Makers of Modern Dalit History

<p>In late-nineteenth-century Kerala a man flamboyantly rode a <i>villuvandi </i>(bullock cart) along a road. What might sound like a mundane act was at that time a defiant form of protest. Riding animal-pulled vehicles was a privilege enjoyed only by the upper castes. This man hailing from the untouchable Pulaya community was attacking caste-based discrimination through his act. He was none other than Ayyankali a social reformer and activist. <p/>Featuring several such inspiring accounts of individuals who tirelessly battled divisive forces all their lives this book seeks to enhance present-day India's imagination and shape its perception of<br>the Dalit community. Based on original research on historical and contemporary figures such as<br>B.R. Ambedkar Babu Jagjivan Ram Gurram Jashuva K.R. Narayanan Soyarabai and Rani Jhalkaribai among many others <i>Makers of </i><i>Modern Dalit History</i> will be a significant addition to the Dalit discourse. This definitive volume on some of the foremost Dalit thinkers both past and present promises to initiate a much-needed conversation around Dalit identity history and politics.</p>