This paper presents an experimental demonstration of an optical process in which the spin angular momentum of a circularly polarized light beam is converted into orbital angular momentum, resulting in the generation of helical modes with wavefront helicity controlled by the input polarization. The phenomenon occurs when light interacts with optically inhomogeneous and anisotropic media. The underlying physics is related to the Pancharatnam-Berry geometrical phases involved in inhomogeneous polarization transformations. A monochromatic light beam can transport angular momentum in two forms: spin-like (associated with circular polarization) and orbital (associated with the optical phase profile). The electric field of a beam carrying orbital angular momentum can be written as E(r,φ) = E₀(r)exp(imφ), where m is an integer. This field, known as a helical mode, has a wavefront composed of intertwined helical surfaces with a handedness determined by the sign of m. These fields also have a topological phase singularity (optical vortex) at the beam axis. In optically anisotropic media, spin angular momentum can be transferred to matter, while in inhomogeneous isotropic media, orbital angular momentum can be transferred. However, in both inhomogeneous and anisotropic media, spin and orbital angular momentum can be coupled to matter. The paper shows that in such media, the exchange of spin angular momentum affects the direction of the exchange of orbital angular momentum. In specific geometries, the two exchanges remain exactly opposite, leading to no net angular momentum transfer to the medium. The paper demonstrates this using a q-plate, a uniaxial birefringent medium with a specific geometry. A left-circular polarized light beam passing through a q-plate with q = 1 is transformed into a right-circular polarized beam with a phase factor exp(imφ), resulting in a helical wave with orbital helicity 2q and orbital angular momentum 2qħ per photon. The input polarization controls the sign of the orbital helicity, while its magnitude is determined by the birefringence axis geometry. The q-plate is fabricated using a nematic liquid crystal, and the wavefront shape of the light emerging from the q-plate is measured using a Mach-Zender interferometer. The results show that the wavefront is indeed helical with m = ±2, confirming the conversion of spin angular momentum to orbital angular momentum. The paper also discusses the physical principles underlying this process, including the Pancharatnam-Berry phases, and highlights the potential applications of this process in multi-state information encoding for classical and quantum communication and computation.This paper presents an experimental demonstration of an optical process in which the spin angular momentum of a circularly polarized light beam is converted into orbital angular momentum, resulting in the generation of helical modes with wavefront helicity controlled by the input polarization. The phenomenon occurs when light interacts with optically inhomogeneous and anisotropic media. The underlying physics is related to the Pancharatnam-Berry geometrical phases involved in inhomogeneous polarization transformations. A monochromatic light beam can transport angular momentum in two forms: spin-like (associated with circular polarization) and orbital (associated with the optical phase profile). The electric field of a beam carrying orbital angular momentum can be written as E(r,φ) = E₀(r)exp(imφ), where m is an integer. This field, known as a helical mode, has a wavefront composed of intertwined helical surfaces with a handedness determined by the sign of m. These fields also have a topological phase singularity (optical vortex) at the beam axis. In optically anisotropic media, spin angular momentum can be transferred to matter, while in inhomogeneous isotropic media, orbital angular momentum can be transferred. However, in both inhomogeneous and anisotropic media, spin and orbital angular momentum can be coupled to matter. The paper shows that in such media, the exchange of spin angular momentum affects the direction of the exchange of orbital angular momentum. In specific geometries, the two exchanges remain exactly opposite, leading to no net angular momentum transfer to the medium. The paper demonstrates this using a q-plate, a uniaxial birefringent medium with a specific geometry. A left-circular polarized light beam passing through a q-plate with q = 1 is transformed into a right-circular polarized beam with a phase factor exp(imφ), resulting in a helical wave with orbital helicity 2q and orbital angular momentum 2qħ per photon. The input polarization controls the sign of the orbital helicity, while its magnitude is determined by the birefringence axis geometry. The q-plate is fabricated using a nematic liquid crystal, and the wavefront shape of the light emerging from the q-plate is measured using a Mach-Zender interferometer. The results show that the wavefront is indeed helical with m = ±2, confirming the conversion of spin angular momentum to orbital angular momentum. The paper also discusses the physical principles underlying this process, including the Pancharatnam-Berry phases, and highlights the potential applications of this process in multi-state information encoding for classical and quantum communication and computation.