Indian Dalit Literature

Introduction: The literary creations by the writers who are born and
brought up in Dalit communities are called Dalit literature. Dalit
literature follows the notion of ‘Art for Life’s Sake’- a tool for socio-
cultural change in the caste-ridden Indian society. Regarding Dalit
literature Janardan Waghmare, the eminent scholar observes the
major characteristics of Dalit literature for its distinctiveness as:

“…it is committing, collective and contemporaneous. It is the

literature of the exuntouchables of our country who were, like the
American Blacks, socially estranged, culturally alienated,
economically exploited, physically annihilated and psychologically
mutilated and were kept for centuries in their “place” which was, of
course, at the bottom of the Hindu society.”

It is also crucial to note that these narratives must come from Dalit
voices, as representation is at the level of sympathy only and hence it
lacks Dalit sensibility. As Raja Rao observes,

“The Dalit’s refused to call Untouchable a Dalit novel, and

Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan a Dalit play, although the protagonists here
were Dalit, because the upper caste authors of these works were
voiceappropriating outsiders.”

Inspiration:
• The ideological, literary and theoretical sources of Dalit
literature are mainly derived from African-American literature,
Harlem Renaissance, Black Panther Movement, etc. The result
is movements like Dalit Panther Movement.
• The struggle for establishing or proving identity as human
being.
• Marxist social values, class struggle, the struggle against
untouchability.

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 • The subaltern perception of identity as derived from Race
Studies.
• The ideological traits mainly of Buddha, Charvak, Jyotirao
Phule, King Shahu, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, etc.

The essence of Dalit literature is Dalit Consciousness which is

explained as:

“The Dalit consciousness in Dalit literature is the revolutionary

mentality connected with struggle. It is a belief in rebellion against
the caste system, recognizing the human being as its focus.
Ambedkarite thought is the inspiration for this consciousness. Dalit
consciousness makes slaves conscious of their slavery…”

Famous dalit writer Arjun Dangle, in his essay entitled “Dalit

Literature: Past, Present and Future,” brings out “general points
regarding the role of Dalit literature and its literary value.” In this
connection he remarks that “Dalit literature is not separatist” and
that “Dalit literature is not restricted only to the followers of
Buddhism. Dangle affirms-

“Dalit is the name of total revolution; it is revolution incarnate”

✓ Features:
Representation of Dalit Experience
✓ Assertion of Dalit Identity
✓ Critique of Caste System
✓ Subversion of Dominant Narratives:. It offers alternative
perspectives and counter-narratives that disrupt traditional
power structures and hierarchies.
✓ Emphasis on Social Justice
✓ Language and Style: It may incorporate elements of oral
tradition, folklore, and storytelling to convey its messages
effectively.

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 ✓ Intersectionality: It acknowledges the diverse experiences of
Dalit women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized
groups within Dalit communities.
✓ Resistance and Empowerment

Important Writers

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule

He was an Indian social reformer, writer, and champion of equality
for all people. He was a strong critic of the Hindu caste system, the
institution of slavery, plight of women and the poor in the society.
Jyotirao Govindrao Phule was born in Maharashtra. His family
belonged to the Mali caste within the Shudra social class, which is
the lowest of India’s traditional social classes.

In 1873 Phule founded a reform society called Satyashodhak Samaj

(“Society of Truth Seekers”) to promote social equality, unite
and uplift Shudras and other lower-caste people, and reverse the
socioeconomic inequality caused by the caste system. Satyashodhak
Samaj predominantly consisted of people from non-Brahman castes,
but members did include Brahmans as well as people from various
religious traditions. Phule's writings, including "Gulamgiri" (Slavery)
and "Shetkaryacha Asud" (Cultivator's Whipcord), provide scathing
critiques of the caste system and Brahminical hegemony.

Gulamgiri

Originally published in Marathi in 1873, with a preface in English, the

book addresses issues related to caste, slavery, and social reform.
Phule utilized a dialogue format, engaging in conversations with an
interlocutor named Dhondirao. The work can be read as a
reinterpretation of Indian history and mythology, challenging the
Brahminical narratives that upheld their cultural dominance. The
seventh chapter of the book addresses the creation of castes,
proposing alternative theories regarding the origin of Mahar caste
and criticizing the insulting names imposed on certain
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communities. Phule discusses figures like Parshuram and Baliraja,
offering alternative perspectives on their roles in shaping the caste
structure.

Shetkaryacha Asud

"Shetkaryacha Asud" is a Marathi book written by Mahatma Jyotiba

Phule, originally published in 1881. The title can be translated to
"Cultivator's Whipcord" or "The Farmer's Whipping-Rope." In this
book, Phule critiques the exploitation and oppression faced by
farmers in the agrarian society of colonial India. Phule argues that
the exploitative economic system, which he likens to a whipping-rope
(asud), binds the farmers in chains of debt and servitude,
perpetuating their impoverishment and social marginalization.

Omprakash Valmiki
Omprakash Valmiki (1950–2013) was a prominent Dalit writer and
poet, known for his contributions to Dalit literature in India. His
autobiography "Joothan: A Dalit's Life" is considered one of the most
significant works in the genre of Dalit literature. Originally published
in Hindi in 1997. The title "Joothan" refers to the leftover scraps of
food that were often given to Dalits (formerly known as
"untouchables") in Indian society. Born into a Dalit family in the state
of Uttar Pradesh, India, Valmiki faced discrimination and social
marginalization from a young age due to his caste identity. Other
works-

• Collections of poetry: Sadiyon Ka Santaap (1989), Bas! Bahut

Ho Chuka (1997), and Ab Aur Nahin (2009).
• Collections of short stories, Salaam (2000),
and Ghuspethiye (2004).
• Sahitya Ka Saundaryshaastra (2001)
• Safai Devata (2009)- A history of the Valmiki community,
• Do Chera' (a play)

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 ( His 15 short stories have been translated into English by Naresh
K. Jain for the collection Amma and Other Stories in 2008.)

Sharankumar Limbale (1956)

Sharankumar Limbale is a prominent Marathi writer and poet. His
notable works include "Akkarmashi" (The Outcaste), "Hindu" (The
Vedic Age), "Jatasuchi Phule" (Cobweb of Phule), and "Gatha" (Song).
He received Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel "Sanatan" (1998).
His critical work Towards an Aesthetics of Dalit Literature (2004) is
considered amongst the most important works on Dalit literature. It
discusses how Dalit anubhava (experiences) should take precedence
over anuman (speculation). He was awarded Saraswati Samman,
2020.

"Akkarmashi" (The Outcaste) 2004: Limbale's autobiographical novel

"Akkarmashi" is considered one of the most significant works in Dalit
literature. The book provides a powerful and poignant account of
Limbale's own experiences as a Dalit growing up in rural
Maharashtra. It was translated into Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Punjabi,
Malayam and English by Santhosh Bhoomkar.

Towards an Aesthetics of Dalit Literature (2004): Limbale questions

the applicability of the triadic concept of satyam, shivam and
sundaram-the foundation of traditional Hindu aesthetics-to Dalit
literary productions. And in doing so, the book talks back to the
universalist assertions of India's dominant-group literary theorists.

Other works-

• Udrek
• Uplya
• Gavkusabaheril katha
• Jhund
• Dangal
• Dalit Aatmakatha - Ek Akalan

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 • Dalit Brahman
• Dalit Panther
• Dalit Premkavita (literally meaning "Dalit Love Poems")
• Dalit Brahman
• Dalit Sahitya Aani Soundarya (literally meaning "Dalit
Literature and Beauty")
• Dalit Sahityache Soundaryashastra (literally meaning "The
Aesthetics of Dalit Literature")
• Punha Akkarmashi
• Pradnyasurya-- Biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
• Bahujan

Meena Kandasamy (born 1984)

Ilavenil Meena Kandasamy is a Tamil poet, novelist, translator, and
activist known for her powerful literary works and her advocacy for
social justice, gender equality, and the rights of marginalized
communities, particularly Dalits. The Independent described her as a
‘one-woman, agit-prop literary-political movement’.

Important Works—

Biographies

AYYANKALI: A Dalit leader of Organic Protest (2008)

Poetry

• Ms. Militancy ( 2010)- based on Kannaki, the heroine of

the Tamil Classic Silapathikaram. This poem is a call to
women to be revolutionary and courageous like the heroine
herself.
• TOUCH (2006)
• #ThisPoemWillProvokeYou & Other Poems (2015)
• We Are Not The Citizens (2018)
• Tomorrow Someone Will Arrest You (2024).
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Novels

• The Gypsy Goddess (2014)

• When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife
(2017) It was shortlisted for Women's Prize 2018.
• Exquisite Cadavers (2019)

Translations

• Talisman: Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation 2003.

• Uproot Hindutva: The Fiery Voice of the Liberation Panthers
2004.
• Why Were Women Enslaved 2007.
• Waking is Another Dream: Poems on the Genocide in Tamil
Eelam 2010.
• Desires Become Demons: Poems of Four Tamil Women
Poets: Malathi Maithri, Salma, Kutti
Revathi, Sukirtharani, Tilted Axis Press 2018.
• Thirukkural: The Book of Desire', a feminist's translation
of Book III of the Tirukkural 2023.

NON-FICTION (ESSAYS & BIOGRAPHY)

• The Orders Were To Rape You: Tigresses in the Tamil Eelam

Struggle (2021).

Daya Pawar or Dagdu Maruti Pawar

Daya Pawar (1935–1996) was a prominent Marathi writer and poet,
known for his contributions to Dalit literature in India. Pawar is best
known for his autobiography "Baluta," published in 1978.

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Baluta

The first Dalit autobiography to be published, Baluta created a stir

when it appeared in Marathi in 1978. Set in Mumbai and rural
Maharashtra of the 1940s and 50s, author and poet Daya Pawar
depicts the stark reality of caste violence and untouchability in this
classic. It also celebrates the resilience, dignity and courage of the
Dalit community and their fight for equality in an unequal society.
The novel was written a story told by Dagdu Pawar to the more
literate Daya Pawar, both being personas of the author.

• 'Kondwada' (A collection of poems) 1974

• 'Balute' (An autobiographical novel) 1978
• 'Vital' (A collection of short stories) 1983
• 'Chawdi' (A collection of essays) 1983
• 'Balute-Ek, Wadal' (A collection of letters an analytical
critique)
• 'Kallapa Yeshwant Dhale Yanchi Diary—1911-1924' (Edited
work) 1984
• 'Dhammapad' 1991
• 'Pasang' (Columns) - Lokasatta, 1993-1994
• 'Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar' (Documentary film) - Screenplay
by the author: Film Division, 1993
• 'Dr Ambedkar' (Documentary film) - Screenplay by the
author: NFDC

Babytai Kamble
Baby Kamble (1929-21 April 2012) also known as Bama, is a
prominent Dalit feminist writer and activist from Maharashtra, India.
Kamble and her family converted to Buddhism and remained lifelong
practicing Buddhists. She is one of the earliest women writers from
the untouchable communities whose distinctive reflexive style of
feminist writing setting her apart from other Dalit writers and upper
caste women writers.

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Baby Kamble is best known for her autobiography The Prisons We
Broke (Jina Amucha). Published in Marathi in 1986, the book offers a
powerful and unflinching account of Kamble's life as a Dalit woman in
India. The first autobiography by a Dalit woman in Marathi, the book
describes the lives of the Mahars of Maharashtra. Kamble reclaims
memory to locate Mahar society before the impact of Babasaheb
Ambedkar, and tells a powerful tale of redemption wrought by a fiery
brand of individual and collective self-awareness. It was translated
into English by Maya Pandit (Orient Black Swan).

Kancha Ilaiah
Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd (born 5 October 1952) is an Indian political
theorist, social activist, and writer known for his outspoken views on
caste, class, and social justice in India. He writes in both Telgu and
English. His most famous work is perhaps "Why I Am Not a Hindu: A
Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Culture, and Political
Economy," published in 1996. He is a recipient of the Mahatma
Jyotirao Phule Award.

Works-

• Why I Am Not a Hindu: A Sudra critique of Hindutva

philosophy, culture and political economy (1996)
• God as Political Philosopher: Buddha's Challenge to
Brahminism (2001)
• Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism (2004)
• Turning the Pot, Tilling the Land: Dignity of Labour in Our
Times (2007)
• Post-Hindu India: A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan Socio-Spiritual
and Scientific Revolution (2009)
• Untouchable God: A Novel on Caste and Race (2011)
• The State and Repressive Culture: The Andhra Experience.
(1989)
• Democracy in India: A Hollow Shell. (1994)

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 • Caste or Class or Caste-class: A study in Dalitabhujan
Consciousness and Struggles in Andhra Pradesh in 1980s
(1995)
• In Search of the Roots of Anti-Caste Struggle: A Dalitist
Reading of the Buddhist Discourse (1996)
• Productive Labour, Consciousness and History: The
Dalitabahujan Alternative (1997).
• Reservations: Experience as Framework of Debate (1999)
• Dalit Freedom: Now and Forever; The Epic Struggle for Dalit
Forever (2004)
• Ayyankali: Dalit Leader of Organic Protest. Calicut, Kerala:
Other Books. (2007).
• The Weapon of the Other: Dalitbahujan Writings and the
Remaking of Indian Nationalist Thought. (2010).

Dr.Pradeepan Pambirikunnu
Dr.Pradeepan Pambirikunnu (died 2016) was a social critic, writer and
scholar in the field of Dalit Aesthetics. He focused his attention to
often neglected realities of the sensibilities of Kerala. Nationalism,
Modernity , Keralaness : A Subaltern Critique subtly narrates how the
so-called progressiveness of the Kerala society has connived at harsh
realities interconnected with caste and its applicationsApart from
writing many articles , Dr. Pradeepan penned a novel titled “ Eri” as
well. He also co-edited The Oxford India Anthology of Malayalam
Dalit Writing (2012). This anthology makes visible the ideological and
aesthetic differences that Malayalam Dalit writing has from its
mainstream writing which has already been widely translated.
Gopal Guru
Gopal Guru is an eminent Indian political scientist, social theorist,
and public intellectual known for his work on issues of caste, identity,
and social justice in India. He has authored several influential books
and scholarly articles, including "The Cracked Mirror: An Indian

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Debate on Experience and Theory," co-authored with Sundar
Sarukkai, and "Dalit Studies," which explores the complexities of Dalit
identity and politics. Currently, He is the editor of the
journal Economic and Political Weekly. He received Malcolm
Adiseshiah Award for Distinguished Contribution to Development
Studies for 2013–14.
In “Dalit Women Talk Differently” (1995), Guru argues that there is a
difference in Dalit women’s way of talking and living due to a long
history of their deprived socio-economic-political status. It
explicates that Dalit women are deprived in vertical structure of
brahmanical social system and in horizontal patriarchal order. Guru
argues that their talking differently is a language of resistance.
Works-

• Humiliation: Claims and Context (2009) (edited)

• The Cracked Mirror (2017) (edited)
• Atrophy in Dalit Politics (2005)
• Experience, Caste, and the Everyday Social (2020)
• Badalata Bharat

Poykayil Yohannan
Poykayil Sree Kumara Gurudevan (1879-1939)also known as Poykayil
Appachan alias Kumara Guru Devan was a spiritual leader, poet, Dalit
emancipator, renaissance leader and the founder of the socio-
religious movement Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha ("God's Society
of Obvious Salvation"). was a prominent figure in the social and
cultural landscape of Kerala, India, during the 20th century. One of
his significant contributions was in the field of education. Yohannan
was instrumental in establishing several schools and educational
institutions, particularly for the Dalit and lower-caste communities, at
a time when access to education was limited for these groups.

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His seminal work is Unknown Subjects: Songs of Poykayil Appachan
(Translated by A.S. Sekher). The song is in the form of a lament
addressed to the privileged. His people have struggled in the soil to
make the land fertile but at the end of the day, nobody remembers
them; all the songs are about others. Appachan suggests that Dalit
literature never finds space in the mainstream literature; Hence,
there is an urgent need to rewrite the history.

Pratibha Jayachandran
Pratibha Jayachandran is a Tamil Dalit poet and short story writer. His
first anthology of poems is Dream Teller (1985). Dream Teller was
originally written as Kanavukal Solbavan in Tamil. Like the title
suggests, this poem talks about the ambitions and dreams of Dalits
and how and why they were detained from pursuing these dreams.
The poet concludes the poem on a positive note, thinking that
someday, he and his clan will receive space for manifesting their life.
As someone who “tells” his dreams, it is inspiring since many others
will be influenced to dream more about their passions and
ambitions.
S. Joseph
S. Joseph (born 1965) is an Indian poet writing in Malayalam. His
poetry collection Uppante Kooval Varakkunnu won the 2012 Kerala
Sahitya Akademi Award.
Poetry collections

• Karutha Kallu (2000)

• Meenkaran (2003)
• Identity card (2005)
• Uppante Kooval Varakkunnu (2011)
• Vellam Ethra Lalithamanu (2011).
• Chandranodoppam

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Arun Krushnaji Kamble

Arun Krushnaji Kamble (1953-2009) was an Indian Marathi

language writer, professor, Politician, and Dalit activist and one of
the founding members of Dalit Panthers of India.

Note: The Dalit Panthers is a social organisation that seeks to

combat caste discrimination. It was led by a group of Mahar writers
and poets, including Raja Dhale, Namdeo Dhasal, and J. V. Pawar in
1972. The Dalit Panthers advocated for and practised radical politics,
fusing the ideology of Karl Marx to Indian authors like Ambedkar
and Jyotirao Phule. They led a renaissance in Marathi literature and
art, and created a new Dalit literature of protest that expanded the
frontiers of traditional Marathi works. The Black Panther Party
acknowledged and supported the Dalit Panthers through the Black
Panther newspaper, which circulated worldwide on a weekly basis
from 1967 to 1980

Poetical works

•"Arun Krushnaji Kamble" (1983) Awarded Best Poetry

Collection by Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad.
• "Mudra"

Prose works

• "Ramayanatil Samskrutik Sangharsh"- (Cultural Struggle in

Ramayana)
• Ramayanatil Samskruti Sangharsh
• "Ramayanma Samskrutik Sangharsh" 1993.
• "Janata Patratil Lekh"( Edited by Arun Kamble)1993.
• "Cheevar"-(Essays on Literature and Culture)1995.
• "Yug Pravartak Ambedkar"-(Epoch Making Ambedkar)1995.
• "Chalvache Diwas"- (Reminisances of the Agitations) 1995.

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 • "Vad Samvad"-(Debate and Dialog) an Intellectual Prose
1996
• "Dharmantarachi Bheemgarjana" Conversion of Dr.
B.R.Ambedkar) 1996
• "Marathi Intellectual Prose", Edited by Arun Kamble and
others, 2003.
• "Tarkateerth Laxmanshastri Joshi—Ek Vadatovyaghyat",
Critical writing on Laxmanshastri Joshi 1987.

Sasi Madhuravelli
Sasi Madhuravelli (1959-2004) was a Malyalam Dalit poet. Unlike the
earlier Dalit expressions in poetry, Sasi‟s poems differ in their
articulation, which is more forceful. Often, the expression goes
beyond personal experience and considers the community at large.
His poems were published in Malayalam in Dynamic Action,
Adhasthitha Navodhana Munnani Bulletin, Yukthi Rekha,
Samakaleena Kavitha, Manorajyam etc.

Shambuka is a crucial poem in which Sasi attempts a reworking of the

Ramayana. Mythologically, Shambuka was the Sudra who was killed
by Rama. The poem travels through present and past with enough
ease. The poet remembers Shambuka , whom he treats as a martyr.
The poem ends on the word Shanti, just like T.S. Eliot concluded The
Waste Land. In other words, the poet says that the total salvation will
happen only when Valmiki is reborn someday, not as the one who
wrote Ramayana but as someone who was born as a Dalit.

Prakash Jadhav
Jadhav is a Dalit poet renowned for his poem “Under Dadar Bridge”.
His poems were criticized for using profane language in them. Jadhav
and his poetry became famous when the film maker Amar Kanwar
used the poem “Under Dadar Bridge” for a film titled A Night of
Prophecy.

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A good part of the poem is written in the format of exchange
between a mother and son. The mother is seen as a beggar while
conceding to men because she can‟t resist them. The boy wants to
know who his father was; The mother says that she doesn‟t know
since it was not merely a single man who used her physically-
atrocities against the Dalits. To a question like what his religion, may
tell him that he was neither Hindu nor Muslim. She adds that he was
an abandoned spark of lusty fires. One day, the mother dies. That
was when the son realized that he was left alone in the world.

C. Ayyappan
C. Ayyappan (1949-2011) was a powerful proponent of Dalit writing
in Malayalam. His two significant anthologies are Uchayurakkathile
Swapnangal and Njanundukal.
The story Madness, titled as Bhranthu in Malayalam, in which it was
originally written talks about the stigma surrounding the Dalit
communities even in progressive societies like Kerala‟s. The story
takes the form of a monologue. Dealing with madness as a metaphor,
C. Ayyappan narrates the story of Krishnan master, who belongs to
the downtrodden/ subaltern community.

Narendra Jadhav
Narendra Jadhav (1953-) is an Indian economist . educationist, public
policy expert, professor and writer in English, Marathi , and Hindi.
Narendra Jadhav is considered an expert on B.R. Ambedkar. Jadhav's
three autobiographical novels – Aamcha Baap Aan Amhi, (Marathi,
1993), Outcaste (English, 2002) and Untouchables (English, 2005) –
depict the story of the struggle for human dignity by a Dalit family.
His magna carta is Outcaste : A Memoir, published in Marathi in
1993. This was originally titled as Amcha Baap An Amhi. The memoir
uses the period spanning for around 80 years. We mainly follow

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three persons while reading the narrative. The first one is Damu, his
father, the next is Sonubhai, his mother, and third , Narendra himself.
The autobiography uses so many dialects like Marathi, Hindi, Butler
English, and English in various parts. There are four parts in the
narrative/autobiography-
1. Up Against Bondage
2. Towards Freedom
3. The Struggle
4. Making of the Second Generation.
Namdeo Dhasal
Namdeo Dhasal (1949–2014) was an influential Indian poet, writer,
and social activist, known for his powerful and provocative poetry
that vividly portrayed the struggles and injustices faced by the Dalit
community in India. He was one of the founders of the Dalit
Panthers. Dhasal was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and a Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Sahitya Akademi in 2004.
One of Dhasal's most famous works is his first collection of poems
titled "Golpitha" (1972), which depicted the harsh realities of life in
Mumbai's red-light district and captured the struggles of the urban
poor, including Dalits. Besides, Dilip Chitre translated a selection of
Dhasal's poems into English under the title Namdeo Dhasal: Poet of
the Underworld, Poems 1972–2006.
In his poem "Cruelty," he explores their struggle for food, shelter,
and self-empowerment, using vivid imagery to depict their
unbearable pain and frustration. The poem's cyclonic imagery
symbolizes the continuous struggle against oppression, while the
violet flower represents the aspirations for power, wealth, and
independence.

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Major Works-
Poetry

•A Current of Blood (2019)

• Aakrosh Kaa Kooras (2015)

• Golpitha (1973)

• Tuhi Iyatta Kanchi (1981)

• Khel (1983)

• Moorkh Mhataryane dongar halvle

• Amchya itihasatil ek aprihary patra : Priya Darshini (1976)
• Ya Sattet Jiv Ramat Nahi (1995)
• Gandu Bagichha (1986)
• Mi Marale Suryachya Rathache Sat Ghode
• Tuze Boat Dharoon Mi Chalalo Ahe

Prose

• Ambedkari Chalwal (1981)

• Andhale Shatak (1997)
• Hadki Hadavala
• Ujedachi Kali Dunia
• Sarva Kahi Samashtisathi
• Buddha Dharma: Kahi Shesh Prashna

Siddalingaiah
Siddalingaiah (1954- 2021), was an Indian poet, playwright, and Dalit
activist, writing in the Kannada language. He is credited with starting
the Dalit-Bandaya movement in Kannada and with starting the genre
of Dalit writing. He is one of the founders of the Dalita Sangharsh
Samiti along with B. Krishnappa. He was awarded Padma Shri Award
(Posthumous) for Literature and Education by Government of India in
2022.

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Works
Poetry

• Holemadigara Haadu (Songs of the Holeya and Madiga,

1975)

• Saaviraaru Nadigalu (Thousands of Rivers, 1979)

• Kappu Kaadina Haadu (The Song of the Black Forest, 1982)

• Aayda Kavithegalu (Selected Poems, 1997)

• Meravanige (Procession, 2000)

• Nanna Janagalu mattu Itara Kavitegalu (My People and

Other Poems, 2005)

• Kudiva Neeliya Kadalu (2017)

Ooru Saagaravagi (2018)

•

Autobiography

• Ooru Keri-1 : Atmakathana (1997, 2006, 2014)

• Ooru Keri - An Autobiography (Sahitya Akademi, 2003)

• A Word With You, World : The Autobiography of a

Poet (2013) Translated by S.R. Ramakrishna
Plays

• Panchama

• Nelasama

•Ekalavya
Criticism and Essays

• Hakkkinota

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 • Gramadevathegalu
• Avataragalu
• Jana Samsakruthi
• Aa Mukha Ee Mukha

Other important facts-

• An Anthology Of Dalit Literature is a collection of poems
edited by Mulk Raj Anand and Eleanor Zelliot. It also contains
pieces of prose. (Rajastan AP, 2023)

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