New Delhi: Acclaimed Kannada writer Devanura Mahadeva, who is known for his lifelong advocacy for the oppressed, is the recipient of the 2024 Vaikom Award for Social Justice. The award will be presented by Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin at the Vaikom Satyagraha centenary celebrations on Thursday (December 12) in Vaikom, Kerala.
Born in 1949 in Devanuru village of Mysuru district, Mahadeva used to write short stories in the early 1970s, which eventually shaped his storytelling. His best-known works include Odalaala (1978) and Kusuma Baale (1988), which trace the complexities of Dalit life. His literary excellence also earned him several accolades including the Sahitya Akademi and Padmashri awards, which he returned in 2015 due to the “atmosphere of intolerance” after a Muslim labourer was lynched for allegedly consuming beef.
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Mahadeva is known for his extensive work in advocating for Dalit rights and has been vocal against the growing right-wing influence in the country in recent years. He is a founding member of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) and has helped mobilise marginalised communities in Karnataka to fight for land rights, educational opportunities and participatory democracy.
He is also among several literary critics in Karnataka who have faced death threats by radical Hindutva groups.
In 2022, he published a 72-page critique on the divisive agenda and politics of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a book titled RSS: Aala Mattu Agala – translated in English as RSS: The Long and the Short Of It, by SR Ramakrishna.
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Interestingly, he had worked as an RSS activist in his student days. In an interview with Sabrang India, he spoke about how the status quo of casteism is deeply entrenched within the RSS thought process. “Look at the history of the central leadership of the RSS. It has always been led by a Brahmin. To be precise, a Brahmin belonging to a particular subcaste. RSS is trying to replicate the same across the country,” he said.
Vaikom award
The Vaikom Award was instituted in 2023 to honour individuals or organisations that have worked for the welfare of oppressed sections. The ceremony was held on late social reformer Periyar’s birth anniversary on September 17, which is also observed as the Day of Social Justice by the Tamil Nadu government.
It is linked to the Vaikom Satyagraha of 1924-25 that demanded access for all to the Vaikom temple in Kerala. It marked a significant step in India’s struggle against untouchability and paved the way for many such movements across the country.
The Vaikom Award is accompanied by a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a certificate and a five metal-plated memento.
