''The Radical in Ambedkar: Critical Reflections'' is a 2018 non-fiction book edited by

Suraj Yengde Suraj Milind Yengde (born 1988) is an Indian scholar and activist known for his work on caste and race. He is a W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow at Harvard University and a research associate in the Department of African and African American Studies. He ...

and

Anand Teltumbde Anand Teltumbde (born 15 July 1951) is an Indian scholar, writer, and human rights activist who is a management professor at the Goa Institute of Management. He has written extensively about the caste system in India and has advocated for the r ...

, published by

Penguin Random House India Penguin Random House Limited is a British-American multinational conglomerate publishing company formed on July 1, 2013, with the merger of Penguin Books and Random House. Penguin Books was originally founded in 1935 and Random House was fou ...

. It is a collection of essays examining

B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Bhīmrāo Rāmjī Āmbēḍkar; 14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India based on t ...

’s radical philosophy and contributions to the Dalit movement and social justice in India. The book analyzes Ambedkar’s critique of caste oppression through his 1936 work ''

Annihilation of Caste ''Annihilation of Caste'' is an undelivered speech written by B. R. Ambedkar in 1936. The speech was intended to be delivered at an anti-caste convention held in Lahore by Hindu reformers. However, upon reviewing the written speech, the confere ...

'' and connects his ideas to global resistance movements.

Summary

The book is a collection of essays exploring

’s contributions to India’s social justice movements. It focuses on his critique of caste oppression in his 1936 text ''Annihilation of Caste'', analyzing three key moments in its development. The essays highlight Ambedkar’s roles as a philosopher, activist, and jurist, and his work as the architect of the Indian Constitution. It draws parallels between Ambedkar’s anti-caste activism and global movements, such as the African-American struggle for racial equality, and critiques privileged perspectives in Ambedkar scholarship that may not fully reflect Dalit experiences.

Development and release

''The Radical in Ambedkar: Critical Reflections'' was edited by Suraj Yengde, a Dalit scholar, and Anand Teltumbde, a civil rights activist and academic. Published by Penguin Random House India in 2018, the book aims to reframe Ambedkar’s legacy by connecting his ideas to global resistance movements.

Critical reception

The book was praised for its scholarly analysis. Yogesh Maitreya, in ''

Firstpost Firstpost is an Indian news website owned by Network18 Group, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC TV18. It has posted misinformation on multiple occasions. The Network 18 group was originally owned by Raghav Bahl. In January 2012, the gro ...

'', commended its effort to place Ambedkar’s work in the context of global resistance movements, such as the African-American struggle, but noted that some essays are limited by privileged perspectives that may not fully capture Dalit experiences. '' Financial Express'' highlighted the book’s analysis of Ambedkar’s diverse roles as a philosopher, activist, and jurist. ''

Deccan Chronicle ''Deccan Chronicle'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in Hyderabad, India. Founded in 1938, it was initially launched as a Weekly newspaper, weekly and later converted into a daily. The newspaper's name reflects its origins in the ...

'' emphasized Ambedkar’s role as a powerful advocate for equality, noting the book’s focus on his contributions to India’s Constitution. Chinnaiah Jangam, in ''

Economic and Political Weekly The ''Economic and Political Weekly'' (EPW) is a weekly peer-reviewed academic journal covering all social sciences, and is published by the Sameeksha Trust. In January 2018, academic Gopal Guru was named the new Editor of the journal. Guru will be ...

'', praised the book for portraying Ambedkar as a philosopher who reshaped India’s social discourse. A

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

publication appreciated the book’s focus on three key moments in ''Annihilation of Caste'', though it suggested a need for more Dalit-centered perspectives.

References

External links

* {{Google Books , id=LfVyDwAAQBAJ 2018 non-fiction books Books about B. R. Ambedkar Indian non-fiction books Dalit history Penguin Random House books