Annihilation of caste

B.R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste is one of the most important, yet neglected, works of political writing from India. Written in 1936, it is an audacious denunciation of Hinduism and its caste system. Annihilation of Caste is the best book on caste though it is said about 3,500 books have been written on this subject. But many such works are written more to make money and earn some name or fame, award or reward. But that is not the case with this work which is an honest piece of research. That is why Babasaheb will go down in the history as the greatest social scientist that this country has produced. And I will not be surprised if this work becomes a textbook for students of social science. Till very recently caste has been a private affair in India confined mostly to the house and observed during marriages and deaths. But lately caste has become the be all and end all of India’s social, cultural, political and economic life. Caste makes and unmakes the career of a person. Elections are fought on caste basis. Jagjivan Ram, India’s topmost Dalit leader after Babasaheb, could not become Prime Minister twice because of his caste. Babasaheb was the first person in India to point out these unpleasant facts. That is why he became the most hated person in India, while Gandhi was elevated as Mahatma. We leave it to history to pronounce its judgement on Babasaheb. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s book, that too this particular one, Annihilation of Caste, is a great privilege and honour and we accepted this offer with pleasure and pride. We are sure it will fulfil to some extent the needs of Dalits and others starving for Babasaheb’s books.