Nagpur IN 46 degrees heat is not something I recommend. But I’ve been following Dalit history and culture since eight years, and Nagpur interested me as a city with the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as Deekshabhoomi. It was a dream to visit Deekshabhoomi, where Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, realizing that the Dalits and lower castes would never get equal rights or dignity as Hindus, led a mass conversion to Buddhism on October 14, 1956, along with an estimated 6,00,000 followers (some say less); it remains a popular shrine for Navayana Buddhism, visited by millions. I went on a guided tour of Deekshabhoomi by Sharad Meshram, the very kind Coordinator at Deekshabhoomi, and it was a deeply moving, inspiring experience.

In Nagpur, I also met a range of experts -- intellectuals, historians, writers, a lokshahir and a filmmaker. These include Dr Avinash Fulzele, IM Narnaware, writer, who had participated in the ‘Long March’ for the Namantar Andolan (name change of Marathwada University to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar University, a 20-year struggle from 1974-1994) and dharmantar, Tarachand Khandekar, cultural historian who had also participated in the dharmantar, Dr Trilok Hajare, former Principal Scientist Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Lokshahir Prakash Patankar and filmmaker Chhatrapal Ninawe, whose Ghaath had a world premiere at the Berlinale. I also did a life skills workshop for Raju Kendre’s Eklavya India Foundation at Pithesur, Nagpur, for underprivileged students, preparing for higher studies at the best universities in India and the world.