Social Casework: The Indian Paradigm and Practice

This commentary builds on the discussion started in Pulla, Das, and Nikku's 2022 essay "Indigenous or Blended Model for South Asian Social Work?", which questioned the dominance of Western social work paradigms in South Asia. The authors emphasised the limitations of these models in dealing with the region's diverse socio-cultural realities, arguing for a hybrid approach that combines Indigenous epistemologies with global views. Building on this foundation, the current study examines Social Casework: The Indian Paradigm and Practice, a seminal contribution to the developing Bharatiyakaran movement—the Indianisation of social work. This emergent paradigm highlights a decolonised, culturally embedded practice model based on Indian philosophical, spiritual, and ethical traditions, such as seva (selfless service), danam (altruism), vasudhaiva kutumbakam (universal family), and concepts from the Bhagavad Gita. The book entitled Social Casework: The Indian Paradigm and Practice by Ranjana Sehgal and published by Today & Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, documents efforts to create a uniquely Indian casework technique, providing empirical findings, theoretical critiques, and culturally appropriate frameworks from throughout the subcontinent. The authors in this volume delve into classical Indian notions such as karma, ashramas, purusharthas, syadvada, and Ayurvedic principles, offering them as the foundation for a holistic and context-sensitive approach to casework. This review essay emphasises the urgent need to transcend Western individualistic ideas and interact with the spiritual and community ethos inherent in Indian culture. This paradigm shift not only enhances the cultural relevance and effectiveness of social work practice in India, but it also contributes to larger worldwide efforts to diversify and decolonise professional knowledge systems. By integrating with Indian traditions, this movement encourages practitioners to reframe social work as both a professional discipline and a spiritual practice, grounded in collective well-being and ethical responsibility.