• Dr. Ameer Sultana

Indian society is a hierarchical society, where women have been facing subordination and remained marginalized, particularly the Dalit women. The term Dalit was used as a Hindi and Marathi expression for ‘depressed classes’. The Britishers used this term for Scheduled Castes. The term Dalits become more popular in the last quarter of the 20th Century. In the absence of a specific definition, most of the times, scholars have been using the term as a synonymous for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. While others are using the term Dalits as a broader term which not only include the socio-cultural group as notified by the Constitution of India, but also the marginalized section of the society such as landless laborer toiling masses, workers, poor cultivators, nomadic, de-notified tribes, tribals, Buddhists and many more. In this context, the present work is a modest attempt to look into the broader meaning of Dalits. An attempt is also made to reflect upon some of the critical issues such as systematic and structural discrimination faced by Dalit women, their literacy rate, work participation rate and their engagements in activities which are basically prohibited by law such as manual scavenging, land ownership, health status, atrocities faced by them, targeted violence and other related issues. The study is based on secondary data from various national and international sources. It also deals with the national and international initiatives taken to address and overcome these huddles and bring them at the central stage of society so that they can actively and efficiently contribute in the development process of the country. At the end of the study, some of the recommendations were made for the emancipation of Dalit women in India.

Dalit Women in India: A Critical Reflection

"Dalit Women in India: A Critical Reflection", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 8, page no.1023-1033, August-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809A56.pdf

"Dalit Women in India: A Critical Reflection", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 8, page no. pp1023-1033, August-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809A56.pdf