About Dalit Voice
Dalit Voice was a groundbreaking political magazine founded in 1981 by V. T. Rajshekar, a former Indian Express journalist. Based in Bangalore, it quickly became India’s largest-circulated Dalit journal—known for its forthright, unapologetic advocacy for persecuted nationalities and marginalized communities denied human rights. Published fortnightly, it earned a reputation for its fierce critique of Brahminism, casteism, and racism, centering the liberation of Dalits, Backward Castes, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and women—those it identified as victims of Brahminical domination.
Dalit Voice: Amplifying Dalit-Bahujan Voices is the revival of this radical platform to carry forward that legacy, renewed for a different political moment. Revived under an ascendant Hindu nationalist regime, amid growing state repression and the erosion of civil liberties, Dalit Voice stands as both archival inheritance and political intervention. In an era where ideological clarity is bartered for strategic convenience, the magazine reasserts the necessity of sharp, radical critique to confront Brahminical caste order and its entanglement with other systems of oppression. Continuing VTR’s tradition of polemic and expansive anti-caste politics, Dalit Voice aims to unify Dalit-Bahujan-minority struggles against the structures that deny liberty, equality, and dignity.
At a time when surveillance, repression, and manufactured consensus threaten the very foundations of dissent, Dalit Voice returns not to commemorate the past, but to confront the present. This revival is grounded in the belief that political clarity and ideological courage are essential to challenging entrenched power. Through deep engagement and unapologetic critique, we seek to reignite the struggle for emancipation with the urgency it demands.
About VT Rajshekar
Vontibettu Thimmappa (VT) Rajshekar, born in 1932, is a pioneering ideologue of Dalit-Bahujan empowerment with a distinguished history of advocating for the rights of Dalits and other vulnerable groups in India. He began his journalism career at the Deccan Herald in 1959, later joining the Indian Express, where he served for 25 years. His profound understanding of social issues and commitment to fighting caste-based discrimination led him to found Dalit Voice, which Human Rights Watch describes as “India’s most widely circulated Dalit journal.”
Rajshekar’s work has spanned over half a century, during which he has tirelessly represented the sentiments and issues of Dalits, using his platform to challenge upper-caste hegemony and the Indian apartheid manifested in untouchability and casteism. Through Dalit Voice and numerous pamphlets and books, he has highlighted how caste serves as the foundational structure influencing politics, law, religion, and social institutions in India.
An accomplished author, Rajshekar has written over 100 books on various subjects, including caste, history, economics, politics, and religion. In 2005, his book “Caste – A Nation within the Nation” earned him the LISA International Award in London. Other books authored by Rajshekar include “Dalit: The Black Untouchables of India,” “Brahminism: Weapons To Fight Counter Revolution,” and “How Marx Failed In Hindu India,” among others.
Despite facing significant opposition, including arrests and being labelled a “dangerous person” by the Indian state, Rajshekar’s contributions have been widely recognised. In 2018, he was honoured with the Mukundan C. Menon Award for his unwavering dedication to advancing civil liberties and human rights. Rajshekar’s legacy continues to inspire the ongoing struggle for social justice and equality in India.