Sanjeev Kumar and Babasaheb Kambale It’s very rare to witness the demolition of any space of Brahminical importance – for instance, spaces associated with Gandhi, Nehru, Savarkar, and Patel etc. However, it’s very common that the spaces belonging to historical figures who propounded fraternity, equality, freedom and justice for humanity such as Ambedkar, Phule, Periyar, and …
Ambedkarite Movement in Kalahandi, Odisha: Some Reflections
Bansidhar Deep Recently in Kalahandi, Odisha, Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary was celebrated on a big scale. This celebration was deliberated and pre-planned by the Ambedkarite groups at Kalahandi. Ironically, the right wing forces were also celebrating Ambedkar on their platforms for vote bank and other political purposes. Kalahandi is one of the backward districts …
A tribute to my teachers
Essay 5. ‘What Babasaheb Ambedkar Means to Me’ Gouri Patwardhan My first encounter with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar outside the school textbook was at the age of 31. I was working as an interpreter cum research assistant with a German documentary filmmaker on a film on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in 1997. That was the first …
Prof. K.Y. Ratnam – a true Ambedkarite framed on false charges
Agnes Amala (This note was written before the release of the 27 students and 2 teachers on bail. Round Table India shall continue to document all the courageous voices, of students and teachers alike, from UoH. We express great happiness at the release of the students and teachers, and also our continued support to …
Bloody untouchable: Stories of an assertive Ambedkarite Dalit – Part 1
Sanjay Patil Political tyranny is nothing compared to the social tyranny and a reformer who defies society is a more courageous man than a politician who defies Government.~ Dr. Bhimrao. R. Ambedkar The Rohith Vemula institutional murder which grabbed headlines in the last two months made me sit and write. I will be writing …
Death every night: Travails of an Ambedkarite in the Corporate Sector
The Guilty Warrior To begin with, I work in the so-called “Corporate” sector in India. I was brought up in a small town, in a Mahar stronghold in Maharashtra and grew up under the strong influence of the philosophies of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. I was fortunate in academics to do well, mostly with the …
Of Rohith and Yashica: Dalit Movement at a Crossroads?
Dr. Narendra Kumar Arya While the nation is aflame and furious, against the inhumane persecution caused by brahminical system prevalent in our public institutions leading to the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the coverage of Yashica Dutt’s revelations as a Dalit journalist has also been given importance (in NDTV, BBC Hindi, Indian Express, The Huffington Post …
Rohith Vemula’s Institutional Homicide: Systemic Brahmanical Ramifications in Indian Academia
Arpana Ingle The adjectives seem to be ceaseless when it comes to describing Rohith Vemula, a young Ambedkarite, politically vibrant, intellectual, bright, brave, courageous, student leader, activist fighting against injustice. Ambedkar had strongly asserted that ‘the village is nothing but a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow-mindedness and communalism.’ These words of Ambedkar …
Roy-Navayana on Savarkar’s path
Dhruwa R Introduction Gandhi is just an episode in Indian history and not an epoch maker…..it is the efforts taken on the part of the Congress party to keep celebrating Gandhi through various days, the artificial respirations given to keep Gandhi’s memory alive for the nation, otherwise Gandhi if left to the people would …