List of Dalits

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This is a list of notable Dalit individuals, categorized by their contributions across various fields and professions.

Academics

Babasaheb Ambedkar

• 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]}
• Kalabhavan Mani, actor and singer ^[22]
• 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, 4th deputy prime minister of India, Indian freedom fighter and founder of Depressed Class Association ^{[49] [50] [51] [52]}

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		Jitan Ram Manjhi		Former Chief Minister of Bihar.
5		Jagannath Pahadia	Rajasthan	First Dalit Chief Minister of Rajasthan. [57]
6		Mayawati	Uttar Pradesh	First Dalit woman Chief Minister in India. [59]
7		Sushilkumar Shinde	Maharashtra	First Dalit Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
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 Himachal Pradesh Bihar	Served as Governor of multiple Indian states and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. [64]
2		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		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]

Politicians

• Jogendra Nath Mandal, one of the central figures in creation of the state of Pakistan; later a government minister ^[69]
• Dakshayani Velayudhan, Indian politician and the sole Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly. ^{[70] [71]}
• Ram Vilas Paswan, 11 times Member of Parliament and many times Minister in the Union Government; founder and President of Lok Janshakti Party ^[72]
• Ram Ratan Ram, Member of Parliament 1984-1989, MLA and Minister in Bihar State 1952-1984 ^[73]
• Kanshi Ram, founder of Bahujan Samaj Party, a Dalit leader and Bahujan Nayak of India ^[74]
• Bangaru Laxman, former President of Bharatiya Janta Party ^[75]
• Kirpa Ram Punia, Dalit leader, former IAS officer, and politician ^[76]
• B. Shyam Sunder, founder of Bharatiya Bhim Sena ^[77]
• Shambhavi Choudhary, Lok Sabha MP from Samastipur ^[78]

Religion and reform

• Chokhamela, poet and saint from Maharashtra, India during 13th–14th century ^{[79] [80]}
• Ravidas, Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement during the 15th–16th century CE. ^[81]
• Harichand Thakur, established the Matua sect of Vaishnavite Hinduism ^[82]
• Swami Achhootanand, 20th century Indian social reformer, established the Adi Hindu movement. ^[83]
• Marampudi Joji, third Archbishop of Hyderabad ^[84]
• Gallela Prasad, fourth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuddapah, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India ^[85]

See also

• List of Jatav
• Dalit Music
• Dalit Literature
• Dalit History Month
• Dalit activists
• Dalit saints

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