This document outlines a research project on Dalit autobiographies in Indian English literature. It begins with defining Dalits as those outside the Hindu caste system who were formerly known as "untouchables". It notes that Dalit autobiographies are important expressions of struggle and identity. The objectives are to explore Dalit culture and experiences of untouchability. The methodology involves analyzing selected Dalit autobiographies across six chapters to understand narrative techniques, ideology, and portrayal of the Dalit experience and identity.

2. Introduction:
Caste System in India
India's caste system assigns individuals a certain hierarchical
status according to Hindu beliefs. Traditionally, there are four
principal castes (divided into many sub-categories)
 Brahmins (Intellectuals)
 Kshytriyas (Soldiers)
 Vishayas (Entrepreneurs)
 Sudras (Work Force)
- Dalits (Untouchables)

3. Who are Dalits...?
 The word Dalit—literally translating to “oppressed” or
“broken”—is generally used to refer to people who were
once known as “untouchables”, those belonging to
castes outside the fourfold Hindu Varna system.
 A Dalit is a victim of poverty, slavery, illiteracy,
ignorance and atrocities.
 Waman Nimbalker writes in his book Dalit literature Nature
and Role “ Dalit is a sole heir of darkness. One, who is harassed,
oppressed and afflicted .”

4.  He is a man who is exploited by the social and
economic traditions of the society.
 These are the people who were considered “Out
Castes”,” Untouchables” and “Leftovers”.
 British Administration in 1919 to eliminate the
degrading terms. They changed them to “Depressed
class”… and “Scheduled Castes” in 1935.
 Gandhi called them Harijans (people of God) which was
vehemently opposed by Dalit political leaders and
Ambedkar.
 Today they called themselves dalits which has become
an expression of hope and identity.
 A majority of the country’s forty million people who are
bonded laborers are-Dalits.

5. What is Dalit literature..???
It was Ambedkar’s dedication, mission and
vision of educating Dalits by building
schools and colleges have paved the way for
the great literary revolution in literature and
on the consequent rise and development of
Dalit literature.
Dalit literature is literature produced by
dalits about the dalit consciousness.
Human freedom is the inspiration
behind it.
- Sharat Chandra Muktibodh in his essay “What is Dalit literature?”

6. The first generation of educated dalits
who drew inspiration from Ambedkar
have started writing about their
suffering in life and their struggle to
live and get educated.
-Waman Nimbalkar in his book “Dalit literature: Nature and Role”
Dalit literature is an account of the
struggle for existence, freedom, self
dignity. If we take consideration this style,
form and content, it is totally different
from mainstream literature.

7. Dalit Literary Texts in Indian English
Literature

8. Need and Importance of Research Problem:
 The autobiography as a genre is a search for identity.
Autobiography is a product as well as process of self
exploration. The life narratives pose a question “Who am
I?” And also provide an answer to “How did I become
what I am?” The process of ‘becoming’ is very complex
involving many factors
 “Autobiography is historical in method, representation
of the self in and through its relation with the outer
world”.
 It is clear that an autobiography is the true
representation of the extraordinary, renowned and
popular men’s life, achievements and experiences. But
in case of Dalits, ordinary men and women, who do
not hold any prominent position in the social history
and politics write autobiographies

9. Moreover, it is important to
see why the ‘community’ is
given more importance than
the ‘self’ in the Dalit
autobiographies.
Dalit autobiography is a
flourishing form in Dalit
literature.

10. There is a need for intense
exploration of Dalit
autobiography in order to bring
out the real image of India in
general and providing
completeness to Indian writings
in English.

11. Objectives:
Who are the Dalits and what is Dalit
culture.
Exploration of agony of untouchability in
Indian social system and its cultural, social
and economic effects.
New values of criticism and aesthetics in
portraying individuals.
New mythology observed in Dalit
autobiographies contrast to others.
Repetition in the presentation of human
experiences in different forms

12. Artistic neutrality in Dalit experiences.
Uniqueness of Dalit autobiography as
outpouring if human struggle.
Narrative techniques in portrayal of
Dalit autobiography.
Selection of language as a means to
expression of experiences.
Understanding of life as a current
theme in Dalit autobiography

13. Chapter Scheme
Chapter One: Introduction:
Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Caste System
Chapter Two:
Dalit Autobiography: An Exploration of Human History
Chapter Three:
Outcaste: A Realized Saga of Ambedkar’s ideology
Chapter Four:
The Outcaste (Akkarmashi): A Treatise on Human Nature
Chapter Five:
Growing Up Untouchable in India: A Unique Indian Life
Chapter 6:
Conclusion: Dalit Autobiography A Pilgrimage of Mankind

14. Methodology:
The research has been methodically classified into
six chapters.
Chapter 1: Introduction:
Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Caste System
This chapter is planned to focus on the
etymological definition of the word
“Dalit”, Marginality, Caste system,
canon formation of Indian Writings in
English

15. Chapter 2:
Dalit Autobiography: An Exploration of
Human History
The autobiography became important
channel to reach the Dalit communities.
 This chapter is aimed the succinct historical
survey of Dalit literature in India in various states
and Dalit autobiography its emergence, need of
the hour for self assertion and self reliance,
development, movements, major concern and
ideology.

16. Chapter 3:
Outcaste: A Realized Saga of Ambedkar’s ideology:

17. This chapter provides how Ambedkar’s
ideology has been manifested in the family
story of the author Narendra Jadhav.
Written in the form of a memoir,
Outcaste bears testimony to the success of
a Dalit family in the course of a single
generation.
It is a story of the metamorphosis of Dalit
in the context of the social movement led
by Ambedkar. It emphatically presents the
Dalit identity in cosmopolitan terms and
global context.

18. Chapter –4:
The Outcaste (Akkarmashi): A Treatise on
Human Nature

19. The Outcaste clearly shows how the lives of
India's lowest citizens are completely
controlled by the society around them. It’s a
beautiful picturization of human nature
manifested through caste system.
Limbale describes the life a man who
suffered not only through this caste system
but also through the pain of not even being
allowed into the caste system: he was an
outcaste, below everyone else.

20. Chapter 5:
Growing Up Untouchable in India: A Unique Indian Life

21. Vasant Moon's Vasti, the first Dalit
autobiography to be published in
English, is a moving and eloquent
testament to a uniquely Indian life as
well as to the universal human spirit.
There is much in Vasant Moon's
extraordinary story of his Vasti, his
childhood neighborhood in India that
would probably be true of any urban
ghetto anywhere in the world. But there
is much that is peculiarly and vividly
Indian.

22. Chapter 6:
Conclusion: Dalit Autobiography A Pilgrimage of
Mankind
 This chapter summarizes all the five chapters and
defines the future direction for Dalit literature. It
also applauds the contribution made by Dalit
writers on Indian writing in English.
 To conclude, Dalit autobiography may be said to
centre on man. Its history of the last 25 years or so
may be seen as the pilgrimage of mankind toward
a brave new world bereft of suffering, suppression
and exploitation.