Untouchables: My Family's Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India

by Narendra Jadhav

Every sixth human being in the world today is an Indian, and every sixth Indian is an untouchable. For thousands of years the untouchables, or Dalits, the people at the bottom of the Hindu caste system, have been treated as subhuman. Their story has rarely been told. This remarkable book achieves something altogether it gives voice to India's voiceless.
In Untouchables, Narendra Jadhav tells the awe-inspiring story of his family's struggle for equality and justice in India. While most Dalits had accepted their lowly position as fate, Jadhav's father rebelled against the oppressive caste system and fought against all odds to forge for his children a destiny that was never ordained.
Based on his father's diaries and family stories, Jadhav has written the triumphant story of his parents -- their great love, unwavering courage, and eventual victory in the struggle to free themselves and their children from the caste system. Jadhav vividly brings his parents' world to light and unflinchingly documents the life of untouchables -- the hunger, the cruel humiliations, the perpetual fear and brutal abuse.
Compelling and deeply compassionate, Untouchables is a son's tribute to his parents, an illuminating chronicle of one of the most important moments in Indian history, and an eye-opening work of nonfiction that gives readers access and insight into the lives of India's 165 million Dalits, whose struggle for equality continues even today.

Genres: Marathi, Nonfiction, India, Biography Memoir, Biography, Memoir, History

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2007

About the author

Narendra Damodar Jadhav is an Indian economist, educationist, public policy expert, professor and writer in English, Marathi and Hindi. He is an expert on Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Jadhav has been a Member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament. He previously served as member of the Planning Commission of India and the National Advisory Council. Prior to this, he worked as Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and headed economic research at the Reserve Bank of India.

Reviews

[Shankar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true story of how one couple, Damu and Sonu Jadhav dedicated their lives to help their children break free of the shackles of India's caste system. And behind their commitment is the towering inspiration of Babasaheb Ambedkar whose call to educate Dalit children became the motto of their lives. This book goes up along with Mistry's A Fine Balance and Sainath's Everybody Loves a Good Drought in helping me better understand the condition of Dalits in India.
I want to record some of the questions this book inevitably leaves you asking- why has nearly 70 years of 'progressive' democracy not been able to change the system? Education is often called a panacea. But has education been able to truly erase caste lines? I see very well educated people still entrenched in such thinking. Surely, going to school to learn math, english and science is not going to be enough. Also, caste is not going to go away by simply not talking about it. It needs to be tackled head-on. So, what can we do to accelerate change? I believe that a bit of empathy can go a long way. Given this, I find it very heartening to learn about studies that have shown how one can train oneself to become more empathetic. Stereotyping and prejudice against groups are part of the human condition but it is possible to eradicate them by training to see beyond groups and empathize with an individual's struggles, his dreams and aspirations.

[Nuttawat Kalapat · Rating 5 out of 5]

หนังสือสำนักพิมพ์สันสฤกต จะเป็นอีกหนึ่งสำนักพิมพ์ที่ผมชอบแน่นอนครับ
คุณภาพสูง เลือกงานมาแปลดี และทำให้เข้าใจมนุษย์ และโลกกว้างขึ้นไปอีกระดับ

รู้สึกประทับใจในการต่อสู้ ทุกอย่างในเล่มนี้มากๆ

[Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The greatest thing about this biography is that it educated me on a deeper level on India's Untouchable caste. I had never heard of Babasaheb Ambedkar before, but I'm glad I got a chance to learn about this EXTRAORDINARY man who challenged both the cultural and religous system of India. Also, Untouchables unintentionally helped provide foundation for my dislike for Gandhi. Before I didn't like him mostly off of a gut feeling based upon his actions, but Jadhav's bio helped ground my intuition. Gandhi historically did not support the Dalit equality movement, and held a pitying and slightly condescending view of them. I have no respect for a man who refused to acknowledge an entire population essentially because of their existence. On the other hand, the Untouchable Ambedkar proved himself to be the true hero of India as he awoke the conscious of thousands of Dalits and endlessly strove to secure them equal rights.

If you're hazy on the history of the Untouchables in India, definitely check this biography out. It'll open your eyes to the struggle thousands of Dalits underwent to free themselves from caste slavery, including the incredible personal journey of Jadhav's father.

[Sonia Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you never understood India’s 3,500 year old caste system, this memoir by Narendra Jadhav is a must read.
Building from Jadhav father’s diaries and family stories , he writes this story of his family journey and struggles to free themselves and their children from the caste system.
“Just as independence is necessary for India, change of religion is necessary for Dalits.Hinduism made us untouchables, and giving up Hinduism is the only way to bring touchability to our lives”. These are the words of Ambedkar Babasaheb , the great leader of the Dalit movement in 20th century India . He organized, United and inspired the Dalits to use political means to their goal of social equality. Babasaheb unflinchingly told the Dalits that any religion that does not recognize untouchables as human beings, treats them worst than animals, sees them as subhumans, refuses to give them water from public Wells , thinks the space they occupy is polluted is not worthy of being called a religion.

Babasaheb message resonated with the Dalits and it is why Jadhav parents with bitter sweet story telling was able to crawl out from underneath this caste system they were born into , albeit in the name of religion and through education found their voice.
“Yes, I do come from the Mahar caste. Yes, my father was barely literate, lowly employed, doing menial jobs to earn a meal for the family. Yes, my forefathers were untouchables and were required to wear clay pots around their necks to keep their spit from polluting the ground “. Narendra Jadhav thought that while he had gone on to receive an education and become an advise and chief economist of the reserve bank of India, the unfortunate truth is that he is always reminded of his caste. His caste is never cast off and remains an inseparable
Part of his identity.However he refuses to remain imprisoned by the stereotype of the caste system. Unfortunately until today there are millions of Dalits whose struggle for equality continues.
This is a moving educational story of India’s caste system. Well done!

[Parmanand · Rating 5 out of 5]

" Ag soney tu gaddhad ch rahilis.......licence milalyavar koni gaadi chalvaych thambvto hoy" kuthalyahi university chi degree n milalela maaza Baap jagatlya degrya aksharshah kolun Pyala hota

[Viky Mulik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read. Inspirational story of how education change a persons life and take it up to highest level.

[Fiza Pathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Dalit biographies I have ever read. Loved the way it was presented.

[In · Rating 4 out of 5]

इंग्रजी भाषेमध्ये एक फार चांगला शब्द आहे. Assertive. त्याला चटकन मराठी प्रतिशब्द सुचला नाही. स्वकमाईचा आत्मविश्वास आणि त्या आत्मविश्वासातून अहंकार दूर ठेवून जेंव्हा एखादा माणूस व्यक्त होतो तेंव्हा त्याला assertiveness ची झळाळी असते. डॉ. नरेंद्र जाधव ह्यांचे आमचा बाप आन् आम्ही वाचताना ह्या भावनेचा प्रत्यय येतो.

नाशिक जवळच्या गावातून एक पिढी मुंबईला येते, खिशात काहीही नाही, आणि केवळ पुढच्या दोन पिढ्यांनंतर ह्या परिवारातील सर्वजण कर्तृत्ववान होऊन नवनवीन आघाड्यांवर आपली छाप सोडतात. सहज लिहिलेले सर्वच विलक्षण वाचनीय झालेले आहे.

लेखकाचे वडील निवृत्त झाल्यावर हाताशी काही उद्योग हवा म्हणून मुलांनी आपल्या आठवणी शब्दबद्ध करण्यास सांगितले. रूढार्थाने शालेय शिक्षण नसूनही निव्वळ अनुभवाच्या जोरावर अनेक विविध कामे केलेला हा माणूस. ब्रिटिश अधिकाऱ्याच्या मुलीचा मित्र, पेपर लाईन टाकून पोटपुरते मिळवणारा माणूस, पुढे रेल्वेमध्ये पडेल ती कामे केलेली. अनुभवाला कायम आंबेडकरी विचारशैलीची जोड. शिक्षणाच्या महत्त्वाची पूरेपूर जाणीव.

त्यांच्या बाप लेखणीतून, बोलीभाषेतील अदमासे ५० एक पानांचा ऐवज लिहून झाला. घरच्यांनाही तो आवडला. त्याला पुस्तक रूपाने प्रसिध्दी द्यावी असही ठरलं. मग पुढच्या दोन पिढ्यांनी वडिलांच्या लेखनाच्या पुढे त्यांचे स्वतःचे विचार मांडले आणि हे पुस्तक आकाराला आलं. आज अनेक भाषांमध्ये ह्याचे अनुवाद झालेले आहेत, अनेक पुरस्कारांचे मानकरी हे पुस्तक ठरलेले आहे.

शिक्षण आणि वाचन ह्यांची गरज ओळखून वडिलांनी मुलांच्या शिक्षणाकडे जातीने लक्ष दिलं. आंबेडकरी विचारांची शिदोरी त्यांनी आपल्या मुलांबरोबरही दिली. अमेरिकेतल्या डॉक्टरेट प्रबंधावर अर्पणपत्रिकेत नरेंद्र जाधवांनी आंबेडकरांचे नाव घेतलेले आहे ते ह्याच साठी. आंबेडकरी मुशीतून ज्या यशकहाण्या (सक्सेस स्टोरीज) आल्या त्यात जाधवांच्या ह्या समग्र परिवाराचे नाव आदराने घ्यावं लागेल.

मी सुरुवातीला म्हणालो तसं, assertive ला चटकन मराठी प्रतिशब्द सापडला नाही. स्वतःबद्दल काहीही बोलणं, लिहिणं ह्याला लगेच अहंकाराचा दर्प येतो. किंबहुना लहानपणापासून स्वतःला थोडसं कमीपणा घेऊन बेतानेच राहायची शिकवण मराठी माणसाला असते. अश्या वेळी काही भागांमध्ये थोडसं आत्मप्रौढीपर वाटलं (पुस्तकाचा उत्तरार्ध), तरीही हे वर्णन अभिमानाचा हुंकार आहे. दलित चळवळीतून पुढे येऊन ती ओळख सार्थ अभिमानाने सांगण्यात गर्व कुठेही आढळला नाही.

नरेंद जाधव ह्यांचं वाचन अफाट असलच पाहिजे. कारण त्यांच्या लेखनशैली मधून तत्कालीन प्रतिष्ठित लेखक डोकावतात. मधेच एखादी कवितेची ओळ असो किंवा विनोदाची थोडीशी पेरणी, त्यांचं लिखाण सहजसुंदर झालेलं आहे.

हे पुस्तक सर्वांसाठी आहे. स्वतः निवांत राहून नशिबाला किंवा सरकारला बोल लावणाऱ्या सर्वांनाच एक शिकवण देणारं आहे. शिक्षणाचं महत्त्व अनेक पटींनी अधोरेखित करणारं हे तीन पिढ्यांचं चरित्र मार्गदर्शक आहे, प्रेरणादायी आहे. तूच आहेस तुझ्या जीवनाचा शिल्पकार ह्या जबाबदारीची आणि उत्तरदायित्वाची जाणीव करुन देणारं आहे. आंबेडकरांच्या कार्याला त्यांच्या शिकवणुकीला सार्थ ठरवणारी ही सत्यकथा आहे. ह्याच्या अनेक आवृत्त्या निघण्याची गरज आहे आणि शालेय अभ्यासक्रमात ह्यातील उतारे समाविष्ट होण्याची देखील गरज आहे.

[Shivdas Avhad · Rating 4 out of 5]

”Like the life of Dr B R Ambedkar, or indeed the life of our beloved
former President, the Late Dr. K R Narayanan, the life story of Dr
Jadhav is also a story of change, of great courage, of progress, of
hope. …I urge all political leaders and social reformers to read both
the autobiography of Dr Jadhav and his treatise on ‘Re-Emerging
India’. We must draw the correct lessons from both. Narendra’s
autobiography must shape our social and political vision. It must
shape our educational policy. His book on the Indian economy must
shape our thinking on economic policy.”

Extracts from the Speech by the Honourable Prime Minister
of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh

[Vaibhav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nilu Phule sums it up very nicely "Sane guruji ni Maharashtrala aadarsh aai dili ani Dr Narendra Jadhav yanni Maharashtra la dila aadarsh baap".

[Ganesh Muthupalani · Rating 3 out of 5]

You are born into a society in which you cannot exercise your free will. Not because you don't have the ability or resources. But because its a consequence of history. That's how it has always been and that's how it will always be. Choose to break these centuries old traditions and you will be ill-treated, raped, ostracized or even lynched. Is it your fault for being born an untouchable or the society's for perpetually making you believe so?

Untouchables (or Dalits) around India took the fault upon themselves and believed it to be the prescribed path of life. While others chose to challenge the status quo. Dr Jadhav's father, Damu, is one of them.

Dr. Narendra Jadhav is an economist and a nominated MP currently. He was previously the Chief Economist of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This book is all about how Damu broke free from the the label untouchable and built a future free of constraints for his children and beyond.

Rebelling against the norm takes courage and determination. The future is uncertain but you know that the status quo is unacceptable. That's why very few make the leap of faith and chart the way forward for the rest to follow. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was the beacon for the untouchables. Damu was one of Dr. Ambedkar's steadfast followers.

"I wonder how many swans waste their lives thinking of themselves as ugly ducklings, trapped and punished by the inequities of our caste system. Countless Dalits were inspired to search for the swan within after Babasaheb Ambedkar touched their lives." - Dr. N. Jadhav

India has already had a Dalit President and a Dalit Chief of Justice. I'm believing that the discrimination is already on its decline. No one must be made to believe that they are ugly ducklings from birth and everyone in the society has a role to play (which sadly makes this entire detoxification process span across several generations).

The book must be valued for being written from the viewpoint of a follower in contrast to the famous text titled "Annihilation of Caste" describing the caste system from a top-down perspective.

Though a very insightful recount of Damu's life, it lacked the excitement. Maybe I'm biased after reading crime and war books on Veerappan, Prabhakaran & Genghis Khan back-to-back.

[Clairdenoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

#จัณฑาล
#นเรนทรา จาดฮาฟ:เขียน /วีระยุทธ เลิศพูนผล :แปล

#เพราะปกหลังที่บอกว่าจัณฑาลนั้นต้องห้อยหม้อที่คอเพื่อเอาไว้บ้วนน้ำลายของตัวเอง/ต้องพกไม้กวาด ไว้กวาดรอยเท้าของตัวเองเวลาเดินไปไหนๆ(รอยเท้าจัณฑาลถือเป็นสิ่งอัปมงคล) แค่เงาทอดผ่านก็เป็นเสนียดจังไร....
ดึงดูดให้เราสนใจอยากอ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้🤔

1.อ่านเพลินๆได้ข้อคิด ได้คำศัพท์บาลีสันสกฤตบางคำมาบรรจุใส่คลังศัพท์ในหัว(เช่น:จิตกาธาน แปลว่า ที่เผาศพ) เปิดหูเปิดตาเปิดโลกทัศน์ 👍🏻ได้รู้อะไรที่ไม่เคยรู้ อึ้งๆ ทึ่งๆ ~อินเดียเป็นประเทศที่มีอะไรพีคๆเยอะแยะพีคไม่หยุดจริงๆ😱
~หนังสือมีตอนจบแบบเห็นผลลัพธ์ของความพยายามต่อสู้ข้ามผ่านการเหยียดวรรณะ การเปลี่ยนศาสนามานับถือพุทธของคนรุ่นพ่อ มาสู่คนรุ่นลูกรุ่นหลานที่ได้ดิบได้ดีประสบความสำเร็จ มีการศึกษาที่ดี มีงานมีการดีๆทำ มีคุณภาพชีวิตที่ดีกว่าเดิมมากๆๆๆๆ

2.เรื่องก็คือคุณนักเขียน นเรนทรา จาดฮาฟเนี่ย นำเอาเรื่องราวชีวิตของพ่อ(ดามู: เสียชีวิตเมื่อปี1989)และแม่(โซนู)ที่อยู่ในวรรณะ จัณฑาล มาตีแผ่ให้โลกรู้ โดยคัดลอกเรียบเรียงนำมาจากไดอารี่ ของพ่อบ้าง จากคำบอกเล่าของพ่อและแม่บ้าง
โดยในส่วนภาคแรก จะเป็นเรื่องราวของพ่อ-แม่ ดามูและซานู ก็จะได้เห็นความเป็นไป วัฒนธรรม วิถีชีวิต มุมมองความคิดของผู้คนสังคมในยุคราวๆปีค.ศ.1930,การต่อสู้ของผู้นำ(บาบาซาเฮบ)จนปีค.ศ.1947ที่วรรณะจัณฑาลถูกประกาศให้สิ้นสุดลงตามกฎหมาย,การเปลี่ยนศาสนา ความเชื่อมั่นว่าการศึกษาจะช่วยลดทอนความแตกต่างทางชนชั้นได้

3.ภาค2 จะเป็นบันทึกความทรงจำของลูกๆ ,มุมมองบอกเล่าของผู้เขียนเองที่มีต่อ พ่อ แม่ ทั้งคำสอน ทั้งเรื่องต่างๆที่ปลูกฝังมา รวมถึงผลลัพธ์ จากอดีตที่ส่งมาถึงปัจจุบัน (ผู้เขียนเป็นนักเศรษฐศาสตร์ชื่อดังระดับโลก ,ทำงานที่IMF,มีบทบาทสำคัญด้านเศรษฐกิจการเงินการธนาคารของอินเดีย)

4.และท้ายๆ เป็นรุ่นหลาน(อปูรวา จาดฮาฟลูกสาวคุณนเรนทราฯเรียนอยู่JHU)มาบอกเล่าความภูมิใจในครอบครัว ,สิ่งที่พบเจอในชีวิต ว่าเธอมีเพื่อนหลากหลายชนชาติ มีสิทธิความเสมอภาคไม่โดนเหยียดว่าเป็นลูกหลานของจัณฑาล มีชีวิตดีๆชิคๆในมุมไบ มีรากฐานการศึกษาที่ดีตั้งแต่เด็ก มีคุณภาพชีวิตที่ดี~

5.ให้3.5ปัดเป็น4 เป็นบันทึก มีเรื่องผัวเมีย อ่านแล้วนึกภาพตามแบบหนังอินเดีย เป็นความรู้สึกที่แปลกใหม่ดี

ประโยคที่ชอบ: 🌈รุ้งงามจะเกิดได้ ต้องใช้หยาดฝน🌧และแสงแดด🌞

[Tanmay · Rating 3 out of 5]

"आमचा बाप आन आम्ही" ही एक आत्मकथा आहे. जरी लेखक म्हणून फक्त नरेंद्र जाधव यांचे नाव आहे तरी ही कथा त्यांचे वडील, तीन बंधू, पत्नी आणि मुलगी या सर्वांच्या दृष्टिकोनातून लिहिली गेली आहे. पुस्तकाच्या पूर्वार्धात लेखकांचे वडील (म्हणजे "दादा") ह्यांच्या जीवनातील घटना सांगितल्या आहेत. हा माझ्या आवडीचा भाग! खूप काही शिकवून जातो आणि सोबत पालकत्वाच्या शिकवणीही देतो.

उत्तरार्धात "आम्ही" वर लक्ष केंद्रित केलेले आहे आणि हा भाग रेंगाळतो. स्वतःच्या कर्तृत्वाबद्दल सांगताना थोडासा अभिमानासोबत गर्वही डोकावतो आणि त्यामुळे हा भाग मला फारसा काही आवडला नाही, परंतु ह्या भागामध्येही काही शिकण्यासारख्या गोष्टी आहेतच. एक खंत वाटली ती म्हणजे आपल्या भावांप्रमाणेच बहिणींना पुरेसा वाटा मिळाला नाही. ह्या काही त्रुटींमुळे मी ह्या पुस्तकाला २.५ स्टार्स देतो.

"आमचा बाप आन आम्ही" is an autobiography. Even though it only lists Narendra Jadhav as the writer, this book is written from the writer's father, brothers, wife, and daughter. The first half of the book narrates the story of the writer's father early life which is my favorite part. It teaches a lot and also gives parenting tips.

The second part focuses on the "आम्ही" and it drones on a little. While talking about their careers, a little ego also seeps in with pride. I didn't like this part a lot because of this, but there are some lessons in these parts too. My one complaint about this book is that the author didn't give a POV to the sisters. Because of these weaknesses, I give this book 2.5 stars.

[Benchaphorn Thammathorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

ได้อ่านบทรีวิวของท่านอื่นๆ เห็นด้วยกับเรื่อง Timeline งงๆ เหมือนเราอ่านไดอารี่ เส้นเรื่องเริ่มต้นที่กลางเรื่องแล้วย้อนกลับไปเล่าเรื่องในอดีตเพื่อที่จะมาให้ถึงปัจจุบันแล้วช่วงปลายไปถึงอนาคต จากการอ่านได้เห็นการตื่นรู้การต่อสู้ของชนชั้นจัณฑาล วิถีชีวิต เราเคยคิดเหมือนบาบาเฮปตอนเด็กๆ ว่าเออ ก็ออกจากศาสนานั้นดิ ก็จบละมะ ในเมื่อศาสนานั้นไม่เห็นหัวพวกคุณ แถมยังกดไว้อีก แล้วศาสนานั้นก็อาศัยเรื่องความเช���่อ เรื่องเล่า มันไม่ได้เกิดมาจากสิทธิมนุษยชนตั้งแต่แรกอยู่แล้ว คาดหวังให้ศาสนาเปลี่ยนคงยาก (อันนี้มุมมองเรานะ) แต่ที่ติดใจอยู่มากในเล่มคือ ไม่เห็นด้านเฟมินิสเลย ผู้หญิงถูกด้อยค่ายิ่งกว่าด้อยค่า ถูกกำหนดกะเกณฑ์หน้าที่อย่างมาก แทบไม่มีอิสระในความคิดตัวเอง แต่อย่างว่าขนาดคนจะเท่ากันยังยาก แล้วความเท่าเทียมระหว่างเพศก็คงต้องรอไปอีกหน่อย แต่เข้าใจว่าในอินเดียปัจจุบันนี้ก็ดีขึ้นเยอะแล้ว แต่ในชนบทก็อาจจะยังคงมีอยู่บ้าง

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This surprised me by being a straight memoir rather than a sociological explanation of one family's experience. As it is, Jadhav tends to get bogged down in personal recollection, to the neglect of showing how those personal experiences typify life under the caste system as a whole. This is a decent book, though I don't know that anyone not already familiar with the concept of caste would find this the best place to start.

Judged as a memoir, this was just okay. Jadhav is honest, eloquent and not given to self-pitying, nor does he gloss over or melodramatize the hard realities of living under caste. Still, I'd recommend starting off with a good sociological study of caste before reading, as too little conceptual background is given.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The personal memoir guise of this book is used largely as a framework for political history of the Dalit struggle for equality in Indian society between the 1920s and 1950s. The book added to my shallow understanding of Indian history; for example, independence and partition were not the defining moments of this book, and I learned that Gandhi was not universally beloved among the poor (who weren't Hindu nationalists either). The glimpses into village life in the 1920s were really interesting too, and the author's mother was a well-developed character. However, the writing was simplistic (I assume due to translation) and the political play-by-play wore thin.

[Lady reading under the Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a LOT of rough language, mostly at the beginning, from men of upper castes heaping abuse on those of the Dalit caste. The story is heartbreaking but also hopeful, and it was interesting to learn of Babasaheb and his work to improve life for the people enslaved by the Hindu caste system. There is much detail about Hindu rituals and worship practices, and a bit about Buddhism.

Anyone seeking to understand Hindu culture and help provide humanitarian relief to the poverty-stricken lower classes of India or Nepal, would likely find this memoir enlightening.

[Tulika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that shook me to the core at the age of 16 and gave me the first and strongest reason to dislike my country- the evil caste system. The book made me realize how casually this system is being carried on in the modern India and the struggles it creates for the country's significant population to go through. There are scenes from the book I just cant forget.

[Agatha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story but, sadly, I am not proficient enough in Indian history or vocabulary to fully appreciate it, I think. :( I got too lost in the foreign words, which came about 2-3 every sentence. It was too tiring for me to pick through. :(

I wanted to like it, though. :(

[Jayesh Deore · Rating 5 out of 5]

विजय तेंडुलकरांनी सुंदर म्हटले आहे .
“ घराघराच्या छतावर उभे राहून , साऱ्या जगाला आेरडून सांगावेसे वाटत; हे पुस्तक वाचा."

[Pravin Kharat]

good book

[Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is nice presentation of how untouchables are suffering due to caste system. Also, struggle of family is really inspiring.

[Ernst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book. Feels like blatant self promotion of the author and his family

[Elyssia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very insightful despite the confusing timeline jump at the beginning. Those poor people omg...

[Aniket Patil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book is fantastic. Its a gripping from the start, inspiring,underlines the inequalities in Indian society etc. I felt after some time book is little repetitive and some data is added unnecessarily. Still ,I like the first half of the book very much, where simple language and personal experiences of his father is mentioned. I will give this credit to authors parents. Their will to give education to their children is beyond any praise. The hard work put by everyone, attitude of not giving up in any situation is most inspiring thing for me. One can definitely read this book.

[Jitendra Pisal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book till now in my reading list

[Manish Salavkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

excellent

[Ashwini Yamgar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I eagerly waiting for this book

[Rushikesh Korake]

I cant read this before it ....

[Bhagyashree]

Best book