Asked to remove a tilak, while others wore their faith freely. In a diverse India, are we defining fairness the right way?

Yesterday, at a random catch-up with friends, a conversation stayed with me.

One of them shared his experience working at a global company in India.

He’s a Hindu.

On certain days, he comes to work with a small tilak on his forehead. Nothing loud. Nothing disruptive. Just a quiet expression of identity.

But he’s been asked multiple times to remove it.

The reason?

“We are a global company.”

Fair enough until you notice something else.

Colleagues openly wear a cross. Some wear a hijab. And that’s completely accepted.

No questions asked.

So the question isn’t about religion. It’s about consistency.

If neutrality is the rule, shouldn’t it apply equally to everyone? And if expression is allowed, shouldn’t it be allowed for everyone?

Because fairness cannot be selective.

In a country as diverse as India, the goal shouldn’t be to suppress identity it should be to respect all identities equally.

No one should feel like they need to hide who they are to belong.

Curious how do your workplaces handle this?