Celebrating Literary Resistance and Social Justice
P. Sivakami Receives Verchol Dalit Literary Award 2025: On April 13, 2025, the Neelam Cultural Centre in Chennai honoured renowned writer and retired IAS officer P. Sivakami with the Verchol Dalit Literary Award. The award, which includes a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, was presented to recognize her outstanding contributions to Dalit literature, social activism, and her bold voice for caste equity in Indian society. The event coincided with the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, adding deeper significance to the honour.
P. Sivakami: A Voice That Resists and Reclaims
- Sivakami, a powerful writer, thinker, and bureaucrat, has long been a symbol of Dalit empowerment. Her novels and essays do not just tell stories—they challenge systems. At the event, she spoke about how she initially saw her writing as art. But over time, she realized her work was also a form of resistance, pushing back against casteist narratives that often excluded marginalized voices. Her stories bring Dalit women’s experiences into the spotlight, revealing truths often silenced in mainstream literature.
Literature as Protest and Mainstream Power
In her speech, Sivakami declared, “This is about being in the mainstream, not on the periphery.” She emphasized that Dalit literature is not meant to comfort—it is meant to provoke. It unsettles the dominant caste aesthetics and exposes the deeply rooted inequalities in Indian society. She highlighted how Dalit writers today are claiming their space, reshaping what is seen as ‘literature’ and bringing alternative worldviews to the center.
Importantly, Sivakami also spoke about the power of writing in English. While she started in Tamil, she acknowledged that using English has helped reach broader audiences and global platforms, amplifying the message of Dalit assertion beyond regional boundaries.
Role of Neelam Cultural Centre and Pa. Ranjith
The award was instituted by the Neelam Cultural Centre, founded by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith, a leading voice in promoting anti-caste narratives through art and cinema. This award is part of his broader vision to use culture as a tool for social transformation. By recognizing literary figures like Sivakami, the Centre is not just celebrating creativity—it is uplifting resistance literature and investing in the cultural future of Dalit voices.
A Moment of Recognition and Reflection
This honour is more than a personal victory for Sivakami. It is a milestone in Dalit literature, a reaffirmation that stories from the margins are no longer silent. They are being heard, studied, and celebrated.
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P. Sivakami Receives Verchol Dalit Literary Award 2025:
| Topic | Details |
| Award Name | Verchol Dalit Literary Award |
| Recipient | P. Sivakami |
| Organizer | Neelam Cultural Centre, founded by Pa. Ranjith |
| Date | April 13, 2025 |
| Award Purpose | Honouring contributions to Dalit literature |
| Prize Amount | ₹1,00,000 |
| Notable Quote by Sivakami | “Dalit literature is resistance, not decoration.” |
