‘Daughters Of Destiny’ on Netflix Probes The Systemic Inequalities Of India’s Educational System

There exist many stereotypes about India’s relationship to education: we joke often that there are only three acceptable career paths (doctor, engineer, lawyer) and there’s a reason that Indian kids have dominated the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the last 13 years. Education and achievement is so ingrained in South Asian culture that the group boasts the highest percentage of college degrees and income among all immigrant groups in the United States, lending itself easily to the “model minority” stereotype. We’re often told that education is a privilege, though we don’t always internalize it because of these pressures.

While this is the norm for the Western hemisphere, education in India itself varies dramatically based on income and location. Those with more money and status attend private schools where curriculum is taught in English and the expectations of college are inherent, while those who live in more rural areas go to government schools —the equivalent to our public school system— where English isn’t introduced until much later (and college is more of a reach). Then there are those at the bottom rung of the totem pole, those who still live within the confines of the Untouchable group of the “abolished” caste system, who aren’t really afforded the opportunity of education at all.

Those with the least opportunity are the women of the Dalit (Untouchable) caste, and the new Netflix documentary Daughters of Destiny sheds some much needed light on the inequalities that these women face within their communities. The four-part series focuses on the Shanti Bhavan school in Bangalore, which works tirelessly to provide education to the children of generational poverty. Shanti Bhavan aims to give these children—only one from each family in an effort to spread the wealth—the skills and tools to pursue careers that will allow them to ultimately give back to their communities.

Many of the girls explicitly choose paths that play into their strengths and will help their villages and families: Karthika pursues law to help fight for the liberties of her family’s livelihood, while Manjula chooses nursing as a way to be on the front lines of giving back. Both are heavily dedicated to the idea that their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend school must directly impact the lives of those around them—something that Shanti Bhavan teaches the kids from day one.

While Daughters of Destiny focuses on showing how these girls plan on making tangible differences in their communities, it also openly shares how much pressure the school places on these children’s successes, which are predicated on the hope that they will choose a lucrative career path. So when Preetha starts leaning into the idea of pursuing music, the Shanti Bhavan staff works quickly to dissuade her from following her dream.

The Shanti Bhavan school is built on the idea that they are grooming the nation’s next leaders. Founder Dr. Abraham George (pictured above) even states that these kids “have to go out and help other people…if they are living happily and want the next biggest house and become people like that…I’ve failed to bring them up right.” And since none of these kids want to disappoint the man or school that has literally changed their lives, it becomes a battle between duty and dreams.

The documentary series doesn’t explicitly pick a side and it’s an interesting balance to strike—especially in the case of Preetha who finds herself unable to pursue her passion because it doesn’t directly fall into the traditional buckets of jobs that will elevate her family out of poverty. On the one hand, George’s philosophy that Shanti Bhavan is grooming the next batch of leaders is admirable and the fact that the school exists is incredible, but on the other hand it begs the question of whether there is too much pressure on these students’ academic success. If their education doesn’t actually bring them the freedom they desire, is it actually worth it?

These are questions to ponder during the four-part series, which deftly examines institutional discrimination and the gaps in opportunity between the educated and uneducated, and shines a light on a school that is working hard to progress even the most rural areas of India by providing students the keys to success in the 21st century. It’s not so much an investigation into the caste system as it is a showcase for the idea that systemic inequalities can be overturned when paired with opportunity. Education is something that so many of us take for granted, and seeing it as these girls’ lifeblood is inspiring to even the worst student.

Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer living in New York City. Her work has appeared on The TV Addict, Brown Girl Magazine, Breadcrumbs Mag and Syndicated Magazine. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.

Watch Daughters of Destiny on Netflix