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Mahadev Toppo: Adivasis are not anti-development but against development that is anti-life

Tribal communities in India and indeed all over the world are facing social, political, economic, cultural, linguistic, spiritual and racial exploitation, tyranny and discrimination. No other community shares their fate, says Mahadev Toppo

Born into an Oraon Adivasi family of Ranchi (then Bihar, now Jharkhand) in 1954, Mahadev Toppo is recognized as a leading litterateur. He has written poetry, novellas, short stories and plays in Hindi and in his mother tongue Kurukh. He has also tried his hands at acting – in the Nagpuria film Baha and two short films Pahada and Aidpa Kaana (While Going Home) in Kurukh. Jangal Pahad Ke Path (anthology of poems) is among his notable published works. His poems have been translated into German, Assamese, Sanskrit and Telugu. Edited excerpts of his conversation with Kartik Chaudhary: 

What inspired you to take to writing?

I had developed a liking for reading when I was in Grade 4. Once I happened to read somewhere that Father Camille Bulcke, a foreigner, lives in Ranchi and is a great Hindi scholar. When I joined high school, I used to walk past his home every day and would see him working, surrounded by books. That probably inspired me. My illiterate mother was very happy when she saw me reading. So, I read books just to make her happy. That was another source of inspiration. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Mahadev Toppo: Adivasis are not anti-development but against development that is anti-life

About The Author

Kartik Choudhary

Dr Kartik Choudhary is an assistant professor of Hindi in Maharaja Srischandra College (affiliated to University of Calcutta), Kolkata. Among his published works are ‘Dalit Chetna ke Sandharv mein Omprakash Valmiki ki Kahaniya’ and ‘Dalit Sahitya ki Dasha-Disha Samkalin Paripeksha mein’ (edited), ‘Asmitamulak Vimarsh, Dalit aur Adivasi Sahitya ke Sandharv mein’ (criticism), ‘Bangal mein Dalit aur Adivasi Kavitayen’ (edited collection of poems). Choudhary is a recipient of ‘Dr Ambedkar Srijan Samman 2021’

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