Subhasree Nayak One early morning in the …
The hands that carry hope
Savarna directors’ “raw” anti-caste film in the making
Rose At sixteen, I first watched the Tamil film Jai Bhim (2021) directed by Savarna Director T.J. Gnanavel. As someone who was preparing to pursue law, I was excited to see the movie on screen, despite the backlash of its poster, the “neat and clean” saviour lawyer towering over the helpless, brown-faced Bahujan people who need …
Menstrual Leave in India: A Debate Missing Its Most Vulnerable Women
Dr. Diksha R. Sarode The debate around menstrual leave in India has gained significant visibility in recent years. From corporate policies to legislative proposals, the focus has largely been on whether workplaces should grant women paid leave during menstruation. While this is an important step toward acknowledging menstrual health, the conversation remains incomplete. It is …
The Unmeasured Wound: Untouchability, Survey Instruments, and the Limits of the SEEEPC Exercise in Telangana
Santhosh Juvvaka Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolished untouchability in 1950 and declared its practice in any form a punishable offence. Seventy-five years later, the Telangana Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey 2024 — the most ambitious caste enumeration exercise undertaken by any Indian state in the post-independence period — surveyed nearly …
Publisher’s Note on the book ‘Navayāna Philosophy: A Modern Interpretation of the Teachings of the Buddha’
Ratnesh Katulkar Navayāna constitutes a global and universal philosophy. Numerous authors have written on its diverse dimensions, and many books have presented its perspectives. Yet, regrettably, no single comprehensive volume has thus far been available on this entire philosophy. For this reason, as soon as the proposal for the present work was received, we immediately …
Remembering B. R. Ambedkar
Kshirod Nag There are numerous tangible and historically grounded reasons for remembering B. R. Ambedkar. However, among the most salient and analytically significant aspects that distinguish him from other thinkers are his conception of the nation as a moral-social formation, his notion of freedom as the essence of life, and his articulation of a universal …
Ambedkar & AI: Mahad to Metaverse
Dr Jas Simran Kehal Not long ago, British historian Perry Anderson said that “To read Ambedkar is to enter a different world.” Now, when the whole world enters a different era – an era of Artificial Intelligence – does the century-old philosophy of Ambedkar carry forward its appeal in the era of Metaverse? Or will …
Patriarchal “Protection”: Why the Argument Against Menstrual Leave Fails Working Women
Priti Kumari The Supreme Court of India recently rejected a plea seeking mandatory nationwide menstrual leave. The rationale provided by the Bench was that such a mandate could inadvertently hinder women’s employment, discourage corporate hiring, and ultimately damage career growth. At first glance, this reasoning might appear protective. However, in a society largely structured by …
Dalit Voices and the Illusion of Participation in Village Decision Making
Anusha Racheti “Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy.” – B. R. Ambedkar, Speech to the Constituent Assembly, 25 November 1949. This warning by Ambedkar reminds us that democracy is not just about institutions or elections, but about whether people can truly speak and be heard. In many …