Air India has issued a clarification after criticism erupted over a document circulating online that appeared to restrict cabin crew from wearing symbols such as sindoor, tikka and bindis. The airline said the material being shared on social media does not reflect its current employee guidelines and described it as an outdated manual no longer in use.
The controversy began after portions of an internal handbook surfaced online, prompting debate over workplace rules related to religious and cultural expression. The document suggested restrictions on certain forehead markings, while also referencing limited use of bindis with specific uniforms.
Responding to the backlash, an Air India spokesperson said employees are not prohibited from wearing bindis and stressed that crew members have the choice to do so. The airline maintained that the circulated instructions do not represent its present policy framework.
The issue has drawn comparisons with a recent controversy involving Lenskart, which also faced criticism over a style guide that allegedly placed restrictions on some religious symbols. In that case, the company later said the document under scrutiny was outdated and did not reflect current policy.
Lenskart founder Peyush Bansal had publicly apologised and said the language in the older training material was incorrect. The company subsequently introduced an updated style guide explicitly allowing employees to wear religious and cultural marks, including bindi, tilak and sindoor.
The renewed debate around Air India has once again brought attention to how companies frame appearance guidelines while balancing uniform standards with employees’ cultural and religious freedoms. The airline’s clarification appears aimed at addressing concerns and distancing itself from the claims linked to the older document.
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