This paper examines how Dalit autobiographies in India deploy language as a tool of resistance and self-assertion, challenging hegemonic narratives that have historically silenced subaltern voices. Drawing on select autobiographies by writers such as Omprakash Valmiki, Bama, and Urmila Pawar, the study explores the intersection of language, power, and identity. By foregrounding vernacular speech, code-switching, and indigenous idioms, Dalit writers subvert dominant literary conventions and re-inscribe their experiences into the Indian literary canon. The analysis reveals that the politics of language in Dalit autobiographies is not simply about communication but is deeply entwined with reclaiming agency and shaping collective memory. The study further highlights the strategies used by Dalit authors to confront caste-based oppression and foster solidarity, emphasising how linguistic choices become acts of defiance and self-determination.
Department of English Sachchidanand Sinha College, Aurangabad, Bihar
