# Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi

Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi is an academic organization dedicated to the promotion of Indian Dalit literature, art and culture in the languages of India. The organization is an all India Dalit writers association established 1984. It was founded by Jagjivan Ram, the 4th deputy prime minister of India.

## Aim

The Akademi was established for fulfilling the unaccomplished dream of B. R. Ambedkar to alleviate Dalit's darkness of injustice, inequality and inhuman treatment.

## Controversy

The members of the Akademi publicly burned multiple copies of the famed novel Rangbhoomi, written by Premchand on july 31 of 2004 at Jantar Mantar park in New Delhi. This incident made a maelstrom and provoked the traditional literary establishments and it was caused to divide the Akademi to many Dalit organizations all over in India.

## National executives

* President: Dr. S. P. Sumanakshar (founder president)
* General secretary: Prof. Jay Sumanakshar

### List of state presidents

Following people served as state presidents of the organization:
| No. | Name | State |
| 1 | G. Dhanasekhar | Andhra Pradesh |
| 2 | G.P. Upadhayaya | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 3 | B.L. Rabidas | Assam |
| 4 | Jaga Ram Shastri | Bihar |
| 5 | G.R. Banjare Jwala | Chhattisgarh |
| 6 | Gurmeet Singh Jaura | Chandigarh |
| 7 | Dr. Rajmal Singh Raj | Delhi |
| 8 | Shambhu Bhau Bandekar | Goa |
| 9 | Jayavant Singh Mahipatsingh Jadeja | Gujarat |
| 10 | Gurudyal Singh Morthala | Haryana |
| 11 | Adv. Dalip Singh | Himachal Pradesh |
| 12 | Dr. Raju Ram | Jharkhand |
| 13 | Sudesh Kumari | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 14 | H.M. Kundargi | Karnataka |
| 15 | T. Balakrishnan | Kerala |
| 16 | P.C. Bairwa | Madhya Pradesh |
| 17 | Anand Gavali | Maharashtra |
| 18 | R. K. Gunchandra | Manipur |
| 19 | Rajmani Nongthomba | Meghalaya |
| 20 | Khaidem Kanta Singh | Mizoram |
| 21 | R.K. Gunachandra | Nagaland |
| 22 | Premraj Nial | Orissa |
| 23 | Dr. P. Vasugi Jayaraman | Pondicherry |
| 24 | Tirath Tongaria | Punjab |
| 25 | Prof. Swami Atma Ram Upadhyay | Rajasthan |
| 26 | Dilkhush Ruchal | Sikkim |
| 27 | Dr. C.P. Desi | Tamilnadu |
| 28 | Sayan Saha | Tripura |
| 29 | Adv. Jitender Manu | Telangana |
| 30 | Dr. Lalati Devi | Uttar Pradesh |
| 31 | Prof. Jaipal Singh | Uttaranchal |
| 32 | Adv.Roshan Lal Arya | Uttrakhand |
| 33 | Arjun Sankar | West Bengal |
| 34 | Devji Jogi Bhai Tandel | Daman and Diu |
| 35 | Dr. Ajay Kumar Sonkar | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| 36 | B.L. Rabidas | North-East State's Committee |
| 37 | P. Vishnu Murthy | South India State's Committee |

## Awards

* Dr. Ambedkar International Award
* Dr. Ambedkar National Award
* Dr. Ambedkar Distinguished Service award
* Dr. Ambedkar Sahityashree National Award
* Dr. Ambedkar Sewashree National Award
* Dr. Ambedkar Excellency National Award
* Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship National Award

### Recipients

* Dalai Lama - Dr. Ambedkar International Award in 1991
* Santhome Higher Secondary School - Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship Award in 2010
* P.R. Salve - Dr. Ambedkar Distinguished Service award in 2012
* S.J. Jecob - Dr. Ambedkar International Award in 2019
* Akkavila Salim - Dr. Ambedkar National Award in 2013
* Palash Bandopadhyay - Dr. Ambedkar Sewashree National Award in 2021
* Subhash Das - Dr. Ambedkar Excellency National Award in 2023
* Karoor Soman - Dr. Ambedkar Sahityashree National Award in 2023
* Jimsith Ambalappad - Dr. Ambedkar National Award in 2024
* Sukhesh R. Pilla Dr. Ambedkar Sahityashree National Award in 2024