Gogu Shyamala is a feminist writer, poet, and activist from Telangana. She is the author of Enugantha Tandri Kanna Ekula Buttanta Talli Nayam translated in English titled Father may be an elephant and mother only a small basket, but… She has edited Nallappodfu: Dalitha Sthreela Sahithyam 1921-2002 (Black Dawn: Dalit Women's Writings, 1921-2002) and co-edited The Oxford Indian Anthology of Telugu Dalit Writing. In her interview with the archive, Gogu talks about how Dalit literature for her is a celebration and what has shaped her writings so far.
Urmila Pawar is a prominent Dalit-feminist voice from Maharashtra. Pawar was born in the village of Adgaon in the Ratnagiri division of Bombay Presidency's Konkan province in 1945. Following B. R. Ambedkar's urge for people from the Dalit community to reject Hinduism, she and her family converted to Buddhism when she was 12 years old, along with other members of her community. Pawar's short stories including "Kavach" and "A Childhood Tale" are widely read. Her autobiography Aidan (Weave) won her acclaim and numerous accolades. Pawar holds a Master's degree in Marathi Literature. She worked for the Maharashtra state government's Public Works Department until retiring. In her interview with us, Pawar reminisces on years past organizing within the Dalit and feminist movements.
Art of Exploitation by Ekta is a mediation on Lavani, an art form mired in its history of caste.
Bant Singh is a Sikh labor rights activist and singer from the Jhabhar village in Mansa district, Punjab. He has been singing since the age of 10, his songs mostly revolve around the ideas of revolution and social change. He has fought against the power of the landowners through his songs. Bant Singh, who dared to take his minor daughter’s rapists to court, had to pay a heavy price for the same. He lost his arms and legs in 2006 when he was assaulted by upper-caste youth of his village. Despite this, he went on to become a symbol of Dalit resistance. His Biography titled The Ballad of Bant Singh: A Quissa of Courage came out in 2016. In his interview with the archive, he talks about his journey so far, and what has changed for caste-based gender violence in North India.
Ramchandra Manjhi is a Launda Naach performer. Ramchandran Manjhi was born in Tajpur, Bihar. He has been performing under the guidance of Bhikhari Thakur, the ‘Shakespear of Bihar’, and his team since the age of 10. He has performed his art in front of many big names such as Helen, Waheeda Rahaman, and Suraiya. In 2017, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. In his 80 years on stage, Manjhi has toured various parts of India. Despite the various hurdles faced including economic difficulties and caste-based discrimination, he has powered through finding space for self-expression, which was historically denied to him. In 2021, he was awarded the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors. We got the opportunity to talk with them when they came to receive their award in Delhi.
Manoranjan Byapari is a Bengali writer and social activist from India. He was born in the year 1950, into Namasudra caste at Barisal in Bangladesh. He couldn't afford a formal education and is perhaps the only convict-turned-rickshaw-driver who has written a dozen books and over a hundred short stories, in addition to non-fiction articles. He rose to fame after the publishing of his groundbreaking piece Is There a Dalit Writing in Bangla? in the journal Economic and Political Weekly, which was translated by Meenakshi Mukherjee. He met Mahasweta Devi by coincidence while working as a rickshaw puller, and she requested him to write for her Bartika journal. In 2020, they were appointed the head of a 14-member committee to set up Dalit Sahitya Academy. Some days after their interview with the archive, they were elected as an M.L.A. from the Balagarh (SC) Assembly Constituency, representing the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Elections 2021.
Sambhaji Bhagat is a Dalit activist and a Lok-shahir who also composed the music for Chaitanya Tamhane's award-winning feature film Court. Bhagat is a self-proclaimed Ambedkarite. Bhagat has been innovating and revolutionising Maharashtrian folk forms like the powada, bharud, and gondhal at a time when many cultural activists had abandoned traditional music in favour of genres taken from the film industry. Bhagat's interests had broadened beyond music and street theatre by the 2000s. He began writing monthly pieces for the Marathi newspapers Mahanagar and Samrat after releasing his autobiography, Kaatal Khaalcha Pani, or Water Under The Rock, at the Vidrohi Sammelan in 1999. In his interview with the archive, Sambhaji recounts his experiences navigating the Anti-Caste movements since his teenage years.
A photo essay by Prashant U.V. on the traditional water management systems in Nashik region. It depicts the inequality, violent structures of control, oppression and power hierarchies associated with caste.
Sudharak Olwe, was born in Akola, Maharashtra. He has been a Mumbai-based photojournalist since 1988 and has worked as a press photographer with some of the leading newspapers in India. His work has mostly revolved around showcasing stories of resilience, courage and change. His work with many NGOs have revealed their extraordinary work with many communities, both urban and rural. Sudharak Olwe heads the Photography promotion Trust which aims to spread the knowledge of photography in young adults from all walks of life. In 2005, he was one of the four awardees of National Geographic’s ‘All Roads Photography Programme’. In 2016, he was awarded the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honours for his contributions to social change through his photography. In his interview with the Archive, Sudharak breaks down the care and ethics that inform his practice and gives us an insight into his pioneering work.
J.V. Pawar along with Namdeo Dhasal, Arjun Dangle, and Raja Dhale on 29 May 1972 founded an ambedkarite social organization named “Dalit Panthers” which sought to combat caste, class, and gender-based discrimination. Due to its original emphasis on militancy and revolutionary sentiments, akin to those preached by their Black American counterparts, they saw the movement as a radical break from previous Dalit movements. The Dalit Panther movement fought not only for Dalits' economic advancement, but also for the enforcement of their constitutional rights and the establishment of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In his interview with us J.V. Pawar reflects on the legacy Dalit Panthers have left behind and pitfalls, shifts, hopes from anti-caste movements.