Gail Omvedt (An excerpt from her book ‘Buddhism in India: Challenging Brahmanism and Caste’) Jotirao Phule (1827–1890) is considered a founder not only of the anti-caste movement in India as a whole, but also of the farmers’ movement and even the women’s movement in Maharashtra. He was born in a Mali (gardener caste) community of …
The Dalit liberation Movement in Colonial Period (Part II)
Gail Omvedt & Bharat Patankar Continued from here. The Rise of Dalit Movements Though attempts were begun by the dalit castes from the late 19th century to organise themselves, the various sections of the dalit liberation movement really began to take off from the 1920s, in the context of the strong social reform and anti-caste …
The Dalit liberation Movement in Colonial Period
Gail Omvedt & Bharat Patankar [First published in February 1979. This is the first part of a pathbreaking article on the Dalit movement in the mainstream media. It was pathbreaking because mainstream discourse had until then consistently denied or tried to studiously ignore the existence of the Dalit movement and its vital role in Indian …
Dalit Assertions and Violence in Odisha
Nilesh Kumar An article published in The Hindu (dated January 14, 2012) written by Harsh Mander is an eye opener for many of us who enjoy our private comfort zones. We feel safe and protected around our family, friends and acquaintances. There are many who do not have access to these secure environments and live …
Stop Forced Religious Conversions!
Dr. Udit Raj (First published in September 2006) The Sangh Parivar is not able to resolve the dangers looming large on the caste-based Hindu religion on its own. There is a saying that you should first try to resolve your differences on your own, and then consult your neighbours. But instead of taking recourse to …
Dalit History Month
Paari. chelian Black Americans have protested the slavery and racism thrust on them by the Whites through many forums including those of Black literature and politics. One such forum is Black History Month. They announced and celebrate February as Black History Month to redeem their racial history that has been side-lined so far. February is an important month in …
Murder of Jaggaiyan, Dalit Panchayat President of Nakkalamuthanpatti
Fact Finding Report on the murder on 22nd November, 2006, of Jaggaiyan, Panchayat President of Nakkalamuthanpatti Village Panchayat, Kuruvikulam Panchayat Union, Tirunelveli District (Press Release of 28th December 2006) Dalit Panchayat President Slain thirty days after Local Government Election for resisting caste slavery I. Introduction Tamil Nadu Federation of Women Presidents of Panchayat Goverment conducted a …
The Polyphony of Dalit Criticism in Malayalam
Dr Ajay Sekher The contemporary critical practice that evolves within the Dalit writing in Malayalam is vibrant with a variety of voices and divergent perspectives. There is an increased presence of people from all walks of life cutting across age, gender and community here. The diversity and difference that exist in the socio cultural life …
Institutions and Economic Development
Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar In the post colonial countries, suffering from pauperized agriculture on the one hand; and, virtual deindustrialization on the other, achieving faster rates of economic growth was naturally a preeminent objective of economic policy. For without substantially increasing, on a sustained basis, the volume of production of agricultural and industrial goods and, making …