Where to claim caste: The problem of contested identities among de-notified communities

Thinking about the most disadvantaged, deprived, and vulnerable groups while living in a country with one of the fastest-growing economies in the world is no great surprise.In this independent country, there are those who are experiencing an identity crisis in everyday life. They are stigmatized as "Born Criminals" by society, and their numerous silent sacrifices are never documented in the pages of history. These so-called De-notified in government records have the most dreadful living conditions. The Indian government, as well as various state governments, have taken numerous steps to help them return to the mainstream, but these efforts have yet to bear fruit. The current paper is an attempt to carry the torch for these de-notified but respectable members of society who, even after seventy years of Indian independence, find themselves at a crossroads or just a mere identity