For An Informed Ambedkar Age
Leichan Ayekpam Growing up in Manipur, my childhood was steeped in the rich traditions and vibrant rituals of Manipuri Hinduism. Our festivals were a blend of joy, spirituality, and community, with each celebration deeply rooted in our unique cultural heritage. The serene temples, the rhythmic chants (Sankirtana), and the age-old customs made me proud of …
Bobby Kunhu “Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated. We must realise that our people have yet to learn it. Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.” ~ Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste The jurisprudence around reservations and affirmative action …
Chandrakant Kamble Famous Hindi writer Munshi Premchand’s (1881-1936) story Sadgati (‘deliverance’ in the religious sense of the term) was picturized by legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray (1921-1992) in a 1981 movie with the same name. India is celebrating Ray’s 100th birth anniversary in 2021. In academia and curriculum, Ray’s many films are considered masterpieces and …
Deivendra Kumar A It was during my post-graduation studies in journalism at the Central University of Tamil Nadu in Thiruvarur that one of my professors enquired about my view on the recent movie Asuran (2019), directed by ace filmmaker Vetrimaaran. Further, he asked me about the recent buzz that the particular film has created among …
Jyotsna Siddharth Renowned sociologist, Ashis Nandy’s comment at Jaipur Literature Festival that ‘it is a fact, that most of the corrupt come from the OBCs, Scheduled castes and now increasingly certain tribes’ once again reiterates the fact that casteism is very much prevalent in India. As India celebrated its 64th Republic Day on 26th …
Comments on Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing (Part II) Continued from here. P. Dayanandan (Paper presented on 10th April, 2012 on the occasion of the release of the Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing) • In this Anthology M. C. Rajah makes reference to the claim that ‘disabilities of ‘untouchables’ spring from deep-rooted …
by Bobby Kunhu I have not watched Aarakshan. I am an unapologetic advocate of free speech. And I generally do not like writing about what I do not know. But then this piece is not about Aarakshan, but about dominant discussions about the movie from newsroom discussions to (English) newspaper headlines. And most of the …
Kanshi Ram will be remembered as someone who almost completely changed the rules of Indian politics over the last two decades. Few political analysts would disagree that his unique brand of social engineering and organisational skills succeeded in uniting India’s low caste Dalit community into a formidable political force in several states.