Silenced by caste, forged by resistance: Meet Urmila Pawar, the voice that forced India to confront its deepest shames
There is a kind of writing that does not simply tell a story. It breaks something open. It reaches into the parts of society that have been deliberately kept in shadow and holds a lamp up to them steadily, fearlessly, and without flinching. Urmila Pawar has been doing exactly that for over four decades. At the AutHer Awards 2026, the seventh edition of the prestigious joint initiative by JK Paper and The Times of India, Urmila Pawar received the Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that feels less like a culmination and more like a long-overdue acknowledgment of a voice that has always been essential, even when the world was not yet ready to hear it. She is 80 years old. And she has not stopped writing, fighting, or speaking. A childhood woven from poverty, caste, and quiet resistance Urmila Pawar was born in 1945 in Adgaon village of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, into the Mahar community, one of the communities that faced the most severe caste discrimination in Indian society. Her father’s insistence on educating his children led to Pawar eventually leaving the Konkan region for Mumbai to study. In a community where education for girls was not a given, this decision was quietly radical. She went on to earn a master’s degree in Marathi literature from the University of Mumbai, a woman from a Dalit family, in a system that had been designed to keep her out. When she was 12 years old, her family converted to Buddhism, inspired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. That conversion was not just religious. It was political. It was a declaration that they would no longer accept the identity that caste had forced upon them. And for Urmila Pawar, Buddhist philosophy would go on to shape every word she ever wrote. In 2003, Urmila Pawar published Aaydan in Marathi. The word “bamboo basketry” means things woven from bamboo, a direct reference to the work her mother did to survive. The English translation, titled The Weave of My Life: A Dalit Woman’s Memoirs, was published in 2009, translated by Maya Pandit. The autobiography covers many themes, including injustice, exploitation, hunger, poverty, and humiliation. But what makes it extraordinary is not the suffering it documents. It is the dignity and the clarity with which it is told. This memoir is not just a story but an account of a woman who believed that she had the power to create changes. The Weave of My Life questions the established norms and beliefs related to caste, class, and patriarchy. It explicitly challenges the deliberate neglect of histories related to caste oppression, struggles, and resistance. In this frank and intimate memoir, Pawar not only shares her tireless effort to surmount hideous personal tragedy but also conveys the excitement of an awakening consciousness during a time of profound political and social change. The book created a sensation. It was read, discussed, debated, and taught in universities. It was recognised as one of the most significant works of Dalit literature ever written by a woman. A life lived at the intersection of writing and activism Urmila Pawar’s contribution goes far beyond a single autobiography. She is the author of two acclaimed short story collections, Sahava Bot and Chauthi Bhint, and, with Meenakshi Moon, co-authored a book on the role of women in the Dalit movement. She is also a former actor of radical Marathi theatre and a playwright. For years she worked in the department of labour welfare for the government of Maharashtra. She was not writing from the comfortable distance of an academic or a literary professional. She was writing from within the lives she was documenting as a government officer, as a Dalit woman, and as someone who had lived the reality she put on the page. She is a prominent figure in the Dalit and feminist movements. Her writing is self-reflective and makes the reader ponder over these intimately felt oppressions. She also received the Matoshree Bhimabai Ambedkar Award in 2004 and was offered the Laxmibai Tilak Award, which she declined, a gesture that itself spoke to her unwillingness to accept recognition on terms she did not fully endorse. The Lifetime Achievement Award for Urmila Pawar is not simply recognition for a body of work. It is recognition for a body of resistance. She delicately navigated her readers through her long journey from the harsh landscape of the Konkan region to Mumbai, first as a Mahar and later as a woman as she challenged the conventions of both caste and gender to emerge as an activist and a strong literary voice. In a country where Dalit women’s stories have been systematically excluded from the literary mainstream, Urmila Pawar insisted on being heard. She wrote in Marathi, in the language of her community, about the lives that polite society preferred not to acknowledge. And she was right to insist. Because in order to begin to comprehend Dalit feminist writings, closely reading Pawar’s work is paramount to setting up a historical context for the Dalit feminist movement in Maharashtra. At 80, Urmila Pawar is not a relic of the past. She is a reminder that the most important stories are often the ones the world has worked hardest to suppress and that the writers who tell them anyway are the ones who matter most. Suggest a better headline for this and make it more engaging and impactful and deep and emotional. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit girl missing for a week: Missing case filed in Machhlishahr, police searching
A minor Dalit girl has been missing from Machhlishahr for the past week. Police have filed a missing person case and launched a search for her. The girl left home on July 19th and has not returned since. The girl’s father, who lives in a neighborhood in the city, stated that his 15-year-old daughter left home at around 10 a.m. on July 19th, saying she was going to the bus station. However, she did not return home until late evening. The girl’s family contacted her friends and relatives the next day to gather information, but found no trace of her. When no information was found despite repeated searches, the father filed a missing person report at the police station on Monday evening. In-charge Inspector Vineet Roy stated that a missing person report has been filed based on the father’s complaint. Police teams are actively searching for the girl. Abhishek Narayan Singh | Machhlishahr Jaunpur Courtesy: Hindi News
Two Bhopal police constables arrested for allegedly abducting and rap!ng minor Dalit girl
Two Madhya Pradesh Police constables have been arrested for the alleged abduction and rape of a minor Dalit girl in Bhopal. The incident reportedly occurred on July 22, and the survivor filed a complaint at Jahangirabad Police Station the following day, leading to the registration of an FIR and the prompt arrests of both accused. Bhopal Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shailendra Singh Chauhan identified the accused as constables Santosh Sen and Jitendra Singh. According to police, the men, who are serving police personnel, called the minor girl and took her away in a car. An officer familiar with the case said the pair allegedly lured her by claiming they were taking her to a birthday celebration. They then drove her to a secluded location where Santosh Sen is accused of raping her. Afterward, the men left the girl at a city square. A medical examination of the survivor has been conducted. She is currently at home and her condition is stable. The case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 137(2). Further investigation is underway. Courtesy : MM Note: This news is originally published on https:/muslimmirror.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
55-year-old arrested for killing Dalit man in Palamu
Daltonganj: Police on Tuesday arrested Ramesh Singh alias Mora Singh, 55, an accused in the daylight murder of Prabhunath Rajwar, 50, a Dalit man, under Pipra police station limits. Rajwar was allegedly attacked with a sharp-edged iron weapon, locally known as a baluwa, while playing cards under a banyan tree at Madhubana village around 1.30 pm on Monday. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, Daltonganj. Witnesses present at the spot identified Mora Singh as the assailant, police said. The accused allegedly fled immediately after the attack, abandoning the weapon near the crime scene. An FIR was lodged on Tuesday by the victim’s brother, Shyam Lal Rajwar. Pipra police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to murder, along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chhatarpur SDPO Prashant Kumar said during the interrogation, Singh confessed to the crime and cited a longstanding personal grudge against the victim. Caption: SDPO Chhatarpur Prashant Kumar addresses a news conference after the arrest of murder accused Ramesh Singh alias Mora Singh in Palamu on Tuesday. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Opinion: How important is it for a Dalit to lead the Jantar Mantar movement? Has GenZ changed the political agenda?
CJP Protest: The CJP movement against the NEET paper leak sparked a new debate in the country’s politics and society. Dalit youth Abhijeet Deepak led this movement, but he focused on issues like education, paper leaks, and unemployment rather than caste. Following the movement, the government accepted their key demands. Many see this as a sign of GenZ’s changing mindset, where opportunities, education, and employment are becoming more important to youth than caste. A movement that channeled the anger and frustration of young people in India has recently been in the headlines. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) launched a major movement and finally achieved the acceptance of its key demand. Most notably, this movement was led by a Dalit youth, Abhijeet Deepak. For the first time in India, a major mass movement was led by a Dalit, and that too, a movement that was not in favor of reservation. This clearly demonstrates that India’s younger generation is overcoming the curse of caste. This is a very positive development. Abhijeet Dipke, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, comes from a Dalit family. His father became an engineer from a poor village farmer family. Abhijeet did not prioritize caste in his movement. He clearly stated that his focus was on the education system, paper leaks, and unemployment. Allegations of leaks in exams like NEET, student suicides, and a lack of jobs were the issues. He demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In June 2026, he returned from the US and began a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Gradually, the movement spread to many cities across the country. Protests at Jantar Mantar and Dalit Abhijeet Dipke The protest at Jantar Mantar continued for approximately 36-37 days. The students remained steadfast even in the rain. Abhijeet himself was seen several times pleading with the police, asking for permission to erect a tarpaulin. On July 25, 2026, significant news broke. Talks were held between the government and the CJP. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. An assurance was given to withdraw the cases filed against the protesters. The CJP called off the agitation. Abhijeet said, “This proves that if you don’t fear, you can win.” Dalit Movement and History To understand this success, it’s important to examine the history of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has always been a stronghold of the fight for social justice. In the nineteenth century, Jyotirao Phule laid the first strong foundation in this direction. Phule himself belonged to the Mali caste, but he spoke out against the oppression of the upper castes. He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. Phule believed that education is the real weapon. Along with his wife, Savitribai Phule, he opened schools for girls and backward castes. This was a significant achievement at the time. Phule’s book “Gulamgiri” is still read today against the caste system. He clearly stated that the Brahminical system enslaved the Shudras and Atishudras. The Ambedkar Era After Phule After Phule came the era of Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Ambedkar belonged to the Mahar community of Maharashtra. He not only criticized the caste system but also waged an organized struggle against it. The Mahad Satyagraha and the Kala Ram Temple Entry Movement—these are pages of history. Ambedkar showed the path of education, organization, and struggle. While drafting the Constitution, he provided for reservations so that Dalits and backward classes could find a place in the mainstream. In 1956, he embraced Buddhism along with millions of followers. Ambedkar’s message was: Be educated, stay organized, and fight. Maharashtra, the land of the Dalit movement The Dalit movement has always been strong in Maharashtra because of these two great men. Later, leaders like Kanshi Ram and Mayawati gave it political strength, but its roots remain in Maharashtra. Ambedkarite thinking still runs deep in Marathwada and Vidarbha. Abhijeet Deepak also emerged from this soil. He held Ambedkar’s book in his hand and spoke about the Constitution. He talks about cleaning up education, ending exam malpractices, and giving opportunities to youth. Has Genji changed his political agenda? This reflects Genji’s thinking. Today’s youth has grown up on social media. Opportunity, employment, and respect matter more to them than caste. The older generation associated caste with every issue. The new generation considers issues as issues. Abhijit’s movement has become a symbol of this sentiment. It is remarkable that a Dalit leader has been able to garner such widespread support for a non-caste issue. This is change. Some critics will argue that caste still exists. Abhijit faced casteist attacks when he identified himself as a Dalit. But the support was overwhelming. Millions of young people stood with him without questioning his caste. This is change. Author: Vivek Shukla Courtesy: Hindi News
BJP bets on Ravidas Temple for Pan-India Dalit outreach before 2027
Varanasi: Ahead of UP and Punjab polls in 2027, the BJP will launch its mega Dalit outreach programme from Sant Ravidas Temple in Varanasi on Wednesday by taking out a countrywide Kalash Yatra. For this, BJP workers will carry 131 urns from the birthplace of 15th-century poet-saint Sant Ravidas to different parts of the country. The mega event will be flagged off on Wednesday in the presence of the UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the party’s national president Nitin Nabin. The temple has remained the nucleus of the BJP’s Dalit outreach since 2008, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting it three times since 2016. Led by BJP SC Morcha national president Lal Singh Arya and state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh, party workers gathered near the Ravidas Temple on Tuesday and filled 131 urns with soil from the saint’s birthplace. After worshipping the kalash, the party also organised a religious procession carrying the urns. On Wednesday, Yogi, Nabin and state president Pankaj Chaudhary will flag off the “Shri Guru Ravidas Maharaj Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan” with the same 131 urns to mark the 650th Prakash Parv of Sant Ravidas. The campaign will be formally inaugurated on Guru Purnima on Wednesday and, following a series of programmes, will conclude on Maghi Purnima on Feb 20, 2027. Maghi Purnima is celebrated as Ravidas Jayanti. The political significance of the temple increased when then chief minister Mayawati tried to develop a grand park at Sant Ravidas’ birthplace in Seer Gowardhanpur in 1997, although the bid was foiled by the Yadav-dominated local population. The BSP supremo attended the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations as chief minister in 2008 and gifted a golden palanquin to the temple. She also ensured the creation of Ravidas Park and a ghat in the saint’s name along the Ganga. Following Mayawati’s visits, politicians from almost all political parties began visiting the Ravidas temple as part of their Dalit outreach efforts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in 2016 and 2019 and also visited the temple in 2023. After participating in the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in 2018, CM Yogi visited the temple several times to monitor the ambitious project for the development of the saint’s birthplace. Apart from them, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi have also visited the temple in recent years. The satsang ground of the Ravidas temple at Seer Gowardhanpur, which witnessed the foiling of Mayawati’s dream project by SP functionaries in 1997, later hosted the rally of the then SP-BSP grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, addressed by Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati on May 6, 2019. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Farmers protest in Syana, serious allegations against accountant: Indefinite sit-in protest against indecency and illegal extortion of Dalit woman
On Monday, dozens of farmers, led by State Vice President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), Sunil Singh, staged a strong protest at the tehsil premises in Syana, Bulandshahr. They raised slogans and launched an indefinite sit-in, leveling serious allegations against a clerk posted at the tehsil. The farmers allege that the clerk misbehaved with a Dalit woman in Rukhi village. Furthermore, he is accused of illegally occupying the lands of dozens of farmers in the village and making illegal extortions from them on a daily basis. The protesters also alleged that the clerk is negligent in his official duties. Speaking to the media, State Vice President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), Sunil Singh, said, “This accountant is involved in corruption. He is disrespecting women and encroaching on the lands of poor farmers. Our indefinite sit-in will continue until this accountant is immediately transferred and a case is filed against him and strict action is taken.” The protesting farmers raised slogans against the administration in the tehsil premises. Farmer leaders demanded that the administration conduct a high-level investigation into the matter, take departmental action against the guilty accountant, and provide justice to the victim. They warned that if their demands were not met soon, the agitation would be intensified and a demonstration would be held at the district headquarters. Aman Tyagi | Syana (Bulandshahr), Bulandshahr Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit Youth Assaulted for Drinking Water From Public Pot in Rajasthan; FIR Registered After Court Order
Police in Rajasthan’s Balotra district have registered an FIR against a man accused of assaulting and abusing a Dalit youth with casteist slurs after he allegedly drank water from a public earthen pot outside a grocery shop. The case was registered at Gida Police Station following directions from an SC/ST court after the complainant alleged that police had failed to act on his earlier complaints. Victim alleges assault after drinking water According to the FIR, the incident took place on June 11 at around 7 pm near a bus stand in Khokhsar village under the Gida police station area. The complainant alleged that he was waiting for a bus to Chaba when, due to the heat, he drank water from a public earthen pot kept outside the grocery shop of the accused, identified as Rajuram Nai. He claimed the accused became angry, allegedly abused him using caste-based slurs and demanded money for drinking the water. When the complainant said he had no money, the accused allegedly slapped and punched him. The assault stopped only after local residents intervened, according to the complaint. The complainant further alleged that the accused later threatened to break his arms and legs and kill him if he pursued any action. Police registered case after court order The complainant said he reported the incident at Gida Police Station the following day and later sent a written complaint to the Balotra Superintendent of Police. However, alleging that no action was taken, he approached the SC/ST court. Following the court’s directions, Gida Police registered an FIR against the accused. Investigation underway Police said the case has been registered under Sections 115(2) and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human ri
Special Court Decision: Five Convicts in Narsinghpur Murder of Dalit Middle-Aged Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 14, 2025. Nitesh Mehra, a resident of Umaria village in the Gotegaon area, was called by accused Kamlesh Prajapati and abused… Read More Special Court Decision. Naidunia Representative, Narsinghpur. The court of Special Judge (Scheduled Castes/Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act) Manoj Kumar Ladhiya, delivering swift justice in a serious case of murder and caste-based atrocity, convicted five accused from the same family and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The Special Court convicted the accused, Kamlesh Prajapati (28), Annilal Prajapati (50), Akhilesh Prajapati (24), Chhotu alias Umesh (22), and Savita Bai (47) (all residents of Umaria village, Gotegaon police station) under sections 103(1)/190 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST Act and sentenced them to life imprisonment and a fine. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 14, 2025. Nitesh Mehra, a resident of Umaria village in the Gotegaon area, received a call from the accused, Kamlesh Prajapati, abusing him, and informing him that they were assaulting his father, Sukhlal Mehra. Nitesh immediately rushed to the scene (a gram field) and saw the accused brutally beating his father with sticks and kicks. Sukhlal suffered serious injuries due to a minor dispute (over leaving straw) and caste-based hatred. Sukhlal was later declared dead on the way to the hospital. Court Verdict and Sentence On behalf of the prosecution, ADPO Amit Kumar Rai presented strong evidence and oral arguments. The court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments and sentenced the five accused to life imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 rupees each under Section 103(1) of the IPC for murder. Kamlesh, Annilal, and Akhilesh were sentenced to 2 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 500 rupees each for rioting and other charges. Chhotu and Savita Bai were sentenced to 1 year’s rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 500 rupees each. BY VARIJ BAJPAIEDITED BY: NAVODIT SAKTAWAT Courtesy: Hindi News
Hathras Student Molested: Neighboring Youth Arrested, Police File Case
A case has been registered in Hathras Kotwali Sadar for the molestation of a Dalit girl. Police arrested the accused this afternoon. The incident occurred on the morning of July 20th, when a 17-year-old Dalit girl was on her way to computer coaching. In her complaint, the girl stated that Rizwan alias Nahna, son of Shamshad, who lived in a colony on Jalesar Road in the Kotwali Sadar area, stopped her on the way. The accused held her hand and made obscene remarks. The accused belongs to another community. When the girl protested, Rizwan abused her and used casteist slurs. As he left, he also threatened to kill her father. The girl returned home and informed her family about the incident. Acting on the complaint, the accused, Rizwan alias Nahna, has been arrested. Courtesy: Hindi News