Prof Gail Omvedt has passed way on Wednesday the 25th of August 2021. We have lost an authoritative voice on the dynamics of our contemporary movement and society. Gail Omvedt is quite familiar name for almost all the organic intellectuals and serious activists from Phule – Ambedkarite movement all over the world. Gail herself was an organic intellectual par excellence and academic activist with glaring intellectual integrity.
In the wake of Gail’s sad demise, there is an outpouring of condolences and obituaries paying homage and commemorating her biographical account, which is not less interesting and inspiring than a storyline of any heroic saga. Gail’s journey from Minnesotta, USA to Kasegaon, Sangli from Maharashtra , Her writings , her dedication to the Bahujan cause through her relentless social activism and social scientific knowledge production, Her rich oeuvre of books and all are testimony of her core philoshophical historical –political perspective of social life . The principles she believed in till her last breadth could be seen the ideas , issues and ideologies she tackled in her writings such as Cultural revolt in colonial India, Seeking Begampura, Buddhism in India, Dr .Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule, Dalit and the Democratic Revolution, Understanding Caste, We Will Smash the Prison and New Social Movement in India.
I still remember my first meeting with Gail Omvedt in BAMCEF convention in 2003 in Hyderabad were I remember her talking on the vital importance of institutional leadership rather than an individual leadership centred on any meglomaniac. I also remember her insisting on uniting and getting brahminized, Hinduized ST/SC and OBC on bahujan platfrom so as to free India from the clutches of Brahmin-Bania nexus.
It is not surprise that one of the greatest Bahujan leaders manyawar Kashiramji compared Gail’s PhD thesis that was later on published as ‘Cultural Revolt in Colonial India’ with Mao’s Red book. Red book was an essential reading and reference book written by Mao Tse Tung for the Chinese activist during the Cultural Revolution in China. Kanshiram ji insisted that every cadres should read this book and carry it during fieldwork.
Besides being a scholar and academic Gail was always in forefront of social activism through Shramik Mukti Dal- an organization she cofounded to fight for the rights of labourers from unorganized sector. Even her academic pursuits like Babasaheb Ambedkar were in congruence with her social movement she was leading. Gail’s contribution to the sociology of Indian society could be summarized in following lines. Her research based findings highlighted that caste in India is proven resilient to the modernity and democracy given the revived hegemony of Brahmin-Bania ruling castes nexus. Gail believed that Babasaheb Ambedkars conversion to Buddhism was an essentially revolutionary step towards annihilation of caste. However, Gail Omvedt’s greatest contribution and intellectual integrity lies in reiterating that against Brahminical varna based caste system only Bahujan thinkers, Bahujan ideology, and its proponent can offer the practical alternative for formation of Casteless society in India .
Jai Jyoti ! Jai Bheem ! Jai Bharat !!!
