[Reader-list] Watch the documentary 'The Death of Merit' on the suicides of Dalit students in Higher Education

[anoop kumar]

One more suicide. Once more the death of merit.


On 16th April, 2011, *Linesh Mohan Gawle*, a PhD scholar at the prestigious
*National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi*, became one more name in the
long list of Dalit and Adivasi students, who have committed suicide in
India’s premier educational institutions in recent years.


The large number of Dalit and Adivasi students committing suicide clearly
indicates the wide-spread prevalence of caste discrimination in the Indian
education system, which perceives them as ‘non-meritorious’, not fit to
belong there.


*
*<http://thedeathofmeritinindia.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/list-of-dalit-students-committing-suicide-in-last-four-years-in-indias-premier-institutions/>

*List of Dalit students committing suicide in last four years in India's
premier educational
institution<http://thedeathofmeritinindia.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/list-of-dalit-students-committing-suicide-in-last-four-years-in-indias-premier-institutions/>
 * (*List is also displayed at our blog*
www.thedeathofmeritinindia.wordpress.com)



When a student from the lowest strata of society fights against all odds to
prove her merit and reach the best educational institutions in India, are
those institutions proving themselves meritorious enough to recognize her
worth, to accommodate, let alone nurture her aspirations?


When a Dalit or Adivasi student becomes an engineer, doctor, business
graduate or scientist, it should be a cause of pride for not just the family
or the community but for the entire nation. Instead, why do our nation and
its educational institutions reward their merit with discrimination,
humiliation, violence and death?

*The Documentary  *

Last year, on March 3rd, 2010, another Dalit, *Balmukund Bharti*, final year
MBBS student from *All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New
Delhi* committed suicide. He was from Kundeshwar village from
Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. He was a bright student from a very
humble background.

Knowing the history of caste-discrimination in AIIMS our group decided to
investigate the matter and went to Balmukund’s home to meet his parents on
1st April 2010.

What came out of our interaction with his parents and other family members
was a shocking tale of how a young and bright Dalit student from very poor
background was victimized so much on caste grounds in one of the premier
educational institutions of the country that despite his entire record of
struggle all through his life, he finally lost his willingness to even live.

The Documentary ‘The Death of Merit’ is based on these testimonies and is a
result of our amateur efforts to bring out the truth behind the kind of
caste oppression suffered by Dalit and Adivasi students in higher education
and the resulting suicides of our bright students like Balmukund Bharti.


Please watch the documentary embedded at our blog <http://goog_1919110237>
www.thedeathofmeritinindia.wordpress.com


or watch it by clicking at the link here


'The Death of Merit' - Part I: http://youtu.be/2L3y9O1HCBw

* *

'The Death of Merit'- Part II: http://youtu.be/ADXnFf_5JT4


*
Please watch the documentary and share it widely among your friends and
colleagues. We must not allow our educational institutions to become
graveyard for Dalit and Adivasi students.*




-- 
"Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran
so your children can fly"