Dalit (English: / ˈ d æ l ɪ t / from Sanskrit: दलित meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. [1] They are also called Harijans. [2]

4 days ago · Dalit, term used to refer to any member of a wide range of social groups that were historically marginalized in Hindu caste society. The official designation Scheduled Caste is the most common term now used in India for people in these groups, although members of the Scheduled Castes often prefer the term Dalit.

Dec 20, 2023 · India's 200 million Dalits find themselves among the nation's most marginalised citizens, condemned to the lowest echelons of society by a rigid caste hierarchy. Quotas in state institutions for...

Feb 4, 2020 · Dalits, also known as "Untouchables," are members of the lowest social group in the Hindu caste system. The word "Dalit " means "oppressed" or "broken" and is the name members of this group gave themselves in the 1930s.

In legal and constitutional terms, Dalits are known in India as scheduled castes. There are currently some 166.6 million Dalits in India. The Constitution requires the government to define a list or schedule of the lowest castes in need of compensatory programmes.

Dalit (from Sanskrit ‘dal’ which means to split, to crack, to break) is the name given to a group of people who have been historically considered outcasts in Hindu societies from South Asia (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh) [source?] and Eastern Africa (Somalia) [source?].

Mar 13, 2025 · In this explosive memoir, translated by Nivedita Menon from Hindi, Bhanwar Meghwanshi tells us what it meant to be an untouchable in the RSS. And what it means to become Dalit. Omprakash Valmiki describes his life as an untouchable, or Dalit, in the newly independent India of the 1950s.

1 day ago · Dalit efforts to enter temples are still consistently met with resistance. A striking example was the entry of Dalits for the first time into a centuries-old Siva temple at Gidhagram in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district on March 12, 2025. However, there was a hue and cry from members of the privileged castes, who refused to accept the ...

The term ‘Dalit’ refers to a social group made up of diverse ethnicities that have been systemically marginalized in South Asia. Dalits are considered to be ‘untouchable’ in the traditional social hierarchy of the Indian subcontinent.

Dec 5, 2024 · Explore the history, key leaders, and impact of Dalit Movements in India, highlighting their role in social justice and equality.