., I see it and can do sometjing. Well, in theory. But of it is only affecting a sub-set of a group that is completely indistinguishable from the rest, it gets close to impossible. Plus, it feels like a really sensitive topic. Just wondering, not that I encountered a situation like that so far, or rather not that I saw one for what it was.

I don't buy this...even if white people don't understand caste, they would still understand random team members not being invited to group events and perhaps try to find out why it happened that way.

Dont buy it from me. Read the "How Dalits are ‘vetted’ for work" section in this https://thewire.in/caste/cisco-caste-discrimination-silicon-...