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Land, Guns, Caste, Woman: The Memoir of a Lapsed Revolutionary
The epic story of a revolution without a gun.
In her teens, Gita Ramaswamy escapes the brahminical clutches of her family that tried to cure her of Naxalism with shock treatment. She endures the horrors of the Emergency. She is disillusioned. But not without hope. In the 1980s, Gita starts living with agricultural labourers in Telangana. They are landless Dalits, caught between a reddy and a hard place. They are in bondage, cheated out of land and all rights. They are in the mood to fight. Together, they take on the tyrannical landlords who brutalized the villages for generations.
Gita Ramaswamy is best known for her work with Hyderabad Book Trust that has published over four hundred titles since 1980. Gita has authored several books and has translated extensively from Telugu into English.
In her teens, Gita Ramaswamy escapes the brahminical clutches of her family that tried to cure her of Naxalism with shock treatment. She endures the horrors of the Emergency. She is disillusioned. But not without hope. In the 1980s, Gita starts living with agricultural labourers in Telangana. They are landless Dalits, caught between a reddy and a hard place. They are in bondage, cheated out of land and all rights. They are in the mood to fight. Together, they take on the tyrannical landlords who brutalized the villages for generations.
Gita Ramaswamy is best known for her work with Hyderabad Book Trust that has published over four hundred titles since 1980. Gita has authored several books and has translated extensively from Telugu into English.
432 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 17, 2022
A thought-provoking memoir of an activist, and publisher. Well written.
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July 21, 2023I feel like this book could potentially have a lot of influence on me. I don't know yet, too early to tell. I think the model of social activism recounted in this memoir is probably the only possible route in India for someone like me to do some good. So if I don't end up completely self-centred, I would take some lessons from Gita Ramaswamy.
Gita Ramaswamy is brahmin, which opened a lot of doors for her that wouldn't open for the madigas of ibrahimpatnam. she allowed herself to be used as an instrument in their struggle for fair wages, liberation from bonded labour, land struggle, and many others. Although, she assumed much greater importance in their lives than being a mere instrument. She was not always discerning about her role there, but she tried her best.
I am grateful she wrote it all down, with what looks like as much honesty as what her memory of events long past could afford.
Some thoughts I had during the initial few chapters:
Gita just goes right to ibrahimpatnam knowing nothing at all about anything there, wanted to do some political activism. Her naïveté was something to be overcome, for sure, but it is surmountable, and the will to do something does lead you down to doing it.
Armed revolution is alluring, but it's not happening, and political strategy shouldn't be built around it.
She had to go through a lot of inconvenience, discomfort. But it seems like a lot of good work is possible without having to go through material discomfort.
Hypocrisy in others, the society, and the state is something to be exploited, not something of which to be disgusted. No state machinery or media is completely hopeless, although this statement is getting less true by the minute here. People can always be held to stand by their pretensions.
Bojja Tharakam and his father's stories are awe inspiring. Must read about them. Someone should make a movie on their life.
Elimineti Chandramma, who visited Karamchedu, is astonished at the prosperity of coastal dalits. She is also shocked that such violence took place there. Gita offers the following reasons for why this was the case:
-economic changes--market relations in coastal AP
-lack of solidarity among Telangana reddys, unlike coastal kammas
-madigas being the muscle of reddy landlords makes them both close
-militant peasant rebellions in Telangana history
Thought i should note these down because I had no concept of the difference between the dalits of the two regions before.
Gita Ramaswamy is brahmin, which opened a lot of doors for her that wouldn't open for the madigas of ibrahimpatnam. she allowed herself to be used as an instrument in their struggle for fair wages, liberation from bonded labour, land struggle, and many others. Although, she assumed much greater importance in their lives than being a mere instrument. She was not always discerning about her role there, but she tried her best.
I am grateful she wrote it all down, with what looks like as much honesty as what her memory of events long past could afford.
Some thoughts I had during the initial few chapters:
Gita just goes right to ibrahimpatnam knowing nothing at all about anything there, wanted to do some political activism. Her naïveté was something to be overcome, for sure, but it is surmountable, and the will to do something does lead you down to doing it.
Armed revolution is alluring, but it's not happening, and political strategy shouldn't be built around it.
She had to go through a lot of inconvenience, discomfort. But it seems like a lot of good work is possible without having to go through material discomfort.
Hypocrisy in others, the society, and the state is something to be exploited, not something of which to be disgusted. No state machinery or media is completely hopeless, although this statement is getting less true by the minute here. People can always be held to stand by their pretensions.
Bojja Tharakam and his father's stories are awe inspiring. Must read about them. Someone should make a movie on their life.
Elimineti Chandramma, who visited Karamchedu, is astonished at the prosperity of coastal dalits. She is also shocked that such violence took place there. Gita offers the following reasons for why this was the case:
-economic changes--market relations in coastal AP
-lack of solidarity among Telangana reddys, unlike coastal kammas
-madigas being the muscle of reddy landlords makes them both close
-militant peasant rebellions in Telangana history
Thought i should note these down because I had no concept of the difference between the dalits of the two regions before.
April 17, 2023
I picked this book because it had CJI Ramana's review on the back side. I honestly had no idea about who Gita Ramaswamy. Gita Ramaswamy indeed has dedicated her whole life for a mission. From being a radical leftist to becoming an Ambedkarite, her ideological journey has been a brilliant one. Usually the ideology of a person is swayed by what he reads, but Gita 's ideology was result of her personal experiences.
She points out all the issues and hypocrisy of the armed ML movements. It's a brilliant book to learn about how one can work in a movement without hogging the stage and actually working with the people.
She points out all the issues and hypocrisy of the armed ML movements. It's a brilliant book to learn about how one can work in a movement without hogging the stage and actually working with the people.
December 23, 2022
Absolute stirrer
➡️ Engaging narration
➡️ Simple language
➡️ Comfortable font
➡️ Interesting episodes
➡️ Eye-opening incidents
➡️ Fantastic writing
➡️ A must-read and highly recommended book
Some books sink in the minds strongly.
Some books grow within us.
Some books grow with us.
This book by author Gita Ramaswamy is an account of her life which reflects her thoughts perfectly. Right from page 1 the book instantly attacks the reader's mind and engulfs it with attractive writing.
The book has 25 chapters each which is special in its way. The titles of the chapters are wisely chosen and are appealing. The photographs and illustrations give the story a more personal touch. The simple and honest writing with intrinsic descriptions of the places, people, things and many aspects attracts the readers.
There is struggle, fear, success, valour, disappointment, resentment, acceptance, love, war and HUMANITY!!!!
A 5-star rating book of this year from my reading pile!
➡️ Engaging narration
➡️ Simple language
➡️ Comfortable font
➡️ Interesting episodes
➡️ Eye-opening incidents
➡️ Fantastic writing
➡️ A must-read and highly recommended book
Some books sink in the minds strongly.
Some books grow within us.
Some books grow with us.
This book by author Gita Ramaswamy is an account of her life which reflects her thoughts perfectly. Right from page 1 the book instantly attacks the reader's mind and engulfs it with attractive writing.
The book has 25 chapters each which is special in its way. The titles of the chapters are wisely chosen and are appealing. The photographs and illustrations give the story a more personal touch. The simple and honest writing with intrinsic descriptions of the places, people, things and many aspects attracts the readers.
There is struggle, fear, success, valour, disappointment, resentment, acceptance, love, war and HUMANITY!!!!
A 5-star rating book of this year from my reading pile!
September 11, 2025
Hands down, the best book I've read this year so far. Just because it opened up my mind so much, just reading about this young lady from a Brahmin family going out, exploring the world of activism, naxalism, etc. was very real and powerful for me personally.
The events of dalit brutality were not what I had expected, it was far Far worse than what I imagined.
She even showed me a mirror, saying most people now are politically correct about Dalits but don't do anything to integrate them in their lives.
Had interesting discussions with Google as well, about the kamma caste, the history of AP and telangana. How caste plays a role in politics and everyday lives of the people.
Amazing book, I loved how honest Gita is in the book.
I will be reading more of her books.
The events of dalit brutality were not what I had expected, it was far Far worse than what I imagined.
She even showed me a mirror, saying most people now are politically correct about Dalits but don't do anything to integrate them in their lives.
Had interesting discussions with Google as well, about the kamma caste, the history of AP and telangana. How caste plays a role in politics and everyday lives of the people.
Amazing book, I loved how honest Gita is in the book.
I will be reading more of her books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2022
An engaging book – a peep into the world of Indian communists and their indigenous avataars – Naxalites (and their urban versions) and the militant PWG, from a woman’s perspective – a ‘high caste’ one at that.
She calls the reformist Arya Samaj “known to be a Hindu communal organization.” How much Hindu bashing goes on in India in the name of freedom of expression! That she renounced the communist and Naxalite philosophy and adopted her own brand of “agitational development,” thus winning her plaudits, redeems her.
When I was in the party, communism seemed to have the answer to society’s political problems and feminism had the answers to social and personal issues.I laud her efforts at Dalit and rural upliftment, at the cost of her health and safety. However, I do not support her methods. Her communist credentials and hypocrisy stand exposed. She claims to work within the framework of the democratic setup of India, yet
For those with other entitlements, especially the urban rich, casting their vote may mean nothing. (I for one have never voted despite trying to do all my work within the frame of law and democracy.) But to the village poor, it is a sign of one’s worth. ‘Am I a corpse that I cannot vote,’ was the unfailingly constant answer when I asked people why they voted when all it brought them was a few rupees and a bottle of liquor.How does she expect to be “within the frame of law and democracy” without exercising her franchise? This is her approach to achieve her ends
Coming as I did from the ML movement, I saw agitational and ‘developmental’ (or constructive) activities as two separate entities. The terminology is certainly disturbing – as if there is a dichotomy between agitational and constructive work, as if agitation is destructive. As I perceived it, agitational activity was taken up by those who wanted to bring about a total change, and constructive activities by those who wished to reform and tinker with bits and pieces of the system, but did not see the immediate and vital need for a systemic overhaul.Destruction of public property going on strikes, blocking roads, ‘gheraoing’ public servants and disturbing peace and other forms of agitation, etc is not destructive? It certainly is not constructive, in my opinion! All this despite communism being discredited all around the world.
She calls the reformist Arya Samaj “known to be a Hindu communal organization.” How much Hindu bashing goes on in India in the name of freedom of expression! That she renounced the communist and Naxalite philosophy and adopted her own brand of “agitational development,” thus winning her plaudits, redeems her.
November 11, 2024
Last June, in a bookstore in Delhi I was looking for a few books by local authors to bring home. A man was staring at the book in my hand (no idea what it was now) seemingly wanting to say something. I asked if he’d read it. He had, it was terrible. This is the book he insisted I read instead.
Quite the memoir. Ramaswamy leaves her privileged Brahmin life to fight the exploitative landlord-tenant relationship between the Reddys and Dalits in southern India. Her family thinks she’s crazy and subjects her to shock treatments to “cure” her of her leftist views. Much of this work was way over head. It’s better suited for an India audience but the acronym guide helped.
The bookstore stranger was writer/journalist/poet Jerry Pinto. At least he didn’t suggest one of his own books.
Quite the memoir. Ramaswamy leaves her privileged Brahmin life to fight the exploitative landlord-tenant relationship between the Reddys and Dalits in southern India. Her family thinks she’s crazy and subjects her to shock treatments to “cure” her of her leftist views. Much of this work was way over head. It’s better suited for an India audience but the acronym guide helped.
The bookstore stranger was writer/journalist/poet Jerry Pinto. At least he didn’t suggest one of his own books.
February 4, 2025
Oh wow. I stumbled upon this book in my grand aunt's collection, who told me that it was given to her personally by Gita Ramaswamy. The sentimentality aside, this is a book that everyone should read and understand. It is essential to understanding the Naxal movement, radicalism, and leftist philosophies that have always existed and flourished in the South. Moreover, it also calls an individual to check their caste-based privilege and really sit with the notion of what a revolution is. It's easy to say that this book changed my whole perspective. I am so very thankful I picked this up from her dusted collection.
June 24, 2025
I did not finish this. Too many names, too much meandering. I was having a hard time following the narrative.
Life is too short to read books that are not spectacular.
Life is too short to read books that are not spectacular.
July 21, 2024
Super inspiring memoir of this rebel woman, who fought her family and the system, dealt with the challenges of the Emergency period including having to stay underground with threats to life ....and then went on to spend years working for the upliftment of the dalits in some of the villages of (then) Andhra Pradesh. I had seen reviews of the book online, but went on to pick it after a colleague who's her family member also recommended it. Her writing appealed to me for its sincerity and clarity of thought, and the fact that she does acknowledge the privilege of her background as she set off on her journey of activism & social work. Also found it personally educational as I knew so little of the caste and political system in the AP/Telangana region.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews