Savitribai Phule: The firebrand intellectual who powerfully used the term ‘Dalit’ in her poetry
Her groundbreaking work influenced the struggle for the rights of women, Shudras and Dalits in 19th-century India and into the present.
Reservation in Faculty Recruitment: A Necessity for Merit, Not a ‘Premium for Mediocrity’
Invoking ‘merit’ to deny affirmative action has a long history in India. But it is not supported by any empirical evidence.
Caste | Culture | India | Indian Economy | Indian Politics | Online Blog | People's movements | Socialism
On Purushottam Agrawal’s Kabir Das
Book Review: Purushottam Agrawal, ‘Akath Kahani Prem ki: Kabir ki kavita aur unka samay’.
Caste | Fascism | Online Blog
Why Do I Lend My Support to Voices Protesting World Class Renovation of Gandhi Ashram?
One would not expect an activist working on Dalit rights to join such a protest. My reasons for doing so are many. Personally for me, Gandhi’s personal struggle against untouchability within his Ashram has been inspirational …
Caste | Culture | Gender Issues | India | Online Blog
“The Moment I Set Foot Outside My House, Caste Chases After Me Like a Dog”
Sukirtharani (b. 1973) is a poet and social activist known for her sharp critique of the caste system and the oppression of women. Last month, the Oversight Committee of the Delhi University removed two of Sukirtharani’s poems from the English Honours syllabus.
Capitalism | Caste | Communalism | India | Indian Economy | Indian Politics | Online Blog | People's movements
India’s Dalit Artists are Shaking the Age-Old System of Caste Oppression
A new wave of Dalit artists, musicians and writers is catalyzing the movement for equality by popularizing the struggles of their communities and raising the consciousness of Indian society.
Social Discrimination Key Factor in Stunting Among Children: Study
Caste practices and other kinds of social exclusion reduce communities’ access to maternal and child health, leading to more cases of stunting, says a new study.
‘Who Is Afraid of Women’s Voices?’ Ask Tamil Dalit Writers After DU Drops Them from Syllabus
Both Bama and Sukirtharani have consistently written on the rights of women, liberation of the oppressed and the strength of humanity.
TN: Fringe Right-Wing Groups Oppose Historic Appointment of Priests from All Castes
A number of political parties, chiefs of Hindu mutts and Shaivite organisations have welcomed the appointments, but right-wing groups have unleashed a hate campaign against the government and the newly-appointed priests.
Gail Omvedt, Champion of Dalit-Bahujan Rights: Two Obituaries
Gail Omvedt’s life and work was oriented to emancipate Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, poor farming communities, religious minorities and women, who have experienced the consequences of India’s partial and distorted democracy.