Who is Anuradha Tiwari? 10 Points About Bengaluru's 'Brahmin Genes' CEO

A Bengaluru-based CEO recently shared a picture of herself flexing her triceps while sipping coconut water on social media. She captioned the picture “Brahmin genes” and these words landed her into a controversy. The picture soon went viral on X (formerly Twitter) with over 6.1 million views. While many supported her, others accused her of promoting casteism.

In response to the backlash, Tiwari defended her stance in a subsequent social media post. She expressed frustration over how the mere mention of “Brahmin” in her post had triggered a strong reaction. She argued that since her community does not benefit from reservations or freebies, they have every right to take pride in their achievements.

Read| ‘Deal With It’: Bengaluru CEO Responds To Online Backlash In Row Over Viral ‘Brahmin Genes’ Post

“As expected, a mere mention of the word ‘Brahmin’ triggered many inferior beings. This reveals who the real casteists are. UCs receive nothing from the system—no reservations, no freebies. We earn everything on our own and have every right to be proud of our lineage. So, deal with it,” Tiwari wrote on X.

The controversy around Tiwari’s post led to the hashtag “BrahminGenes” trending online. Author Chetan Bhagat also weighed in, suggesting that the focus on caste issues could be politically motivated. “The more caste is brought up, the more the consolidated Hindu vote breaks. Opposition has understood this and is playing that game. And yes, even that #BrahminGenes trend is splitting the Hindu vote. Don’t know if people realise that,” Bhagat stated.

Tiwari quoted Bhagat’s post and wrote, “Is hatred against Brahmins uniting Hindus? Is Reservation uniting Hindus? Is the Caste Census uniting Hindus? But when Brahmins decide to take a stand for themselves, suddenly, Hindu unity is in danger.”

So, who is Anuradha Tiwari?

1- Anuradha Tiwari is a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur. She is the founder of JustBurstOut – a content writing agency.

2- She is a TEDx Speaker who delivered a talk on “The Sell Your Talent Movement”.

3- Tiwari was recognised by India Today as one of the Eight Unique Entrepreneurs of India in 2014.

4- She has assisted over 100 global companies, including Apollo Hospitals, Rainbow Hospitals, Narayana Health, Amity University, Care Hospitals, UpGrad, KnowledgeHut, and Vedantu, in enhancing their digital presence and user growth.

5- She was also listed as one of the “10 most-talked-about TEDx Speakers of 2015”.

6- Tiwari boasts a following of over one lakh on Quora, and nearly 60,000 on X.

7- Originally from Delhi, Tiwari began her career as a mechanical engineer before venturing into entrepreneurship.

8- She initially launched TORQUIES, a coaching institute for JEE aspirants who couldn’t afford expensive coaching fees.

9- Tiwari later founded the NGO Empowering Indian Women (EIW), which provides basic education to women.

10- She is also the author of Water Burns.

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In a post on X in 2022, Tiwari wrote, “I am a general category student. My ancestors have passed me down 0.00 acres of land. I live in a rented house. I couldn’t get admission despite scoring 95%, but my classmate who scored 60% and comes from a well-off family got admission. And you ask me why I have a problem with reservation?”

In her latest social media post, Tiwari urged people to “end the hatred”. She wrote, “Are Brahmins the new Jews of India? False portrayal of Brahmins as oppressors is being dangerously normalised. We can’t proudly say who we are. My message to those spreading this agenda: I am Anuradha Tiwari, a Proud Brahmin & not an oppressor. End this hatred now #BrahminGenes.”