André Béteille. Credit: Global Dialogue, Magazine of the International Sociological Association
Renowned Indian sociologist and writer André Béteille passed away at the age of 91 on Wednesday (February 4, 2026).
Historian Ramachandra Guha took to X to share the news and express his condolences at the passing of “a moral and intellectual anchor”. “Devastated to hear that the great sociologist André Béteille is no more. He was the Indian scholar I most admired, for me (and many others) a moral and intellectual anchor,” Mr. Guha wrote in the post.
Mr. Béteille, a Professor Emeritus of Sociology in the University of Delhi, was known for his works on social inequality and caste in India.
Of French and Indian descent, Mr. Béteille was born and brought up in West Bengal before he moved to Delhi after an MA in Calcutta University,
He was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2005. He also served as the first chancellor of Ashoka University
His published work covers a wide range of topics from political sociology to the sociology of religion. He has authored books such as a ‘Caste, Class and Power’, ‘Society and Politics in India’ and ‘The Idea of Natural Inequality and Other Essays’ among others.
Published – February 04, 2026 01:50 pm IST
