SOME OF THE DALITS THAT CHANGED THE NATION WITH THEIR WORK AND THINKING....

Politics

·         B. R. Ambedkar

·         Mayawati, four time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

·         K. R. Narayanan, Former President of India

·         Kanshi Ram, Founder of Bahujan Samaj Party

·         B. Shyam Sunder, dalit leader. and founder Bharatiya Bhim Sena

Reformers and religious leaders

·         Ayyankali, mahatma and reformer

·         Giani Ditt Singh, started Singh Sabha Movement to bring dalits of Punjab to sikh-fold.

·         Bhagu, a devotee of Krishna

·         Mangu Ram Mugowalia, started Ad-Dharmi movement

·         Rettamalai Srinivasan, reformer

Sports

·         Vithal Palwankar, cricketer

·         Vinod Kambli, cricketer

Saints

Main article: Dalit saints of Hinduism

Other

·         K. G. Balakrishnan, Former Chief Justice of India

·         V. T. Rajshekar, journalist and founder of Dalit Voice

                  1. DR. BHIMRAO  RAMJI AMBEDKAR(B.R AMBEDKAR)

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar . 14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination against Untouchables (Dalits), women and labour. He was Independent India's first law minister and the principal architect of the Constitution of India.

Ambedkar was a prolific student, earning a law degree and various doctorates from Columbia University and the London School of Economics, and gained a reputation as a scholar for his research in law, economics and political science. In his early career he was an economist, professor, and lawyer. His later life was marked by his political activities; he became involved in campaigning and negotiations for India's independence, publishing journals advocating political rights and social freedom for Dalits, and contributing significantly to the establishment of the state of India. In 1956 he converted to Buddhism, initiating mass conversions of Dalits.

In 1990, the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred upon Ambedkar. Ambedkar's legacy includes numerous memorials and depictions in popular culture.

                                                2.  KR NARAYAN

Born in Perumthanam, Uzhavoor village, in the princely state of Travancore (present day Kottayam district, Kerala), and after a brief stint with journalism and then studying political science at the London School of Economics with the assistance of a scholarship, Narayanan began his career in India as a member of the Indian Foreign Service in the Nehru administration. He served as ambassador to Japan, United Kingdom, Thailand, Turkey, People's Republic of China and United States of America and was referred to by Nehru as "the best diplomat of the country".^[1] He entered politics at Indira Gandhi's request and won three successive general elections to the Lok Sabha and served as a Minister of State in the Union Cabinet under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Elected as the ninth Vice President in 1992, Narayanan went on to become President in 1997. He was the first – and, so far, only – member of the Dalit community, to hold the post.

Narayanan is regarded as an independent and assertive President who set several precedents and enlarged the scope of the highest constitutional office. He described himself as a "working President" who worked "within the four corners of the Constitution"; something midway between an "executive President" who has direct power and a "rubber-stamp President" who endorses government decisions without question or deliberation.^[ He used his discretionary powers as a President and deviated from convention and precedent in many situations, including – but not limited to – the appointment of the Prime Minister in a hung Parliament, in dismissing a state government and imposing President's rule there at the suggestion of the Union Cabinet, and during the Kargil conflict. He presided over the golden jubilee celebrations of Indian independence and in the country's general election of 1998 became the first Indian President to vote when in office, setting another new precedent.

                                                    3.     SRI     B.   SHYAM    SUNDER

Bharatiya Bhim Sena founder Sri B. Shyam Sunder (21 December 1908 – 19 May 1975) was born in Aurangabad district inMaharashtra State, India. His father was Sri B. Manicham, a railway employee, and his mother Smt Sudha Bai and had one younger sisiter. He was a political thinker, jurist, prolific writer, parliamentarian and a Revolutionary leader In 1937, he founded the Dalit-Muslim unity movement at Parbhani in Aurangabad, Maharashtra and urged his people to join hands with Muslims.He was a Legislator representing Andhra Pradesh and Mysore State.

In 1956, He established "All India Federal Association of Minorities" at Hyderabad and finally organised a movement for Bahujans in 1968 at Lucknow district in Uttar Pradesh State and formally declared that Minorities slogan "India is ours."^[He inaugurated Bhim Sena, a voluntary corps force, at Gulbarga in Karnataka State which later spread to all parts of India. V. T. Rajshekar an eminent Dalit scholar, writer and editor Dalit Voice credited him as Father of Dalits Movements in India.

                                                4.  VINOD   GANPAT   KAMBLI

 Vinod Ganpat Kambli ( (born 18 January 1972) is a former Indian cricketer, who played for India as a middle order batsman, as well as for Mumbai and Boland, South Africa. He is a childhood friend of the Indian cricketerSachin Tendulkar. Currently he appears as a cricket expert and commentator on various television channels. He has also appeared on various reality shows and done few serials and Bollywood films as an actor.

Kambli hails from Indira Nagar, Kanjurmarg, a suburb of Mumbai.The small patch of land that served as his first cricket pitch was surrounded on all sides by high-rise buildings.The scoring system was dictated by the lack of space, and the higher a batsman hit the ball into the buildings the more runs he scored. It explains why Kambli was one of the best over-the-top hitters of spin bowling.

He shared an unbroken partnership of 664 runs in a school match against St. Xavier's School, Fort, with Sachin Tendulkar.Kambli contributed 349 runs before their coach Acharekar forced the pair to declare; he then took 6 wickets for 37 in St. Xavier's first innings. Kambli, who started his Ranji trophy career with a six off the first ball he faced,soon followed Sachin in to the Indian team. Kambli made two double-centuries and two centuries in seven tests. He played his last Test match at the age of only 2  and formally announced his retirement from first class cricket on 22 September 2011. He played his last ODI in the year 2000.

·         Test debut: India vs England at Kolkata, 1st Test, 1992/93

·         Last Test: India vs New Zealand at Cuttack, 3rd Test, 1995/96

·         ODI debut: India vs Pakistan at Sharjah, Wills Trophy, 2nd Match, 1991/92

·         Last ODI: India vs Sri Lanka at Sharjah, Coca-Cola Champions Trophy, 2000/01

On 15 August 2009, Kambli launched his Khel Bharti Sports Academy^[ in Mumbai and announced his retirement from cricket as he wished to coach at Khel Bharti Academy.

At last Vinod Kambli's sub-conscious mind has revealed that stunning truth. "I always felt discriminated against by the cricket board because of my caste and colour" Yes, Kambli was just another victim of a hidden social bias in Indian cricket. Not at all a wonder, this is not just the story of Vinod Kambli, It is the fate of all dalits from the day cricket was born in India. Indian cricket Board has always alienated the marginalised sections, the deprived, the lowered castes, the ethnic nationalities and dalits. Believe it or not, the 4% Brahmin's in India have on an average more than 70 pc representation in the Indian cricket teams. Its not a a mere coincidence that Gavaskar, Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Kumble, Tendulkar, Laxman and many other stalwarts of the Indian cricket are Brahmins. As of my knowledge only two dalits have so far represented India in his 75 years of history (Balwanth Paloo from Karnataka and Vinod Kambli). Balu Palwankar was the first Dalit to be chosen as a member of the Indian team which played in England in 1911. Vinod Kambli , who created a world record with the Tendulkar was the second dalit member in Indian cricket member. But where is tendulkar now and Kambli is completely forgotten. Kambli scored Bradmanesque in the first two Series While coming back with the good results in the first 4 series. He was the third Highest Scorer in the 1996 World Cup and had the second best average in the World Cup. Vinod Kambli was forced retire with an over 50 average due to not being given enough chances. He was surely targeted by the elite BCCI bosses who promoted only elite players in Indian cricket. This discrimination can be seen not only seen in cricket grounds, but also in the movies which made cricket as the major theme. One classic example is the movie Lagan itself, this is indeed a movie which insults Dalit cricketers. The main actor Aamir Khan who is the upper caste Bhuvan is the leader of the team. The untouchable Kachra finds his place in the team because he is handicapped. Why should the dalits be portrayed as physically handicapped. The reason is simple, upper cast directior Ashutoish Gowarikar wants to portray that Dalits  as a physically inferior race. Kachra"s talent comes only because of his handicap. In the climax of the movie they even make the upper caste Bhuvan to score the winning six. On December 21st, 2003, two Dalit youths in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh were brutally murdered by Rajputs in the village. The major cause for this murder was the defeat in successive cricket matches that was considered an insult to Rajputs who considered themselves invincible and the least to be beaten by the 'dirty and good for nothing" dalits. The village pradhan is suspected to be behind in these ghastly murders. For poor Dalits who dare to use cricket as a way to achieve empowerment, these are the responses of upper caste elites and their institutionally entrenched cohorts. When can a dalit dream of playing in Indian tream ? When humanity is lost so terribly? Legendary sports broadcaster John Arlott had once said sport reflected its society. It truly does in India. While the British used it Cricket as tool to maintain their imperialistic stranglehold, today it is being very well used by the corporate capitalists to maintain the great divide in India.

  5. DARATH MANJHI-  THE MOUNTAIN MAN (TIGER OF BIHAR)

Dashrath Manjhi (c. 1934 – 17 August 2007), also known as "Mountain Man" was a poor labourer in Gehlaur village, nearGaya in Bihar, India, who carved a path through a 360 ft long, 30 ft wide and 25 ft high hillock using only a hammer and chisel.After 22 years of work, Dashrath shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya town from 55km to 15km.

Early life and work

Dashrath Manjhi ran away from his home at a young age and worked at Dhanbad's coal mines. He returned to his village and married Phalguni Devi. While crossing Gehlour hills to bring him lunch, she slipped and seriously injured herself that eventually led to her death. Manjhi was deeply disturbed and that very night decided to carve a path through the Gehlour hills so that his village could have easier access to medical attention. He carved a path 360-foot-long (110 m), 25-foot-deep (7.6 m) in places and 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) to form a road through the rocks in Gehlour hill. He quoted that,

When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic but that steeled my resolve.

He completed the work in 22 years (1960–1982). This road reduced the distance between the Atri and Wazirganj sectors of the Gaya district from 80 km to 10 km. Though mocked for his efforts, he has made life easier for people of Gehlour village. Although he had cut a protected mountain, which is an offence under Indian wildlife protection act, his exemplary determination remains an inspiration. Later, Manjhi said.

Though most villagers taunted me at first, there were quite a few who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy my tools.

EVEN THIS HUGE MOUNTAIN SURRENDERED BEFORE THE STRONG DETERMINATION OF MANJHI                                                               (THE MOUNTAIN MAN)

Death

Manjhi died on 17 Aug 2007 at the age of 73, while suffering from gall bladder cancer in All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), New Delhi.

Recognition

For his feat, Manjhi became popularly known as the 'Mountain Man'. The Bihar government also proposed his name for the Padma Shree award in 2006 in social service sector.^[12] Nitish Kumar, the then Chief Minister of Bihar proposed to build a 3 km metalled road from Gahlaur named after Dashrath Manjhi and a hospital on his name in Gehlour village.

In popular culture

Films Division produced a documentary directed by Kumud Ranjan named The man who moved the mountain based on Manjhi's life in 2012. In July 2012, director Ketan Mehtaannounced a film Manjhi, based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi. While on his deathbed, Manjhi gave "exclusive rights" to make a film on his lifeNawazuddin Siddiqui played the role of Manjhi along with Radhika Apte as Phaguni Devi.The film released on 21 August 2015. Manjhi's deeds are referred to in the 2011 Kannada movie Olave Mandaradirected by Jayatheertha A supporting character in the 1998 Kannada movie Bhoomi Thayiya Chochchala Maga was based on Manjhi.

The first episode of Season 2 of the Aamir Khan hosted TV Show Satyamev Jayate, aired in March 2014, was dedicated to Dashrath Manjjhi.  Aamir Khan and Rajesh Ranjan also met Bhagirath Manjhi and Basanti Devi, son and daughter-in-law of Manjhi and promised to provide financial help.^[19] However, Basanti Devi died due to inability to afford medical care on April 1, 2014.

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                                                                                     SHUBHAM KUMAR

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