Anand Teltumbde on the contested legacy of B R Ambedkar: Southasia Review of Books podcast #21

In a sharp critique of iconisation, Teltumbde pushes back against the hagiography surrounding B R Ambedkar, calling for a nuanced reassessment of his contested legacy in view of the ongoing oppression of Dalits in India today.

Welcome to the Southasia Review of Books Podcast from Himal Southasian, where we speak to celebrated authors and emerging literary voices from across Southasia. In this episode, Shwetha Srikanthan speaks to the renowned public intellectual, scholar and activist Anand Teltumbde about his new book Iconoclast: A Reflective Biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar (Penguin India October 2024)

As a towering figure of the twentieth century, B R Ambedkar symbolises a monumental movement towards the annihilation of caste and the emancipation of Dalits. Ambedkar’s story becomes the story of this struggle. But like any human being, Ambedkar too had his share of limitations.  

In contemporary India, Ambedkar’s iconisation goes beyond the devotion of people; it is being exploited by politicians across the spectrum in a project of ultra-nationalist myth-making. In his new book, Anand Teltumbde argues that it is important now more than ever to engage with Ambedkar as he defined himself, as an “iconoclast”, a breaker of icons.

Teltumbe’s biography educates us about the radical core of Ambedkar’s thought and action through the different phases of his social, political and intellectual trajectory. Cautioning against iconisation, he also invites readers to critically dissect the past and to assume agency in understanding the present.

This episode is now available on Spotify: https://apple.co/3R71BnS

Apple Podcasts: https://spoti.fi/3FWaj5L

Youtube: https://youtu.be/K0JYsAKZNJ8

We’re on a mission to give Southasian literature the spotlight it deserves. Become a paying Himal Patron to support the Southasia Review of Books: https://www.himalmag.com/support-himal

Sign up to receive the Southasia Review of Books newsletter for Himal’s spotlight on Southasian literature, our latest conversations, and more: https://bit.ly/southasia-review-of-books