Autobiography as a literacy genre is diverse and complex and Dalit personal narratives is an attempt to understand its multiple meaning expressed and mediated through different identities such as cast, class, ethnicity, religion, language and gender.
Raj Kumar’s pioneering book primarily examine Dalit autobiographies. It is a historic breakthrough because till recently. Dalit in India were voiceless. These narratives thus symbolize how Dalit are breaking down the age-old barrier of silence. Focusing on multiple marginalities pertaining to case, nation and identity, the author has followed an interdisciplinary approach to bring to the reader remarkably different person narratives of both Dalit men and women.
The autobiographies are located against a socio-cultural background along with the emergence of Dalit literature.Dalit life narratives while revealing everyday cast and class exploitation that call for the restoration of dignity and self respect. In itself the very emergence of Dalit autobiography is an act of resistance because Dalit are using this opportunity to assert their identity through their writing.
Raj Kumar’s realistic yet simple style of writing, grips the reader immediately. It is also a valuable reference of student of literature, history, sociology and those interested in genre of autobiography and study of ethnicity, culture and society.
Raj Kumar is a professor in the Department of English, University of Delhi.