Kancha Ilaiah

Kancha Ilaiah, who now refers to himself symbolically as Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, (born 5 October 1952) is an Indian political theorist, writer and activist for Dalit rights. He writes in both English and Telugu.

Kancha Ilaiah was born in the village of Papaiahpet, Warangal Urban district in erstwhile Hyderabad State. His family belonged to the sheep-grazing Kuruba Golla caste, a community designated by the Government of India as an Other Backward Class group. Ilaiah credited his mother, Kancha Kattamma, as pivotal in shaping his political thought. According to Ilaiah, she was at the forefront of the Kurumas' struggle against the forest guards' discriminatory behaviour. Kancha Kattamma was killed during a violent confrontation while protesting against police brutality.

A Dalit activist, Ilaiah is often identified as being a Dalit himself in news reports, although he was in fact born into an Other Backward Class community. A Dalit Indian when he converts into Christianity or Muslim religions, loses his Scheduled Caste status according to Indian laws.

Ilaiah received an M.A. degree in political science and an M.Phil., awarded for his study of land reform in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He has been a recipient of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Award and was a Nehru Fellow between 1994-97.

Ilaiah earned a Ph.D on the basis of his work exploring the political dimension of Buddhism, culminating in God as Political Philosopher - Buddha Challenge to Brahminism..

Ilaiah has encouraged proficiency in the English language for Dalits, arguing that it would allow Dalits in India to intellectually engage the world outside India without non-Dalits speaking "for them". In May 2016, in protest against "Brahmanic hegemony" he claims continues to persist in India, Ilaiah appended "Shepherd" to his name. Ilaiah identified in this choice recognition and reaffirmation of his family origins. As an English-language proper noun rather than its equivalent in an Indian language, "Shepherd" is meant to demonstrate a symbolic break with the cultural norms Ilaiah believed "Brahmins" sought to "impose" on Indian society. Ilaiah characterises his name change as a tool for the upliftment of Dalits.

Currently, Ilaiah is serving as director of the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad.

While working as an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Osmania University, several of Ilaiah's colleagues as well as academics affiliated with the university expressed, in an open-letter, their concern with respect to certain articles and opinions Ilaiah had contributed to a local newspaper and advised him against writing material that could inflame sectarian discontent or prejudice.

In February 2013, at the Jaipur Literary Festival, Ilaiah and Javed Akhtar engaged in a heated discussion over the implications of religion in Indian social life.

Ilaiah has also been criticised for believing in the Aryan invasion theory. In November 2015, Ilaiah stated that if Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of India credited with forging national unity amidst the intense violence and bloodletting that followed the creation of Pakistan, had been Prime Minister of India, India "would have become Pakistan".

In April 2016, Ilaiah gave a controversial remark that vegetarianism is anti-nationalism. On 18 September 2017, T. G. Venkatesh, a member of Indian Parliament representing the Telugu Desam Party and a prominent leader of Arya Vysya said at a press conference that Ilaiah was a traitor and should be hanged.

Among Ilaiah's official appointments have been:

• Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad
• Member of National Research Committee constituted by the Ministry of Social Justice, New Delhi
• Member – Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi
• Former Member of the National Book Trust, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, New Delhi for three years
• Member of the Planning Commission Sub Committee to formulate an agenda for land reforms for the XI Five Year Plan
• Member of the UGC Constitutional Committee to oversee the implementation of OBC reservations in all Central and State universities in India
• Former member of the Executive Council of Periyar Maniammai University (Tamil Nadu)

English language publications:

• Ilaiah, K. Why I Am Not a Hindu: A Sudra critique of Hindutva philosophy, culture and political economy] (Calcutta: Samya, 1996) ISBN 8185604185
• Ilaiah, K. God as Political Philosopher: Buddha's Challenge to Brahminism (Calcutta: Samya, 2001) ISBN 8185604444
• Ilaiah, K. Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism (Calcutta: Samya, 2004) ISBN 818560469X
• Ilaiah, K., & Vyam, D. (2007). Turning the Pot, Tilling the Land: Dignity of Labour in Our Times. Pondicherry: Navayana Pub. ISBN 9788189059095 OCLC 184927533
• Ilaiah, K. Post-Hindu India: A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan Socio-Spiritual and Scientific Revolution (SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2009) ISBN 9788132104339
• Ilaiah, K. Untouchable God: A Novel on Caste and Race (Kolkata: Samya, 2011) ISBN 9788185604336 OCLC 828612357
• Ilaiah, K (1989-01-01). The State and Repressive Culture: The Andhra Experience. Hyderabad: Swecha Prachuranalu.OCLC 21518320
• Bonner, A., Ilaiah, K., Saha, S. K., Engineer, A. A., & Heuze, G. (1994). Democracy in India: A Hollow Shell. Washington D.C: The American University Press. ISBN 1879383268 OCLC 470188534
• Ilaiah, K; Nehru Memorial Museum and Library; Centre for Contemporary Studies (1995-01-01).Caste or Class or Caste-class: A study in Dalitabhujan Consciousness and Struggles in Andhra Pradesh in 1980s]. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library OCLC 436463940
• Ilaiah, K., & Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. (1996). In Search of the Roots of Anti-Caste Struggle: A Dalitist Reading of the Buddhist Discourse. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. OCLC 863611670
• Ilaiah, K., & Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. (1997). Productive Labour, Consciousness and History: The Dalitabahujan Alternative. New Delhi: Centre for Contemporary Studies, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. OCLC 793342817
• Ilaiah, K (1999-01-01). Reservations: Experience as Framework of Debate OCLC 606215716
• D'Souza, J., Ilaiah, K., Raj, U., & Dalit Freedom Network. (2004). Dalit Freedom: Now and Forever; The Epic Struggle for Dalit Forever. OCLC 930036331
• Nisar, M., Kandasamy, M., & Ilaiah, K. (2007). Ayyankali: Dalit Leader of Organic Protest.Calicut, Kerala: Other Books. ISBN 9788190388764 OCLC 437026595
• Ilaiah, K (2010-01-01). The Weapon of the Other: Dalitbahujan Writings and the Remaking of Indian Nationalist Thought. Delhi: Longman. ISBN 9788177582468 OCLC 502268560

Telugu language publications:

• ఐలయ్య, క. మన తత్వం: దళిత బహుజన తాత్వికత. హైదరాబాద్: హైదరాబాద్ బుక్ ట్రస్ట్