30, October 2025

Dalit women and the re-establishment of Indian feminist thought

VOLUME-11; ISSUE-10; OCT-2025

Author(s): Dr. Shiney Vashisht

Authors Affiliations:

Project Head, SEWA

DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202510009     |     Paper ID: IJIRMF202510009


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Indian feminism has traditionally focused on the experiences of middle-class, upper-caste women, for whom work and public recognition were seen as means of achieving their goals. On the other side, Dalit women have experienced sexual abuse, been excluded from the system, and have always worked, frequently in demeaning positions that were imposed upon them by their caste. But their point of view didn't often affect feminist theory or policy. This article examines how mainstream Indian feminism's fundamental concepts—patriarchy, labour, and emancipation—derived from Savarna experiences, distort the realities of Dalit women. Utilizing Dalit feminist scholarship (Guru, Rege, Arya), Ambedkarite philosophy, labour history, and testimonies from sanitation workers, the paper contends that feminism in India must be reconstructed from the epistemic standpoint of Dalit women, rather than merely incorporating them retroactively. It finishes with suggestions for research, teaching, and policy that would make feminism truly aware of caste and change society.

Dalit feminism, Indian feminism, caste, labour, Ambedkarite thought, epistemic justice

Dr. Shiney Vashisht (2025); Dalit women and the re-establishment of Indian feminist thought, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-11, Issue-10, Pp. 68-71.         Available on –   https://www.ijirmf.com/

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