This is a list of notable Dalit individuals, categorized by their contributions across various fields and professions.
Academics
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, economist and politician[1]
- Meghnad Saha, astrophysicist who developed the Saha ionization equation[2]
- Narendra Jadhav, economist, writer and educationist[3]
- Satyendra Murli, researcher, media pedagogue and journalist[4][5]
- Sukhadeo Thorat, economist and Padma Shri recipient[6]
Activists
- Anand Teltumbde, Indian scholar, writer, and human rights activist[7][8]
- K.P. Ashwini, UN Special rapporteur on racism from 2022[9][10]
- Ayyankali, Indian social reformer[11]
- Gopal Baba Walangkar, activist[12]
- Immanuvel Sekaran, a freedom fighter and civil rights activist[13]
- Kuyili, freedom fighter and Commander in Chief of Velu Nachiyar[14]
- Meena Kandaswamy, poet and Dalit activist[15]
- Manu Bheel former bonded laborer and human rights activist from Pakistan[16]
- Rettamalai Srinivasan, activist and politician[17]
- Uda Devi, freedom fighter[18]
Art
- Savindra Savarkar, Indian artist, known for his use of Buddhist imagery and Dalit subjectivity[19]
Cinema and television
- Kanjibhai Rathod, an Indian director, is considered the first successful director of Indian cinema[20][21]
File:Tamil Director Pa. Ranjith.jpg Kalabhavan Mani, actor and singer[22]Pa. Ranjith - Pa. Ranjith, director and filmmaker[23]
- P.K. Rosy, first heroine in Malayalam cinema[24]
- Tun Tun, actress and comedian of Hindi cinema[25]
- Neeraj Ghaywan, director[26][27]
- Nagraj Manjule, director[28]
- Archana Gautam, Indian actress and winner of Miss Bikini India 2018.[29]
Literature
- Annabhau Sathe, Indian folk poet, writer, and social worker from Maharashtra.[30]
- Shailendra, Indian poet and lyricist[31]
- Baburao Bagul, Marathi writer[32]
- Daya Pawar, Marathi writer who received Padma Shri[33]
- Lal Singh Dil, Punjabi poet[34]
- Namdeo Dhasal, Marathi poet and writer from Maharashtra[35]
- Neerav Patel, first Dalit poet to write poetry in English[36]
- Om Prakash Valmiki, Hindi poet and writer[37]
- P. Sivakami, Dalit-feminist Tamil writer[38]
- Yashica Dutt, Indian writer and journalist[39]
- Manoranjan Byapari, Bengali writer, Activist and chairman of west Bengal Dalit Sahitya Academy
Music
- Ilaiyaraaja, Indian music composer[40][41]
- Amar Singh Chamkila, Indian Punjabi singer and songwriter[42]
- Arivu, Indian rapper and songwriter[43]
- Ginni Mahi, Indian singer[44]
- Sumeet Samos, Indian anti-caste rapper[45]
- Vedan, Indian rapper and songwriter [46]
Politicians
- K. R. Narayanan, 10th president of India (1997–2002) and 9th vice president of India (1992–1997)[47]
- Ramnath Kovind, 14th President of India[48]
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- G. M. C. Balayogi, 12th Speaker of the Lok Sabha and MP of Amalapuram[53]
- Meira Kumar, 1st Woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- Suraj Bhan, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Governor of Himachal Pradesh and UP, Bihar[54]
| S.no | Photo | Name | State | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:Damodaram Sanjivayya 2008 stamp of India.jpg | Damodaram Sanjivayya | Andhra Pradesh | First Dalit Chief Minister of an Indian state.[55][56] |
| 2 | File:Bhola Pawan Shastri portrait.jpg | Bhola Paswan Shastri | Bihar | First Dalit Chief Minister of Bihar.[57] |
| 3 | File:Ram Sundar Das portrait.jpg | Ram Sundar Das | Former Chief Minister of Bihar.[58] | |
| 4 | File:Mayawati.jpg | Mayawati | Uttar Pradesh | First Dalit woman Chief Minister in India.[59] |
| 5 | File:Jagannath Pahadia.jpg | Jagannath Pahadia | Rajasthan | First Dalit Chief Minister of Rajasthan.[57] |
| 6 | File:Sushilkumar Shinde.jpg | Sushilkumar Shinde | Maharashtra | First Dalit Chief Minister of Maharashtra. |
| 7 | File:Jitan Ram Manjhi June 2024 cropped.jpg | Jitan Ram Manjhi | Bihar | Former Chief Minister of Bihar. |
| 8 | File:Channi.jpg | Charanjit Singh Channi | Punjab | First Dalit Sikh Chief Minister.[60][61][62][63] |
| S.no | Photo | Name | State(s) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:Suraj Bhan.jpg | Suraj Bhan | Uttar Pradesh | Served as Governor of multiple Indian states and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.[64] |
| 2 | File:Buta Singh (headshot).jpg | Buta Singh | Bihar | Former Union Home Minister; served as Governor of Bihar.[65] |
| 3 | File:Ram Nath Kovind official portrait.jpg | Ram Nath Kovind | Bihar | Served as Governor of Bihar (2015–2017); later became the 14th President of India.[66] |
| 4 | File:Baby Rani Maurya in 2022 (cropped).jpg | Baby Rani Maurya | Uttarakhand | Served as Governor of Uttarakhand (2018–2021).[67] |
| 5 | File:Thawar Chand Gehlot.jpg | Thawar Chand Gehlot | Karnataka | Former Union Minister; appointed Governor of Karnataka in 2021.[68] |
| 6 | File:R. S. Gavai.jpg | R. S. Gavai | Bihar Sikkim Kerala |
Former Governor of multiple Indian states; senior Dalit leader of the Republican Party of India.[69][70] |
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Politicians
- Jogendra Nath Mandal, one of the central figures in creation of the state of Pakistan; later a government minister[71]
- Dakshayani Velayudhan, Indian politician and the sole Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly.[72][73]
- Ram Vilas Paswan, 11 times Member of Parliament and many times Minister in the Union Government; founder and President of Lok Janshakti Party[74]
- Ram Ratan Ram, Member of Parliament 1984-1989, MLA and Minister in Bihar State 1952-1984 [75]
- Kanshi Ram, founder of Bahujan Samaj Party, a Dalit leader and Bahujan Nayak of India[76]
- Bangaru Laxman, former President of Bharatiya Janta Party[77]
- Kirpa Ram Punia, Dalit leader, former IAS officer, and politician[78]
- B. Shyam Sunder, founder of Bharatiya Bhim Sena[79]
- Shambhavi Choudhary, Lok Sabha MP from Samastipur[80]
Religion and reform
- Chokhamela, poet and saint from Maharashtra, India during 13th–14th century[81][82]
- Ravidas, Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement during the 15th–16th century CE.[83]
- Harichand Thakur, established the Matua sect of Vaishnavite Hinduism[84]
- Swami Achhootanand, 20th century Indian social reformer, established the Adi Hindu movement.[85]
- Marampudi Joji, third Archbishop of Hyderabad[86]
- Gallela Prasad, fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuddapah, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India[87]
See also
References
- ↑ LibGuides: Dalits: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Library, International and Area Studies. guides.library.illinois.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- ↑ Dr Meghnad Saha & Rocket Boys. Times of India Blog(2022-03-02). Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- ↑ Dalit Dreams. Times of India(16 January 2004). Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ↑ 'A largely Upper-caste Media is Not Good for India's Democracy'. The Wire. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ↑ Dalits in media feel the sting of caste discrimination. Firstpost(13 August 2013). Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ↑ Dalits beat the drums of pride. The Times of India(22 December 2002). Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ↑ Anand Teltumbde: Of a frank and fearless mind. The Indian Express(2024-01-21). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Anand Teltumbde: Cards and letters for jailed India scholar as he turns 70(1 September 2020).
- ↑ Kolar woman appointed UNHRC special rapporteur, DHNS. Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
- ↑ Dalit woman scholar from Karnataka appointed UNHRC Special Rapporteur. The Hindu(2022-10-19). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Forgotten Hero: Ayyankali, the Dalit Legend Who Brought Social Justice to Travancore. The Better India(17 October 2017). Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ↑ India's Dalits: Racism and Contemporary Change. Global Dialogue({Template:Year).
- ↑ Freedom fighter, Dalit icon: Remembering Tamil Nadu's Immanuel Sekaran(11 September 2016). Retrieved 2026-04-08.
- ↑ Of valour and victory. The Hindu(2013-07-25). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- ↑ A Female Dalit Poet Fights Back in Verse. Wall Street Journal(2011-01-23). Retrieved 2021-05-18.
- ↑ Pakistan: Manu Bheel, Sindh Province. The International Dalit Solidarity Network. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ↑ Remembering Rettamalai Srinivasan, the Lasting Emblem of Dalit Political Aspiration. thewire.in. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ↑ Don't remember the 1857 Mutiny with Rani of Jhansi alone. You're missing out on Uda Devi. ThePrint(2022-04-18). Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- ↑ 'In all my years, no gallery has represented me': Savindra Sawarkar on Brahmanism in the arts, Sharma, Kamayani. Scroll.in. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
- ↑ A dalit director called shots in '20s. The Times of India(2012-05-20). Retrieved 2024-12-16.
- ↑ Gujarati Dalit Kanjibhai Rathod was Bollywood's 1st professional director, made 50+ silent films, Kothari, Urvish. ThePrint(2023-08-01). Retrieved 2024-12-16.
- ↑ Kalabhavan Mani could sing, dance and act with his entire body(8 March 2016).
- ↑ I don't want to be known as a Dalit filmmaker: Kabali director. Indian Express(29 July 2016). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ↑ How a Grass Cutter's Child Became Indian Cinema's First Dalit Woman Actor. The Better India(29 January 2021). Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ↑ Dalits in Indian cinema, चैहान, Jitesh Singh Chauhan जीतेश सिंह. Forward Press(1 February 2015). Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ↑ Neeraj Ghaywan responds to Vivek Agnihotri's Dalit tweet; Twitter lines up in support of the Masaan director. Firstpost(2022-01-04). Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ↑ Template:Cite tweet
- ↑ The caste story is not over yet: Nagraj Manjule. Hindustan Times(2014-03-02). Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ↑ I have come to break draupadi's curse. Times of India. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ↑ Annabhau Sathe: Revolutionary Poet, Novelist, Playwright and Social Reformer – Janata Weekly. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ Shailendra: Poet of the masses. The Hindu(2021-08-26). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ The Epic Of Dalit Literature: When I Hid My Caste By Baburao Bagul, Pant, Parth. Feminism In India(2019-12-15). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- ↑ Daya Pawar. www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- ↑ Dalit writing, global contexts: Re-examining the legacy of Lal Singh Dil, Punjab's 'Poet of the Revolution', Maitreya, Yogesh(5 August 2019). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ↑ Kamatipura (poem). www.poetryinternationalweb.net. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
- ↑ Neerav Patel, poet and pioneer of Dalit literature in Gujarat, passes away; but power of his verses lives on. Firstpost(21 May 2019). Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ↑ Joothan: An Untouchable's Life{{#if:Valmiki|, Valmiki}. Columbia University Press(July 2008). ISBN 978-0-231-50337-2
- ↑ Bureaucracy treated me like an untouchable: Ex-IAS officer Sivakami (IANS Interview). Business Standard India(4 February 2016). Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ↑ Hiding myself and coming out as a Dalit was a privileged decision: Yashica Dutt. The Indian Express(2020-01-29). Retrieved 2021-07-07.
- ↑ An Artiste of the Millennium: Ilaiyaraaja at 75. The Wire. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Ilayaraja ranked no. 9 in global ranking of Top 25 Composers | MediaNews4U(2014-04-13). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Mehsampur: A film in search of a film on the 'Elvis of Punjab'. The Week. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ↑ How rapper Arivu of Enjoy Enjaami fame, is channeling the stories of his ancestors to assert himself culturally. The Indian Express(2024-08-31). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Ginni Mahi: Meet the young Punjabi Dalit singer spreading Ambedkar's message. Firstpost(2016-06-05). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ Rapper Sumeet Samos Narrates A Short Story of Caste Based Institutional Discrimination In JNU - The Companion. The Companion(2017-10-22). Retrieved 2018-08-12.
- ↑ Casteism is deep-rooted in Kerala: Malayalam anti-caste rapper Vedan, Abraham, Korah. The News Minute(2021-05-30). Retrieved 2025-01-12.
- ↑ KR Narayanan — the President who didn't hesitate to call a spade a spade. ThePrint(2019-11-09). Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ India Picks Ram Nath Kovind, ' as President. The New York Times(20 July 2017). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ↑ Jagjivan Ram. Der Spiegel(26 August 1979). Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ↑ The Dalit who was not allowed to sit with the Upper Castes had passed Matriculation from Benaras Hindu University. From Untouchables "Chamars" to Minister of India. Jagjivan Ram, the Dalit Leader of India Template:ISBN by S.R, Bakshi.
- ↑ Jagivan Ram: The Harijan Leader{{#if:Bakshi|, Bakshi}. South Asia Books(1992-01-01). ISBN 978-81-7041-496-4
- ↑ Jagjivan Ram – Deputy Prime Minister of India. National Portal of India. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ↑ Suraj Bhan for Vice-President? | India News - Times of India. The Times of India(Jul 17, 2002). Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ↑ Wankhede or Punjab or Bengal, why Dalit rights panel is accused of being partisan to BJP. ThePrint(2021-11-08). Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ↑ Old-age pension, the brainchild of Sanjeevaiah. The Hindu(2016-02-13). Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ Damodaram Sanjivayya Dead; Head of India's Congress Party (Published 1972)(1972-05-08). Retrieved 2024-12-15.
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 Before Punjab CM Channi, here are Dalit leaders who held top post in country. Hindustan Times(2021-09-21). Retrieved 2022-04-11.
- ↑ Template:Cite magazine
- ↑ Mayawati plays Dalit card after being checked twice by Election Commission's flying squad, PTI. India Today(2013-04-27). Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ↑ Charanjit Singh Channi: Punjab's first Sikh Chief Minister - Know all about him. Times Now(20 September 2021). Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- ↑ As Charanjit Channi takes oath as Punjab's 1st Dalit Sikh CM, a look at past Dalit CMs of India. The Print(20 September 2021). Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- ↑ Charanjit Channi Takes Oath as First Dalit CM of Punjab Amid Fresh Infighting, Gets 2 Deputies. india.com(20 September 2021). Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ↑ Cong picks Channi as Punjab CM, first Dalit to get the top spot in state. Business Standard(20 September 2021). Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ↑ Suraj Bhan sworn in as Bihar Governor. Hindustan Times(2006-08-07).
- ↑ Buta Singh appointed Bihar Governor. The Hindu(2004-11-05).
- ↑ Ram Nath Kovind appointed Bihar Governor. The Hindu(2015-08-08).
- ↑ Baby Rani Maurya appointed Uttarakhand Governor. Hindustan Times(2018-08-26).
- ↑ Thawar Chand Gehlot appointed Karnataka Governor. The Hindu(2021-07-06).
- ↑ R.S. Gavai appointed Kerala Governor. The Hindu(2006-06-22).
- ↑ Former Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai passes away. The Hindu(2015-02-25).
- ↑ Dalits' dream of Pakistan. DAWN.COM(9 May 2016).
- ↑ Founding Mothers of the Indian Republic{{#if:Chetan|, Chetan}. Cambridge University Press(2023). ISBN 978-1-108-83256-4
- ↑ Remembering Dakshayani Velayudhan, the lone Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly, Balan, Saritha S.. The News Minute(2018-11-26). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ 'Ram Vilas Dalit face wherever you go, Jitan Ram Manjhi can be Mahadalit face'. The Indian Express(2015-07-29). Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ↑ Encyclopaedia of Dalits in India: Struggle for self liberation{{#if:Paswan|, Paswan}. Gyan Publishing House(2002). ISBN 978-81-7835-066-0
- ↑ Kejriwal to visit BSP founder Kanshi Ram's family. Hindustan Times(2016-03-07). Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ↑ Who was Bangaru Laxman?. India Today(1 March 2014). Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ↑ Former Haryana Minister K R Punia joins Cong(22 June 2010). Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ↑ There were some Dalit leaders like B. Shyam Sunder, who vociferously said: "We are not Hindus, we have nothing to do with the Hindu caste system, yet we have been included among them by them and for them.", Hegde, Sanjay. The Hindu(14 April 2015). Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- ↑ Meet The Youngest Dalit Lady Candidate, MASIH, ARCHANA. Rediff. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ↑ From Untouchable to Dalit: Essays on the Ambedkar Movement{{#if:Zelliot|, Zelliot}. Manohar(1996). ISBN 978-81-7304-143-3
- ↑ Chokhamela: The Outcast Who Found His Way Into The Hearts of Many, Sud, Nina. Paraphernalia(5 July 2018). Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ↑ Untouchable Saints: An Indian Phenomenon{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Manohar(2005). ISBN 978-81-7304-644-5
- ↑ As PM Modi Addresses Event on His 211th Birth Anniversary, A Glimpse of The Life of Harichand Thakur. News18(2022-03-29). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
- ↑ Remembering Swami Achutanand: The Pioneer of Dalit Identity and Consciousness in North India. The Wire. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ↑ India's First Dalit Archbishop Holds 'No Grudge' Over Predecessor's Attack. ChristianityToday.com.
- ↑ Church hierarchy accused of ignoring attack on Dalit bishop. ucanews.com.