An iconoclast with a powerful voice: A tribute to V.T. Rajashekar, editor of Dalit Voice

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*

In October 1991, while sitting at Lokayat, Dr. Mulk Raj Anand’s residence in Delhi, I came across a compelling letter in The Hindustan Times. It spanned three columns, critiquing casteism in the media. The author was V.T. Rajashekar, editor of Dalit Voice. Intrigued, I noted his address and wrote to him. To my surprise, he responded with a few issues of Dalit Voice and a personal note. That marked the beginning of a lifelong connection with a man who profoundly shaped my intellectual journey.

The Origins of Dalit Voice

Dalit Voice began in 1981, with its first supporter being Dr. Mulk Raj Anand, the renowned author of Untouchable. Anand encouraged Rajashekar, even suggesting the magazine’s name and offering financial assistance. However, their relationship fractured over the Punjab crisis of the 1980s. While Anand criticized terrorism, Rajashekar saw Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a leader for Dalits and condemned Operation Blue Star. Their differing views did not stem from ideology but personal interpretations of justice and oppression.

Rajashekar’s dismissal from The Indian Express had earlier garnered widespread attention. Anand reached out to him, impressed by his work, and urged him to start a publication. Rajashekar often spoke of Anand’s role in the magazine’s inception, but he was clear that their disagreement over Punjab strained their association.

A Global Vision for Dalit Empowerment

Rajashekar was not confined to India’s caste struggles; he linked Dalit issues to global movements, particularly the Black liberation struggle in the United States. He brought thinkers like Runoko Rashidi into Dalit Voice, fostering connections between oppressed communities worldwide. At a time when Dalit-Bahujan movements were largely insular, Rajashekar broadened their perspective, urging them to see themselves as part of a global fight against oppression.

For many, Dalit Voice was more than a magazine—it was an intellectual platform. Its reader’s column created a network, connecting contributors through published contact details. In an era before email and social media, Dalit Voice acted as a bridge, fostering solidarity among readers and activists. Rajashekar ensured every contributor received a copy of the issue featuring their letter, often with a personal note.

Courageous, Controversial, and Unapologetic

Rajashekar was unapologetically bold, often embracing controversial positions. He criticized Operation Blue Star and expressed solidarity with marginalized Sikhs and Muslims. Despite accusations of bias and promoting conspiracy theories, he remained steadfast in his commitment to challenging Brahmanism and advocating for oppressed communities.

His ideological stance sometimes invited criticism. His principle of "the enemy’s enemy is a friend" led to alliances that some Ambedkarites found problematic. For instance, his engagement with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during a World Black Conference in the 1980s drew scrutiny. Upon his return to India, his passport was confiscated, and he was later arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA). Nevertheless, he remained vocal, even as these controversies isolated him from sections of the Dalit-Bahujan community.

A One-Man Institution

For nearly 30 years, Dalit Voice was a one-man operation. Rajashekar handled editing, correspondence, and production with minimal assistance. Many assumed the magazine had a large staff, but it was largely his dedication that kept it running. Despite financial constraints, Dalit Voice became internationally recognized.

However, his centralization of control limited the magazine’s longevity. Younger generations found it challenging to engage with his rigid ideological framework, and the rise of digital platforms further diminished its readership. In his later years, even printers hesitated to publish the magazine, fearing repercussions in a politically charged climate.

A Lasting Legacy

Rajashekar’s unwavering convictions made him both respected and polarizing. While his rigid style and controversial alliances alienated some, his contribution to amplifying Dalit-Bahujan voices cannot be overstated. He gave a platform to overlooked narratives, introduced global perspectives, and inspired a generation of activists and writers.

His passing leaves a void in the Dalit-Bahujan intellectual landscape. Leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and organizations like BSP and BAMCEF failed to acknowledge his contributions, highlighting the challenges faced by independent intellectuals in India’s political sphere. However, tributes from Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin underscore his impact. Stalin aptly called him a "bold and uncompromising voice against caste oppression."

In reflecting on his life, I am reminded of his vision and the challenges he faced. Though Dalit Voice ceased publication, its influence endures. V.T. Rajashekar’s work reminds us of the power of independent thought and the courage required to confront entrenched systems of inequality.

---

*Human rights defender

Comments

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

Love letters in a lifelong war: Babusha Kohli’s resistance in verse

By Ravi Ranjan* “War does not determine who is right—only who is left.” Bertrand Russell’s words echo hauntingly in our times, and few contemporary Hindi poets embody this truth as profoundly as Babusha Kohli. Emerging from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kohli has carved a unique space in literature by weaving together tenderness, protest, and philosophy across poetry, prose, and cinema. Her work is not merely artistic expression—it is resistance, refuge, and a call for peace.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

The price of silence: Why Modi won’t follow Shastri, appeal for sacrifice

By Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey* In 1965, as India grappled with war and a crippling food crisis, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri faced a United States that used wheat shipments under the PL-480 agreement as a lever to dictate Indian foreign policy. Shastri’s response remains legendary: he appealed to the nation to skip one meal a day. Millions of middle-class households complied, choosing temporary hunger over the sacrifice of national dignity. Today, India faces a modern equivalent in the energy sector, yet the leadership’s response stands in stark contrast to that era of self-reliance.

Beyond sattvik: Purity, caste and the politics of the Indian kitchen

By Rajiv Shah A few week ago, I was forwarded an article that appeared in the British weekly The Economist . Titled “Caste and cuisine: From honeycomb curry to blood fry: India’s ‘untouchable’ cooking”, it took me back to what I had blogged about what was called a “ sattvik food festival”, an annual event organised by former Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad professor Anil Gupta.

Search This Blog