Dalit–Ambedkarite Activists in Kerala
Sunny M Kapikad
• Dalit rights activist based in Kerala.
• Led the “Villuvandi Yatra” (ox-cart procession) in 2018, commemorating Ayyankali’s historic protest and demanding equal temple access during the Sabarimala controversy. The yatra was led from Thiruvananthapuram to Erumeli with Dalit women and youth, connecting caste and gender struggles SabrangIndia.
Vijila Chirappad
• Dalit poet and writer from Kozhikode.
• Her poetry reveals the dual oppression of caste and gender; she has performed at Kerala Literary Festival and the Hay Festival Wikipedia.
Rekha Raj
• Dalit feminist scholar from Kottayam, with a PhD on gender & caste.
• Author of Dalit Sthree Idapedalukal; editor and public intellectual on Dalit women’s rights and identity politics in Kerala Wikipedia.
Bindu Ammini
• Lawyer and teacher from Kozhikode; lead figure in anti–Sabarimala campaign.
• A state leader of Bhim Army in Kerala; spoke out on caste, gender, and religious oppression after facing backlash herself Wikipedia.
M. Geethanandan
• Adivasi-Dalit activist from Kannur.
• Co-led the Muthanga uprising (2003) and Kudilketti struggle (2001) for land rights through Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) alongside CK Janu Wikipedia.
C.K. Janu
• Tribal leader and activist from Wayanad; founder of AGMS.
• Mobilized adivasi–Dalit communities in land rights actions including Muthanga and Kudilketti protests Wikipedia+1.
K.M. Salimkumar († 2025)
• Dalit literary activist from Idukki.
• Founded Dalit Aikya Samithi, edited radical journals like Raktapataka and Dalit Aikya Shabdam.
• Famously burnt Manusmriti publicly in Vaikom (1989) to protest casteism. Critiqued symbolic left politics for ignoring caste hierarchy The Times of Indiajusticenews.co.in.
V. B. Ajayakumar († 2025)
• Human rights activist from Kodungallur (Thrissur district).
• Founded NGO Rights; convener of Alliance for Climate Frontline Communities.
• Combined Dalit, tribal, fishing community upliftment with environmental justice at national and UN forums The Times of India.
Ayyankali (historical figure)
• Early 20th-century Dalit reformer from Travancore (Thiruvananthapuram district).
• Fought for education, public road access, and temple rights for Pulayar caste; led historic villuvandi yatra protests.
• Seen as Kerala's original Ambedkarite pioneer
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Dr. Rekha Raj, Dalit feminist scholar-activist
👩🏫 Academic Profile & Teaching
• Position (past): Assistant Professor, School of Gandhian Thought & Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kottayam WikipediaSchool of Gender Studies
• Current status: In August 2022, the Kerala High Court annulled her appointment at MGU due to procedural irregularities in the hiring process The HinduWikipedia
• Fellowship: Recipient of the Kerala Chief Minister’s Nava Kerala Postdoctoral Fellowship, indicating her continued institutional recognition and active research profile School of Gender Studies
🎓 Education
• PhD in Philosophy from M.G. University.
◦ Thesis: Politics of Gender and Dalit Identity: Representation of Dalit Women in Contemporary Dalit Discourses in Kerala (2016) Wikipedia
📝 Writings & Intellectual Contributions
• Book: Dalit Sthree Idapedalukal (2015), a pioneering Malayalam-language study of Dalit women’s experiences and political subjectivity.
◦ It was translated into Tamil in 2017 WikipediaSchool of Gender Studies
• Editorial work: Guest Editor for a special issue on Dalit Women in Sanghaditha magazine (2013) WikipediaKCHR
• Articles: Written for major Indian publications including Economic and Political Weekly, Mathrubhumi, Samakalika Malayalam Vaarika, Madhyamam Weekly, and others, focusing on Dalit feminism, caste/gender intersections, subaltern histories, and Ambedkarite critique WikipediaKCHRMaraa
✊ Activism & Movement Engagement
• Dalit feminist interventions: Early member of Panchami Dalit Women’s Collective, a key platform in Kerala for caste-gender resistance School of Gender StudiesMaraa
• Digital activism & queer inclusion: Co-founder or contributor to Utharakalam (Dalit-Bahujan online platform), Kerala Queer Pride March, and Sahayatrika (community group for trans people assigned female at birth) School of Gender StudiesMaraa
• International engagement: Invited speaker at global forums, including University of Illinois at Chicago (2023), presenting on “The Intersections of Caste and Gender in South India” UIC Today
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Bindu Ammini — Lawyer, Scholar, Dalit Feminist & Ambedkarite Activist
Professional & Academic Background
• Assistant Professor of Law at Government Law College, Kozhikode, previously taught at Kannur University (Thalassery campus) and Calicut University WikipediaThe Indian Express.
• Educated at University of Kerala (LL.M.) and Government Law College, Ernakulam (LL.B.) Wikipedia.
Milestones & Activism
• In January 2019, Bindu Ammini (alongside Kanakadurga) became one of the first women in the reproductive age group allowed entry into Sabarimala temple following the Supreme Court verdict—an act of rebellion rooted in Dalit feminism and constitutional rights WikipediaThe Times of India.
• Since then, she has faced sustained violence—including surveillance, physical assaults (including a pepper spray incident outside police premises, a hit-and-run, and repeated threats)—and ostracization by institutions and political actors in Kerala UN SR Human Rights DefendersThe New Indian Express+1.
• In May 2023, citing ostracization and lack of institutional protection, Ammini announced her decision to leave Kerala in protest, potentially relocating to Delhi/UP untuk continue her advocacy more safely The News Minuteen.themooknayak.comThe New Indian Express.
Bhim Army Role & Ideological Positioning
• She is recognized as the Kerala State Leader of the Bhim Army, embodying subaltern feminism and Ambedkarite principles in her activism WikipediaTheQuint.
Social Initiatives
• Founded ‘She Point’ in Wayanad—a safe shelter and resource center for working and vulnerable women, including a library and legal aid facility The Indian ExpressThe New Indian Express.
Bhim Army in Kerala
Overview
• The Bhim Army, originally founded in Uttar Pradesh (2015) as an Ambedkarite social movement and educational network, has a small but growing presence in Kerala, focused on raising Dalit consciousness and resistance to caste-gender oppression WikipediaThe News Minute.
Activities
• During the COVID lockdown in 2020, Kerala’s Bhim Army organized a 10-day ‘Bhim Jayanti Maholsavam’(Ambedkar Jayanti celebration) via online lectures, featuring young Dalit scholars and activists discussing caste, reservation, and constitutional ideals. Speakers included Sunny Kapikad, Dr. Rekha Raj, and Dinu Veyil The News Minute.
• The national leader Chandrashekhar Azad visited Kerala in February 2020 to participate in the final leg of an anti-CAA/NRC march in Thiruvananthapuram, organized by civil rights groups and the SDPI. State Bhim Army leader D Deepu and others spoke at the event The New Indian Express.
Scale & Limitations
• Unlike Uttar Pradesh, Kerala lacks Bhim Pathshalas (free schools run by Bhim Army). The movement’s presence remains confined to activist networks, online education, protest culture, and symbolic leadership through figures like Bindu Ammini.
• The Bhim Army Kerala wing has played a role in ideational mobilization—through webinars, public demonstrations, and supporting anti-caste resistance—but it has not yet created large-scale institutional infrastructure in the state.
She Point, Wayanad
Founded: March 8, 2023 by Bindu Ammini in Kaniyambetta, Wayanad district, near Sultan Bathery in North Kerala. Purpose: A safe, temporary living space for women in crisis or social isolation, including domestic abuse survivors, Dalit women, activists under threat, single mothers, and young women seeking refuge and empowerment.The Indian Express
🔎 Facilities & Initiatives
• Temporary shelter: Offers short-stay accommodation with dignity and anonymity.The Indian Express
• Legal aid & counseling: Bindu, as a lawyer, provides advice on rights, temple entry, caste discrimination, and gender justice.
• Community learning: Houses a small library and study corner, with Ambedkarite, feminist, and constitutional literature.
• Resource access: Acts as a node for food, hygiene, emotional support, especially in tribal or rural areas where government aid fails.Newslaundry
🎯 Impact & Reach
• Reported during Covid lockdowns and afterward, Bindu personally intervened to assist tribal families—including mothers and infants—who were severely food insecure and lacked ration cards. She facilitated access to welfare and basic resources through She Point’s outreach.Newslaundry
• After years of personal attacks and institutional ostracization following her Sabarimala entry, Bindu launched She Point as a symbol of continuing resistance and support structure for vulnerable women.The Indian ExpressThe New Indian Express
🟦 Current Status
• Despite leaving Kerala in 2023 due to sustained hostility, Bindu has stated she will not abandon She Point. Financial liabilities linked to the initiative remain her responsibility.The News MinuteThe Indian Express
• The center continues to function in Kaniyambetta under local guidance or caretakers, and remains accessible to women in need.
1. Primary Local Link: Akshaya Centre, Kaniyambetta
This is the only community institution in the immediate area that has a public phone and email. Given its role as a digital-access, village-level civic hub, it is likely known locally and might help connect you to “She Point” organizers.
• Akshaya E-Centre, Kaniyambetta Location: Kaniyambetta (near Gram Panchayat); on the Kalpetta–Mananthavady highway (PO 673124) Phone: 04936-84177 or 94003-80826 Email: akskaniyambetta@gmail.com Staff: Ms. Saranya A.V. (contact via avsaranya3@gmail.com) akshaya.kerala.gov.in
When reaching out, you could mention your nonprofit’s interest in supporting “She Point,” and ask whether they can connect you to Bindu or local caretakers.
2. Possible Reach via Kaniyambetta Area Institutions
There isn’t a registered NGO under the name “She Point,” but the local government bodies or community leaders might be aware of the initiative. You can contact:
• Government Higher Secondary School, Kaniyambetta Phone: 04936-286238 / 286445 Stack Schools Staff or student coordinators may know about She Point’s location and operations.
📬 Recommended Way to Reach Bindu Ammini or Support She Point
1. Through the Law College
You can write to the Principal of Government Law College (GLC), Kozhikode, indicating your interest in supporting women’s legal aid and rights initiatives like She Point. The college may have a secure way to forward contact.
• Government Law College, Kozhikode Address: Government Law College Campus, Kozhikode, Kerala Phone (College Office): 0495-2700xxx (likely accessible through the Calicut University contact directory or GLC main desk)
2. Through Advocates & Local Allies
Bindu Ammini is well-connected with Kerala’s Dalit and gender-justice networks. You could reach out to:
• Rekha Raj (Dalit feminist scholar, Gov. MGU Kottayam)
• Vivian Sunny Kapikad (Dalit rights activist known for organizing the Villuvandi Yatra)
• Local NGOs working on caste and gender issues such as the Kerala Dalit Federation, which may have mutual links.
Who is C.K. Janu?
Chekot Karian Janu, born in 1970 in a tribal settlement near Mananthavady, Wayanad, Kerala, belongs to the Adiya community—historically subjected to bonded labor and dispossessed of land WikipediaThe Hindu. She did not receive formal schooling, and began work as a farm and domestic laborer before learning to read and write through state-run literacy missions The HinduWikipedia.
🌾 Activism: Land Rights & Adivasi Mobilization
• Joined CPI(M)’s agricultural labour wing (KSKTU) in her youth, but later shifted focus to tribal mobilization WikipediaThe Hindu.
• 2001 “Kudil Ketti Samaram”: Led a protest in front of the Kerala Secretariat where tribal families built huts and demanded land restitution; lasted 48 days and achieved partial settlement promises from the state government The New Indian ExpressWikipedia.
• 2003 “Muthanga Sangharsham”: Spearheaded a mass occupation of land at Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary after government reneging; police fired on protesters, causing fatalities and widespread notoriety. Janu and co-leader M. Geethanandan were arrested; multiple legal cases filed against her. The event triggered national and international awareness of tribal dispossession Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2.
• Ongoing resistance: Later initiated the “Nilpu Samaram” (standing protests) demanding implementation of earlier commitments around tribal land and Panchayat rights; lasted over five months in 2014 The News MinuteWikipedia.
• Her activism eventually led to the restitution of thousands of acres of land to formerly landless Adivasi families in Wayanad and Aralam region The New Indian ExpressWikipedia+1.
🏛️ Organizational Roles
• Chairperson, Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) — Founded with M. Geethanandan and part of the broader Dalit-Adivasi Action Council. AGMS campaigns for enforcement of the Forest Rights Act, PESA, and genuine tribal autonomy. It uses nonviolent strategies like sit-ins, rallies, and land occupations Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2.
• In 2016, Janu registered her political outfit: Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (later Party: JRP), contested elections (e.g. Sulthan Bathery seat) under NDA alliance. Though criticized by AGMS peers and later exited NDA in 2018, she rejoined ahead of the 2021 election cycle WikipediaThe Indian ExpressTwoCircles.netThe Times of India.
📘 Written & Personal Legacy
• Author: Janu: The Life Story of C.K. Janu (Malayalam, 2003); translated into English as Mother Forest: The Unfinished Story of C.K. Janu Wikipediawlfwayanad.com.
📌 Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS), Wayanad
National roles:
• Chairperson: C.K. Janu
• State Coordinator: M. Geethanandan Wikipedia
🔹 Contact Pathways:
AGMS is not a formally registered NGO with public contact info, but is well-recognized through its public actions and media representation.
You can connect with them through:
• Local media journalists or reporters who cover AGMS’s education and land-rights actions (e.g. Sulthan Bathery, District Collectorate).
• The Hindu’s Wayanad bureau: featured AGMS in education demand stories (e.g. seat reservation for tribal students) The HinduThe Caravan.
• Wayanad District Tribal Welfare Office / Collectorate, which regularly engages with AGMS on policy demands.
📘 What AGMS is working on now:
• Reserved academic seats for tribal students (demanding 40% reservation for Plus-One in Wayanad schools) The Hindu.
• Monitoring and demanding fair recruitment of tribal promoters (Gotrabandhus) in education systems The Hindu.
• Coronavirus-era education access: advocating for mentor-visits and local informal learning centers for tribal students The Caravan.
Dalit & Adivasi Feminist Support in Wayanad
If your nonprofit is interested in supporting feminist, Dalit-tribal safety and education projects, here are key local organizations:
1. Adivasi Dalit Women Empowerment Study Centre (ADWESC) — “Snehibhavan”
• Location: Melukavu Panchayath, Kottayam District (serving tribal & Dalit women including from Wayanad if connected via networks).
• Focus: Shelter, legal aid, education, rehabilitation for tribal and Dalit girls, unmarried mothers, survivors of abuse.
• Contact: snehibhavan@gmail.com adwesc.org
2. Women’s Welfare Association (WWA)
• Location: Thomattuchal (near Kalpetta, Wayanad district)
• Focus: Women & children’s development, legal awareness, community empowerment, self-help groups for Dalit/tribal women societyofkristudasi.com
👭 Pombilai Urimai (Women’s Rights Collective), Munnar
• Founded and led by tea plantation workers, predominantly Tamil Dalit women, who broke traditional male-dominated union structures to fight for wage justice, dignity, and abolition of caste-based stigmaMediumFeminism in India.
• In September 2015, they staged a historic nine-day strike against the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Company (KDHP). Women plucked only 21 kg of tea per day (a “go-slow”) to demand a wage rise (FF ₹500 per day) and better bonus—forming their own leadership independent of mainstream unions liberation.org.inWikipediacpimlnd.org.
• This led to the formation of Pengal Orumai (“Women’s Unity”), an independent women’s union. These women organized assemblies across plantation divisions, insisted on representation on the Plantation Labour Committee, and negotiated directly with management and government liberation.org.inThe Indian Expresscpimlnd.org.
• Their revolt exposed both gender and caste exploitation within Kerala’s tea economy. Observers called it a new wave of worker-driven, feminist mobilization CountercurrentsThe Indian ExpressScroll.in.
📊 Why Pombilai Urimai Stands Out as Dalit Feminist Organizing
• Led by Dalit women workers who are also plantation laborers — combining class, gender, and caste concerns.
• Operated outside traditional left-led trade unions, challenging internal patriarchy and caste hierarchy.
• Demonstrated economic self-organization, political strategy, and public agenda-setting by the women themselves.