Mangaluru – V.T. Rajshekar, a legendary journalist, writer, thinker, and founder-editor of the groundbreaking magazine Dalit Voice, passed away on Wednesday morning at a private hospital in Mangaluru. He was 93.
Born on July 17, 1932, in Vontibettu, Karnataka, Rajshekar played a pivotal role in shaping the intellectual discourse of the anti-caste movement since the 1970s.
In 1981, Rajshekar launched Dalit Voice, which became an internationally acclaimed periodical. Human Rights Watch described it as “India’s most widely circulated Dalit journal.” The magazine and its accompanying website ceased publication in 2011, but its impact continues to resonate.
Rajshekar began his career as a journalist with The Indian Express, where he worked for 25 years. His tenure there and his subsequent work with Dalit Voice established him as a fierce advocate for Dalit rights and a staunch critic of caste-based oppression, Brahmanism, and the Sangh Parivar.
Throughout his life, Rajshekar faced significant challenges for his outspoken views. In 1986, his passport was confiscated for alleged “anti-Hindu” writings, and he was arrested in Bengaluru under the Terrorist and Anti-Disruptive Activities (TADA) Act. Rajshekar later revealed to Human Rights Watch that his arrest stemmed from an editorial he had penned in Dalit Voice. Another writer who republished the editorial was also arrested. Over the years, he was charged under the Sedition Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly inciting disaffection between communities.
A prolific writer, Rajshekar authored dozens of books on caste, oppression, and social justice. In 2005, he received the London Institute of South Asia (LISA) Book of the Year Award. In 2018, he was honored with the Mukundan C. Menon Award, instituted by the National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (NCHRO).
He is survived by his son, Salil Shetty, who served as the Secretary General of Amnesty International.
Rajshekar’s last rites will be held on Thursday at his hometown of Onthibettu in Udupi, Karnataka.
