Dalit History is Poster History

Join Shrujana N. Shridhar, a Mumbai-based artist and illustrator, and Christina Dhanuja, the co-founder of Dalit History Month, for a presentation on the literary and political movements led by the Dalit Panthers. This conversation will delve into the Dalit Panther Archive’s digitized treasures—posters, magazines, and revolutionary poetry—and their transformative impact on Marathi literature.

The Dalit Panthers and the Little Magazine movement challenged the entrenched norms of Marathi literary circles in the 1970s, by bravely confronting dominant caste perspectives that had long dictated the aesthetics, linguistics, and thematic directions of prose and poetry. They explored the radical reimagining of expression by dismantling oppressive gazes and ushering in an era of authentic voices and diverse narratives.

This presentation will uncover the struggles and triumphs of visionary leaders, and the communities that enabled them to navigate India’s changing political and cultural landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the trajectory of anti-caste literature and creative expression. It offers a journey through time and ideology, with insights into the power of literature that challenges, provokes, and inspires change. It presents an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of those who dared to disrupt literary fiefdoms.

Join us as we celebrate Dalit History Month by honoring the Dalit Panthers, whose spirit of resistance continues to resonate through our lives and the pages of contemporary anti-caste literature in India.

Shrujana N. Shridhar is an artist and illustrator based in Mumbai, India. Her practice examines the intersection of caste, gender, and capitalism. It honors the resilience of communities that fought caste and gender oppression for centuries. She received the SSAF–AAA Research Grant for Archiving Histories of Art, Ideas, and Visual Culture in 2019. Shrujana has been published in magazines in India and abroad. Her work has been exhibited at Clark House Initiative in Mumbai, the Showroom in London, China Residencies at Centre for Media at Risk at the University of Pennsylvania, and Arts House Melbourne.

Shrujana has written and illustrated children’s books. She runs the Dalit Panther Archive, digitizing and archiving Little Magazines and literature published by the members of the Dalit Panther movement. She is a co-founder of Mavelinadu Collective, an anti-caste publication.

Christina Dhanuja (aka Christina Dhanaraj) is a researcher by academic qualification, a strategy consultant by experience, and an external relations professional. Over the last ~14 years, she has held multiple roles in India, China, Singapore, and the Netherlands, working with a diverse set of stakeholders in government, business, and development sectors. Christina was formerly an external relations advisor at the Shell Headquarters in the Hague and a business advisor to the country chair of Shell China. She is the convener and founder member of the Global Campaign for Dalit Women, a minority-led initiative that works with survivors of sexual violence, climate change, caste atrocities, and economic oppression. She consults with corporates, non-profits, faith-based institutions, and academia advising on caste diversity, equity, & inclusion, leadership development, and accountability frameworks.

Christina is also the co-founder of the #DalitHistoryMonth project and has published on intersectional discourses between caste, gender, religion, race, sexuality, and mental health. She is currently working on her first non-fiction book on Dalit women and the fullness of life.

Accessibility Note: This online event will be hosted on Zoom with attendees’ cameras off. A recording of this event will be made available for all registered attendees. Automated closed captioning will be provided. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is available upon request.

Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.