What

Abstract

This article explores the challenges of living without a surname in a world that expects one. The author, Disha, shares personal experiences of struggling with official documents, online platforms, and academic recognition due to the absence of a last name. While her parents made a conscious decision to avoid caste and religious associations, modern systems remain rigid, demanding both first and last names.

The article also examines the significance of surnames in academia and history, questioning whether a single name can hold the same authority as well-known last names like Curie or Foucault. It discusses how Indian writers adopted pen names but were still tied to their caste surnames in legal records.

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Finally, the piece calls for structural changes, such as replacing