Voices Unchained: The Proliferation of Dalit Print Culture in Post-Independence India

Abstract

The proliferation of Dalit print culture in colonial and post-independence India marks a significant yet overlooked chapter in the history of India’s social movements. This paper examines how Dalit intellectuals, inspired by leaders like Swami Achhutanand, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the Adi Hindu movement, harnessed the power of the printed word to break centuries-old chains of Brahmanical domination. Beginning in the early 20th century, pioneering figures like Swami Acchutanand, Babu Ramcharan, and Chandrika Prasad Jigyasu established presses and periodicals that gave a voice to the voiceless. These publications were more than news outlets; they were instruments of consciousness-raising and resistance. Despite constitutional promises of equality, Dalits faced continued discrimination and exclusion, which fuelled their determination to create independent spaces of expression. Small presses and locally published booklets proliferated across Uttar Pradesh, with cities like Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, and Lucknow emerging as hubs of Dalit journalism. These publications critiqued the failures of the Indian State, recorded atrocities, demanded protective discrimination, and offered alternative narratives of India’s nationalist history. Yet, this print culture also suffered from systemic neglect: mainstream archives failed to preserve these materials, government support was negligible, and Dalit communities themselves often underestimated the long-term value of their publications. Despite these constraints, the Dalit print sphere carved out an alternative public space where caste consciousness could flourish and new identities could be forged. Through a close reading of newspapers, booklets, and the histories of local presses, this paper argues that the Dalit print movement was a radical assertion of selfhood and community that challenged dominant narratives and democratized public discourse. By tracing its evolution and the challenges it faced, this study highlights the urgency of recovering, archiving, and recognizing this neglected history for a more inclusive understanding of India’s intellectual and social landscape.