Ayyathurai is a founding proponent of Critical Caste Studies. He is an anthropologist and historian. 

“Murali’s syllabus on CCTS comes with the necessary themes to provide a holistic understanding of the interrelations between caste and technology-based everyday communicative practices that an instructor could avail to teach. In addition to caste and (digital and other) technology, this syllabus relevantly incorporates crucial aspects of race, gender, and class dimensions that intertwine social, cultural, and economic relations in South Asia and overseas. I am sure this CCTS syllabus would be welcomed by students and faculty with disciplinary and interdisciplinary interests.”