transforming History

Friends

Here is a long information for you about the inauguration of the Silver Jubilee of REDS. The
Leadership in REDS and Dalit Panchayat Movement have planned for a series of events. We
shall inform you of them from time to time. A very interesting development is that the
original leadership of REDS which was a mix of all castes have now come forward to carry
on the agenda of the Ambedkar Era. This is very interesting. Let us all hope that such
developments will augur well for the liberation of the Dalit people and ultimately for the
development of our country. We wish you reading pleasure of this long note of ours.

Jyothi and Raj

Silver Jubilee of REDS – The Inaugural

Finally it has started. A new journey into the future of our people! REDS has started a new
chapter in its forward march. The inauguration of the Silver Jubilee celebration of REDS
itself became an indicator to the many things that are in store for the Dalits of India. Ruth,
Samy, Fr. Claude D’Souza, Mr. Jayachandra MLA, Sr. Clare, Mrs. Anita Cheria, Mr. Edwin were
the privileged ones who were almost stunned to be part the day’s events as they unfolded
one by one. We shall explain them to you as short as possible.

The People

We expected about one thousand people. There were a little over 800. But all of them are
village leaders who pain their own travel and came for the celebrations. This is the strength
of the Movement. More than half of them were Dalit women. But there were many non-
Dalits too. They were the ones who actually shed not only their sweat but also their blood in
the initial stages of the organization. Even 22 years after leaving REDS because it made a
preferential option for Dalits they are still very much with the Organization because of their
inseparable personal bond with also Jyothi and Raj. Many people ask us how so much of
achievement for Dalits is possible without violence. Sr. Clare has said that she can only
experience it in REDS and will not be able to explain it with human language. But this is
possible and it has happened in REDS.

The Procession
It was nothing extraordinary except for the discipline of our people.

Handing Over Leadership

An innovative Inauguration of the Silver Jubilee: The leadership that owned REDS from 1984
to 1990 was almost in full strength. 25 of them were selected to mark the 25 years of REDS.
They were invited to the stage and requested to stand. The new generation of leadership
does not know many of them. They have to be recognized. Ruth Manorama handed over one
Coconut seedling each. Twenty five seedling were ready in their hands. We chose 25 leaders
from the present generation and each of them was given one coconut seedling by the old
leadership. Each one whispered into the ears of the new leaders to be committed to the
people as they were. Thus started the Silver Jubilee of REDS.
Release of Dyche: The Book Dyche written by M C Raj and Jyothi was released by Mr. N P
Samy, the husband of Ruth.

Honoring of Fr. Claude
He was the one who initially helped Jyothi and Raj to come to Tumkur and was a strong
support for some time in the beginning. Later there was a long gap in communication for
nearly twenty years. Silver Jubilee is an occasion when we wanted to honor him for being the
initial supporter of REDS. Jyothi and Raj did this in their inimitable style. We are happy that
Fr. Claude came to Tumkur to honor REDS.

Receiving Dalitism
This was unquestionably the event of the day. About six months ago Archana decided to
formally receive Dalitism. This is a new tradition that we want to start in the community.
Receiving Dalitism means that one dedicates one’s life to the service of the Dalit community
and this dedication is made through a formal promise in the presence of the elders of the
community. Ruth Manorama and Samy took the place of the parents and brought Archana
to the stage for the formal receiving of Dalitism. Jyothi and Raj, being the founders of many
new traditions in the Dalit community had to administer the oath of service. Jyothi took the
role of administering Dalitism while Ruth and Samy stood by Archana all along.

Jyothi said the following to Archana:

Dear Archana
Even as you were born your parents set out to start the Rural Education for Development
Society in Tumkur carrying you all over as a small baby in their arms. Without making a
conscious decision you were part and parcel of the founding and growth of the
Organization in the past 25 years. All of us assembled here are deeply aware that you
sacrificed your childhood for the sake of the mission of your parents. The people of Tumkur
have richly benefited from your sacrifices and they have in return helped in many ways the
formation of your personality. You are what your are today because of them.

It is only natural that you have decided to dedicate your life in the service of the Dalit
people all over the world for the rest of your life. All of us assembled here welcome you into
this noble service for the oppressed people. You must realize that this is completely your
decision and it is your moral duty to be faithful to your decision and to your people.
Receiving Dalitism is not just giving importance to mere external symbols just as blue and
black colour. As a Dalit woman you are free to wear colourful dress and be your natural self.
However, by accepting Dalitism you are agreeing to lead a simple life in accordance with
the standard of living of your people.

From now on, you will be guided by the worldview of the Dalit community, the value
fundaments of our ancestors, by the norms that internally govern the Dalit community and
be guided in all your decisions by the wisdom of the Dalit people, especially of the Dalit
women. You shall be instrumental in the realization of the deepest aspirations of the Dalit
people such as equality, humility, resilience, resistance, communitarian spirit etc. When
there is injustice you must get angry but as a Dalit you shall never hate anyone. You shall
not exclude anyone from any available space for people. Receiving Dalitism means that you
will draw your energy and strength from within yourself, from the cognitive and emotive
waves of our ancestors and from the life giving energy of Mother Earth.

By receiving Dalitism in public you are agreeing to remain a constant inspiration to many
young people like you to dedicate themselves to the service of our people. We appreciate
and congratulate this bold decision of yours and wish you all blessings and strength of our
ancestors and of our Mother Earth, the Booshakthi. As a symbol of your receiving Dalitism
we shall apply the blue tilak on your forehead and give you a set of books on Dalit science.
Dalit spirituality, Dalit Philosophy, Dalit Politis and Dalit Psyche. Since all these are drawn
from the ancient and contemporary wisdom of our people you shall accept them as the
guiding principles of your life and move forward courageously without any fear.
Now we welcome you to seal your decision of life by publicly promising to all the elders and
young people of all communities assembled here to witness your dedication to the Dalit
community.

After these initial words Raj applied blue thilak on the forehead of Archana and handed over
a set of books to her, which included Dalitology, Cosmosity, DALITHINK, Dalitocracy and
DYCHE, the Dalit Psyche.

Once this was over Archana made her solemn promise in the assembly of elders and young
people in the following way:

The Promise

I, Archana, daughter of Mrs. Jyothi and Mr. M C Raj solemnly promise to all the elders and
young people assembled here on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Rural Education
for Development the following:

On this day of 10 January 2009 I dedicate the rest of my life to the service of the Dalit
people of the world

From now on I shall work hard for the liberation of the Dalit people from all forms of
oppression and for their self-assertion as a people equal to all

I shall lead a simple life in accordance with the living standards of my people

I shall let my life be guided by the history and culture resources of the Dalit communities
and be led by the ancestral values that are still alive in the community of people.

I shall accept Booshakthi as the source of life and accept blue as my color. which
symbolizes the provision of unlimited space to all people of the world.

I shall be humble enough to integrate the wisdom of the Dalit community especially of the
Dalit women in my personal and public life and be a source of inspiration for many young
people of future generations.

I seek the blessings of all elders assembled here to remain firmly committed to what I have
promised today and sing the same,

Archana 10 – 01 - 2009
Ruth and Samy gave her the gift they had brought.

Honoring REDS Staff: There are three people in REDS who are with the Organization from
the time of its inception. These are Sampath Kumar, Joby and Archana. The Staff of REDS
took Jyothi and Raj by surprise. They also had organized an honoring for both of them
without informing them.

The Speeches

Samy stressed on the need for organizations like REDS to keep the issues of social justice
going strong. REDS has been a consistent organization untiringly working for the liberation
and human rights of the Dalit people. It is not easy to manage an organization for 25 years.
Here Jyothi and Raj have kept the Organization going with gusto for all the 25 year sand
they seem to be ready to go for a very long time to come.

Ruth stressed on the innovative dimension of REDS. Whenever Jyothi and Raj organize a
major event they invent something new. The handing over of the leadership and the
receiving of Dalitism by Archana are very innovative interventions in affirming what Dalit
people are by themselves. We have a history and culture of ours is a major arena of self-
assertion. Ruth also highlighted the point that Tumkur is the model for the world. Anybody
who wants to do meaningful work must come to Tumkur and see what happens here. All
these have been achieved with very many difficulties, especially the media going full throttle
against REDS and many people indulging in mindless mudslinging on REDS.

Anita Cheria was emphatic that REDS has set in motion a much needed revolution in favour
of the Dalit people and the leadership is being handed over to the next generation in a
meaningful way. She was highly impressed by the symbolism of handing over leadership.

Edwin highlighted the characteristics of coconut plant. It is a multidimensional plant.
Nothing is a waste in it. It has many features, which are all useful. The Dalit people are also
multidimensional. All their capacities have to be brought together to move forward towards
the realization of their full human rights.

Mr. Jayachandra MLA traced the origin of REDS in Tumkur District and emphasized the REDS
has changed the social complexion of the District in a way no one else has been able to
achieve till now. Jyothi and Raj have faced innumerable difficulties in this achievement. But
the Dalit and the poor people of Tumkur have stood by them solidly against heavy odd.
Jyothi and Raj who came to Tumkur and Mr. Raj and Mrs. Jyothiraj have today earned the
love and affection of the poor of the District and now they are not any more Raj and Jyothi
but Appaji and Ammaji. This is the gift of love that they have gained from this District.
Organizations like REDS must live long and many more such Organizations are needed for
the country today.



Rural Education for Development society
Shanthinagar
Tumkur 572102
Karnataka - India
Phone: ++91-816-2277026
Fax: ++91-816-2272515
Web: www.dalitreds.in
Jyothi's Mobile: ++91-9880184667
Raj's Mobile: ++91-9845144893