Despite the growing recognition of Dalit literature as a powerful critique of caste oppression, Dalit women have often remained on the margins of these narratives. In both Dalit and non-Dalit male-authored texts, they are frequently portrayed as passive victims, symbolic figures, or objects of pity, their voices mediated or silenced. This book critically examines these inadequate and distorted representations, exploring how caste, class, and gender intersect to shape Dalit women’s lived experiences and their literary portrayal.
Foregrounding the rise of Dalit feminism, the study highlights how Dalit women writers and theorists reclaim narrative authority, challenge male-centered and savarna perspectives, and assert their agency, resistance, and political consciousness. The once fragmented and subdued echoes have become assertive proclamations of wholeness and selfhood. Combining literary analysis with feminist and intersectional theory, this book offers a compelling reassessment of Indian Writing in English, emphasizing the necessity of inclusive, ethical, and transformative representation.
Essential reading for scholars and students of Indian literature, feminist studies, Dalit studies, and anyone interested in the politics of voice, representation, and social justice.
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Dr. Sakunthala Ph.D., D.Litt.
Prof. (Dr.) A.I. Sakunthala is an eminent scholar, literary critic and advocate of feminist thought, known for her deep engagement with women's issues. She holds both M. Phil. and Ph. D. degrees in Feminist literature, reflecting her longstanding commitment to explore gendered perspectives within literary traditions. She was awarded D.Litt. degree from Madurai Kamaraj University, for her significant research on Dalit feminist literature titled Grounds of Oppression and Sprouts of Optimism: An Enquiry into Dalit Feminist Discourses.
Dr. Sakunthala has published three books, Anita Desai and Margaret Atwood: A Comparative Study, Dalit Voices in Indian Poetry, and Dalit Feminist Literature: The Emergence of the New Woman.
Currently she is actively engaged in research on the problems faced by transgender communities: Gender Diversity: Anguish and Appraisal, thus extending her commitment to social justice and inclusively feminist issues.
Dr. Sakunthala was Professor and HOD of English, Sree Narayana College, Shoranur, Kerala and retired as Principal of the same college.
