List of Dalits
Notable people of the Dalit Community
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable Dalit individuals, categorized by their contributions across various fields and professions.
Academics
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, economist and politician[1]
- Meghnad Saha, astrophysicist who developed the Saha ionization equation[2]
- Narendra Jadhav, economist, writer and educationist[3]
- Satyendra Murli, researcher, media pedagogue and journalist[4][5]
- Sukhadeo Thorat, economist and Padma Shri recipient[6]
Activists
- Anand Teltumbde, Indian scholar, writer, and human rights activist[7][8]
- K.P. Ashwini, UN Special rapporteur on racism from 2022[9][10]
- Ayyankali, Indian social reformer[11]
- Gopal Baba Walangkar, activist[12]
- Immanuvel Sekaran, a freedom fighter and civil rights activist[13]
- Kuyili, freedom fighter and Commander in Chief of Velu Nachiyar[14]
- Meena Kandaswamy, poet and Dalit activist[15]
- Manu Bheel former bonded laborer and human rights activist from Pakistan[16]
- Rettamalai Srinivasan, activist and politician[17]
- Uda Devi, freedom fighter[18]
Art
- Savindra Savarkar, Indian artist, known for his use of Buddhist imagery and Dalit subjectivity[19]
Cinema and television
- Kanjibhai Rathod, an Indian director, is considered the first successful director of Indian cinema[20][21]
Pa. Ranjith - Pa. Ranjith, director and filmmaker[23]
- P.K. Rosy, first heroine in Malayalam cinema[24]
- Tun Tun, actress and comedian of Hindi cinema[25]
- Neeraj Ghaywan, director[26][27]
- Nagraj Manjule, director[28]
- Archana Gautam, Indian actress and winner of Miss Bikini India 2018.[29]
Literature
- Annabhau Sathe, Indian folk poet, writer, and social worker from Maharashtra.[30]
- Shailendra, Indian poet and lyricist[31]
- Baburao Bagul, Marathi writer[32]
- Daya Pawar, Marathi writer who received Padma Shri[33]
- Lal Singh Dil, Punjabi poet[34]
- Namdeo Dhasal, Marathi poet and writer from Maharashtra[35]
- Neerav Patel, first Dalit poet to write poetry in English[36]
- Om Prakash Valmiki, Hindi poet and writer[37]
- P. Sivakami, Dalit-feminist Tamil writer[38]
- Yashica Dutt, Indian writer and journalist[39]
- Manoranjan Byapari, Bengali writer, Activist and chairman of west Bengal Dalit Sahitya Academy
Music
- Ilaiyaraaja, Indian music composer[40][41]
- Amar Singh Chamkila, Indian Punjabi singer and songwriter[42]
- Arivu, Indian rapper and songwriter[43]
- Ginni Mahi, Indian singer[44]
- Sumeet Samos, Indian anti-caste rapper[45]
- Vedan, Indian rapper and songwriter [46]
Politicians
Presidents
- K. R. Narayanan, 10th president of India (1997–2002) and 9th vice president of India (1992–1997)[47]
- Ramnath Kovind, 14th President of India[48]
Deputy Prime Ministers
Babu Jagjivan Ram
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Speakers of the Lok Sabha
- G. M. C. Balayogi, 12th Speaker of the Lok Sabha and MP of Amalapuram[53]
- Meira Kumar, 1st Woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- Suraj Bhan, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Governor of Himachal Pradesh and UP, Bihar[54]
Chief Ministers
| S.no | Photo | Name | State | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Damodaram Sanjivayya | Andhra Pradesh | First Dalit Chief Minister of an Indian state.[55][56] |
| 2 |  |
Bhola Paswan Shastri | Bihar | First Dalit Chief Minister of Bihar.[57] |
| 3 |  |
Ram Sundar Das | Former Chief Minister of Bihar.[58] | |
| 4 |  |
Mayawati | Uttar Pradesh | First Dalit woman Chief Minister in India.[59] |
| 5 |  |
Jagannath Pahadia | Rajasthan | First Dalit Chief Minister of Rajasthan.[57] |
| 6 |  |
Sushilkumar Shinde | Maharashtra | First Dalit Chief Minister of Maharashtra. |
| 7 |  |
Jitan Ram Manjhi | Bihar | Former Chief Minister of Bihar. |
| 8 |  |
Charanjit Singh Channi | Punjab | First Dalit Sikh Chief Minister.[60][61][62][63] |
Governors
| S.no | Photo | Name | State(s) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Suraj Bhan | Uttar Pradesh | Served as Governor of multiple Indian states and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.[64] |
| 2 | .jpg) |
Buta Singh | Bihar | Former Union Home Minister; served as Governor of Bihar.[65] |
| 3 |  |
Ram Nath Kovind | Bihar | Served as Governor of Bihar (2015–2017); later became the 14th President of India.[66] |
| 4 | .jpg) |
Baby Rani Maurya | Uttarakhand | Served as Governor of Uttarakhand (2018–2021).[67] |
| 5 |  |
Thawar Chand Gehlot | Karnataka | Former Union Minister; appointed Governor of Karnataka in 2021.[68] |
| 6 |  |
R. S. Gavai | Bihar Sikkim Kerala |
Former Governor of multiple Indian states; senior Dalit leader of the Republican Party of India.[69][70] |
Politicians
- Jogendra Nath Mandal, one of the central figures in creation of the state of Pakistan; later a government minister[71]
- Dakshayani Velayudhan, Indian politician and the sole Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly.[72][73]
- Ram Vilas Paswan, 11 times Member of Parliament and many times Minister in the Union Government; founder and President of Lok Janshakti Party[74]
- Ram Ratan Ram, Member of Parliament 1984-1989, MLA and Minister in Bihar State 1952-1984 [75]
- Kanshi Ram, founder of Bahujan Samaj Party, a Dalit leader and Bahujan Nayak of India[76]
- Bangaru Laxman, former President of Bharatiya Janta Party[77]
- Kirpa Ram Punia, Dalit leader, former IAS officer, and politician[78]
- B. Shyam Sunder, founder of Bharatiya Bhim Sena[79]
- Shambhavi Choudhary, Lok Sabha MP from Samastipur[80]
Religion and reform
- Chokhamela, poet and saint from Maharashtra, India during 13th–14th century[81][82]
- Ravidas, Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement during the 15th–16th century CE.[83]
- Harichand Thakur, established the Matua sect of Vaishnavite Hinduism[84]
- Swami Achhootanand, 20th century Indian social reformer, established the Adi Hindu movement.[85]
- Marampudi Joji, third Archbishop of Hyderabad[86]
- Gallela Prasad, fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuddapah, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India[87]