(This interview was published in OneWorld South Asia in February 2010) For inclusive growth, there is need for dual policy with share of benefit reaching to the poor and minorities, says Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Chairman, University Grants Commission, New Delhi. Breaking hierarchy and establishing a common public educational system with effective policy against discrimination will …
The ‘Death of Merit’ and a debate on caste discrimination in educational institutions
[ A Round Table India report ] Hyderabad, Aug, 07, 2011: The National Dalit Forum organized a screening of the ‘Death of Merit’ documentaries by the Insight Foundation, followed by a discussion on the suicides of Dalit students in institutions of higher education and on caste discrimination in campuses, today in the morning at Dr. …
Jotiba Phule and Tilak and the question of education for Women and non-Brahmins
—Anoop Kumar I am posting a few extracts from a paper written by Parimala V. Rao (“Educating Women and Non-Brahmins as ‘Loss of Nationality’: Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the Nationalist Agenda in Maharashtra“). This was published as an ocassional paper by the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi. She is also the author of …
Jotirao Phule: Shetkaryaca Asud (Part 4)
Translated by Gail Omvedt and Bharat Patankar Chapter 2 Since the white government bureaucrats are mostly in a stupor due to their life of luxury, they have no way of getting any information about the true condition of the farmers, and their overall carelessness allows Brahman employees to dominate all the government departments. Between the two, the farmers …
Dr. Suryakant Waghmore: Subalterns have a role in making of civil society
Dalit and Adivasi Students’ Portal (First published in the ‘Dalit and Adivasi Students’ Portal’ in 2010) Dr Suryakant Waghmore is an Assistant Professor, Centre for Social Justice and Governance, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. He has been recently awarded with his Doctorate degree from University of Edinburgh, Scotland …
Why Dalits in West Bengal are on protest
Manohar Mouli Biswas (First published in World Prout Assembly site in August 2007) Dalits are perhaps by their birth communist in nature. They are born in the graded inequality of the society and as a result what happens they have to face the lot of sufferings in their daily life. They are by birth …
Jotirao Phule: Shetkaryaca Asud (Introduction)
Translated by Gail Omvedt and Bharat Patankar A brief introduction to Phule: Jotirao Phule (1827-1890) is considered a founder not only of the anti-caste movement; in Maharashtra he is also looked upon as father of the farmers’ movement, the women’s movement, and a bahujan-oriented environmental movement. He was born in a Mali (gardener jati) …
They ‘the people’, we ‘the untouchables’
by Chandrabhan Prasad It can happen only in India. In the US or South Africa, it will be beyond anybody’s imagination to indulge in any race-related discourse without involving Blacks. Last Sunday, Star News organised a debate on caste in We The People, hosted by Barkha Dutt, otherwise a fairly “secular” person by persuasion …
DU: Hindustan’s other Nathdwara
by Chandrabhan Prasad About a decade back, Rajasthan’s Nathdwara town was in the news. The town houses a Hindu temple into which Dalits are not allowed. The maverick Arya Samaj sadhu Swamy Agnivesh had organised a march to accord Dalits their right to enter the temple. Read More Most newspapers wrote lengthy editorials condemning the …