Living shudras are a huge repository of their history. Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd A creative illustration of the Indus Valley Civilisation. |Tejavalli reddy(1830787), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Shudra history survives and exists in the furrows of agrarian lands and in artisanal fossils and living tools. The living shudras are also a huge repository of … Continue reading Why shudras must build museums of agrarian and artisinal instruments

by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd When I was researching for my latest book The Shudra Rebellion I went back into ancient Indian literature to find out whether there was a philosophical school called Agriculturism around pre-Vedic and Vedic period. I did not find any written evidence about this school. I looked at the possibility of such schools … Continue reading Philosophy of Agriculturalism in Ancient India

Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd  Reservation is not the cause of caste – it is a consequence. Without dismantling caste-based discrimination, even reservations cannot create a level playing field.  Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty In an earlier article, I discussed how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan, “Ek Rahenge To Safe Rahenge (If we remain one, we will be safe)”, is intended … Continue reading How a Caste Census Can Lead Us Towards a Casteless India 

by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd V T Rajshekar’s death, on 20 November, 2024, though at the age of 93, saddens me deeply in one sense, but allows me to celebrate his life and legacy. He was a friend and a guide of courage and confidence for activists and writers like me across India and beyond. Because of … Continue reading V T Rajshekar: A Shetty Converted To Dalitism Left A Legacy That India Never Knew Before