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Kancha Ilaiah

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Kancha Ilaiah
Born (1952-10-05) 5 October 1952 (age 72)
Papaiahpet, Hyderabad State, India
(now in Telangana, India)
EducationMA in political science, MPhil on land reforms in Andhra Pradesh
Occupation(s)Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive

Policy (CSSEIP) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University,

Hyderabad.
Known forWriter and speaker on Indian political thought, Dalit-Bahujan movement
HonoursMahatma Jyotirao Phule Award

Nehru Fellow 1994-97

Manyawar Kanshiram Smriti MAHANAYAK Puraskar for contribution in awakening of depressed masses in India.

Kancha Ilaiah (also known as Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd; born 5 October 1952) is an Indian academic, writer and activist for Christian and Dalit rights. He is a prolific writer in English and Telugu. His books include Why I am not a Hindu, Post-Hindu India: A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan, Socio-Spiritual and Scientific Revolution, God As Political Philosopher: Budha's challenge to Brahminism, A Hollow Shell, Turning the pot, tilling the land: Dignity of labour in our times, Untouchable God: A Novel on Caste and Race, The State and Repressive Culture, Manatatwam (in Telugu), and Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism.

Early life

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Kancha Ilaiah was born in the village of Papaiahpet, Warangal district, then in Hyderabad State.[1] His family belonged to the sheep-grazing Kuruma Golla caste. Ilaiah cited his mother as one of the people who shaped his political ideas. According to him, she was at the forefront of the Kurumas' struggle against the forest guards' discriminatory behaviour and was killed during a violent confrontation while protesting against police brutality.[2][dubious – discuss]

Professional life

Ilaiah has an M.A. degree in political science and an M.Phil. awarded for his study of land reform in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.[1] He has been a recipient of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Award and was a Nehru Fellow between 1994-97.[1]

Ilaiah has a Ph.D related to Buddhism. His paper was on God as political philosopher- Buddha challenge to Brahminism.[3] While working as an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Osmania University, several of Ilaiah's colleagues as well as academics affiliated with the university expressed, in an open-letter, their concern with respect to certain articles and opinions Ilaiah contributed to a local newspaper and advised him against writing material that could inflame sectarian discontent or prejudice.[1] Currently, he is serving as director of the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad.

Illaiah has supported English language as a way for empowerment of Dalits.[4][5][6] In May 2016, in protest against what he considers to be Brahmanic hegemony, Ilaiah revealed that he had appended Shepherd to his name. This choice recognised his family origins and, being an English word rather than Indian, was a symbolic break with the cultural norms that he believed Brahmins sought to impose on Indian society. He saw it as a tool for the upliftment of Dalits.[7]

Criticism

In February 2013, at the Jaipur Literary Festival, Ilaiah had a spat with Javed Akhtar over religion and Buddhism.[8] Ilaiah has also been criticised for believing in the now discredited Aryan Invasion theory.[7][9] In November 2015, Ilaiah said that if Vallabhbhai Patel had been Prime Minister of India, India would have become Pakistan.[10]

Appointments

Among Ilaiah's official appointments have been:[11]

  • Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad
  • Member of National Research Committee constituted by the Ministry of Social Justice, New Delhi
  • Member – ICSSR, New Delhi
  • Former Member of National Book Trust, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, New Delhi for three years
  • Member of Planning Commission Sub Committee to work out in agenda for Land Reforms for the XI Five Year Plan
  • Member of UGC Constitutional Committee to oversee the implementation of OBC reservations in all Central and State
  • Universities of India
  • Former member of Executive Council – Periyar/Maniyamma University, Tamil Nadu

Selected publications

  • Ilaiah, K. Why I Am Not a Hindu: A Sudra critique of Hindutva philosophy, culture and political economy (Calcutta: Samya, 1996) ISBN 8185604185
  • Ilaiah, K. God as Political Philosopher: Buddha's Challenge to Brahminism (Calcutta: Samya, 2001) ISBN 8185604444
  • Ilaiah, K. Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism (Calcutta: Samya, 2004) ISBN 818560469X
  • Ilaiah, K., & Vyam, D. (2007). Turning the pot, tilling the land: Dignity of labour in our times. Pondicherry: Navayana Pub. ISBN 9788189059095 OCLC 184927533
  • Ilaiah, K. Post-Hindu India: A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan, Socio-Spiritual and Scientific Revolution (SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2009) ISBN 9788132104339
  • Ilaiah, K. Untouchable God: A Novel on Caste and Race (Kolkata: Samya, 2011) ISBN 9788185604336 OCLC 828612357
  • Ilaiah, K (1989-01-01). The state and repressive culture: the Andhra experience. Hyderabad: Swecha Prachuranalu. OCLC 21518320
  • Bonner, A., Ilaiah, K., Saha, S. K., Engineer, A. A., & Heuze, G. (1994). Democracy in India: A hollow shell. Washington D.C: The American University Press. ISBN 1879383268 OCLC 470188534
  • Ilaiah, K; Nehru Memorial Museum and Library; Centre for Contemporary Studies (1995-01-01). Caste or class or caste-class a study in dalitabhujan consciousness and struggles in Andhra Pradesh in 1980s]. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library OCLC 436463940
  • Ilaiah, K., & Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. (1996). In search of the roots of anti-caste struggle: A Dalitist reading of the Buddhist discourse. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. OCLC 863611670
  • Ilaiah, K., & Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. (1997). Productive labour, consciousness and history: The Dalitabahujan alternative. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. OCLC 793342817
  • Ilaiah, K (1999-01-01). Reservations: experience as framework of debate OCLC 606215716
  • D'Souza, J., Ilaiah, K., Raj, U., & Dalit Freedom Network. (2004). Dalit Freedom: Now and forever; The epic struggle for Dalit forever. OCLC 930036331
  • Nisar, M., Kandasamy, M., & Ilaiah, K. (2007). Ayyankali: Dalit leader of organic protest. Calicut, Kerala: Other Books. ISBN 9788190388764 OCLC 437026595
  • Ilaiah, K (2010-01-01). The weapon of the other: Dalitbahujan writings and the remaking of Indian nationalist thought. Delhi: Longman. ISBN 9788177582468 OCLC 502268560
  • Manatatwam (in Telugu)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The attempt to censor my writings is part of a larger game plan". Rediff. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Kancha Ilaiah". Ambedkar.org. 16 November 2000. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Modi should ask sadhus to clean the streets".
  4. ^ "Introduce English in all schools, says Dalit scholar Kancha Ilaiah".
  5. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/interviews/Kancha-Ilaiah-Even-if-10-dalit-children-got-English-education-India-would-change/articleshow/18503625.cms
  6. ^ "In defence of English: Blame the Indian education system, not the language".
  7. ^ a b "Good Shepherd: Dalit thinker Kancha Ilaiah on name, caste". Hindustan Times. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ^ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/jaipur-literature-festival-ends-but-controversy-lingers/article4354622.ece
  9. ^ "Who are real Dalits of India".
  10. ^ "If Sardar Patel was PM, India would've become Pakistan: Kancha Ilaiah". Hindustan Times. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  11. ^ "3rd Cycle of Accreditation – NAAC, Self – Study Report, 2013" (PDF). Osmania University. 2013. p. 48. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
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