Who cares if Mahar lives or dies,” says a policeman in Marathi writer Shankarrao Kharat’s novel, Taral Antaral , a stinging critique of atrocities against Dalits first published in 1981. Based on Kharat’s own life as a member of the Dalit Mahar community in Maharashtra, Taral Antaral was a rude awakening for readers who were suddenly presented with a new anti-caste language in Marathi literature.

A close associate of BR Ambedkar , Kharat was one of the earliest voices in Marathi literature championing class and caste struggle with his powerful novels and short stories. More than four decades later, literary works in Indian languages about people living on the fringes of society are more visible across the country, thanks to resilient modern publishing practices that embrace diver

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