Assertion of Identity in Dalit Autobiographies

Assertion of Identity in Dalit Autobiographies i s a book which analyses the Dalit autobiographies written in the northern part of India. Dalit literature nowadays is the one of the most important streams of Indian literature irrespective of its language. Most of Dalit literature is in the genre of autobiography though a lot of short stories, memoires and poems also enrich it in large measure. This book is an outcome of a Minor Research Project (2011) funded by UGC New Delhi to study the five major autobiographies of Dalit writers in Hindi with an aim to understand the multifaceted ethos of Dalit assertion in these life narratives. Most of the works undertaken in this project have profound impact on Dalit consciousness and politics and have strong links to Dalit movements, either social or political. They are also important for the reason that caste discrimination still exists in many ways and it often results in conflicts in the northern areas of India. Written in a lucid and easy style the writer dwells upon how Dalit writers have expressed their pain and experience of life through autobiographies, how realistic they are and what impact have they brought in the thoughts of Dalits. The book can prove an invaluable asset to those researchers who wish to study Dalit literature and Politics.