Mohandas Naimishray has contributed immensely to the evolution of Dalit Literature to its modern form. He was born on 5 September 1949 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. After acquiring an education against all odds, he briefly worked as a lecturer in a college in Meerut before going on to devote the rest of his life to Dalit journalism and literature. As a journalist, he raised issues related to Dalits and the problems they were facing in many national newspapers and magazines. He was equally frank and fearless as an author. His autobiography is published in three parts: Apne-Apne Pinjare (Part 1), Apne-Apne Pinjare (Part 2) and Rang Kitne Sangh Mere (Part 3). Among his published works are Awazein, Hamara Jabab and Dalit Kahaniyan (collections of short stories); Kya Mujhe Kharedoge, Muktiparva, Aaj Bazar Band Hai, Jhalkari Bai, Mahanayak Ambedkar, Jakhm Hamare and Gaya Mein Ek Adad Dalit (novels); Adalatnama and Hello Comrade (plays); and Safdar Ek Bayan and Aag Aur Andolan (anthology of poems). In addition, he has authored Dalit Patrakarita Ek Vimarsh (four volumes), Dalit Andolan ka Itihaas (four volumes) and Hindi Dalit Sahitya. He was the editor at Dr Ambedkar Foundation, Government of India, for almost six years. He has also edited the Bayan magazine. In 2011, he was honoured for his exemplary social and literary contributions by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar National Institute of Social Science, Mhow (Madhya Pradesh).
Mohandas Naimishray is a representative writer of Dalit literature and an extraordinary essayist. Awazein, his first collection of short stories, came out in 1998. Hamara Jawab (2005) and Mohandas Naimishray Ki Chuni Huyee Kahaaniyan (2017) followed. The short stories by Mohandas Naimishray, who is considered among the founders of Dalit Literature, expose the cruelty of feudalism and caste-based exploitation.
