One of the profound changes in contemporary Indian society has been the Dalit transformation over times. The aspirations of contemporary Dalits are completely different from those of Dalits in traditional India. This change is due to the difference in vision of downtrodden of the past and of today. Visions set the agenda for both thought and action; philosophical, political, or social theories are built on them. Contemporary Dalits reveals a sense of a unified class or a movement towards equality. Though the Dalit voices expressed itself eloquently from the outset, it was left to B.R.ambedkar, a second-generation Dalit leader, to articulate the abject condition of his community in the idiom of modern politics. The novel efforts of the Ambedkarite rests on a grand strategy that seeks to turn the Indian world upside down and shape the new social order.
Against this backdrop, established under the U.G.C Epoch-making social thinker’s scheme, Dr. Ambedkar Studies Centre has been working to strengthen the voices of downtrodden sections of Jammu and Kashmir since 2006. Dr. Abha Chauhan, Department of Sociology headed the Centre during its establishment and done commendable job for the centre. Continuing the similar spirit, the centre is engaged in academic activities and extension activities concerning the underprivileged section of the society. The efforts are made in the form of seminars, special lecture, panel discussion, debates etc to inculcate the philosophy of Ambedkar and his works at regional and national level. Keeping in view the limitation of the actual participation of the subalterns, attempt is also made to reach to them through media and research and to make them and their voices alive. The Centre has a well equipped library and documentation centre for consulting and practicing the vocabulary of Ambedkar.
It is our hope that this Center will be useful for academicians, policy-makers, practitioners and civil society concerned about dynamics of subaltern communities. Hope to receive cooperation and support from all quarters for reproducing the revolutionary message of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar to the wider world.
(Dr. ASHISH SAXENA)