Indian campuses are politically charged and students in higher education institutions display utmost concern for their nation, which is absent in the European universities, observed Dr. Kristina Garalytė.
Speaking on ‘Dalit Student Movement in India: From Identity Politics to Counter Culture Movement’ in Hyderabad at MANUU Campus, Dr Kristina said that the Dalit uprising and its development was likely take Indian campuses to a new discourse in future.
She noted that until 2013, there were no much concerns in the Dalit movements in the public scenario but following the suicide of Rohith Vemula in the campus of University of Hyderabad (HCU) a new nation-wide movement started.
The Lithuanian researcher said that the Telangana movement, which had its epicenter in Osmania University, had been largely driven by students from the Dalit strata.
Though the Telangana movement lacked an ideological base, presence of Dalit students was a clear sign of decisive future in the Indian politics, Dr Kristina told the students of Department of English in MANUU.
She praised the campuses in Hyderabad for being transcultural friendly.
When asked about coming together of various ideological groups on a common Dalit platform, she opined that it needed to be looked upon through its development in future.
Dr Kristina is the director and assistant professor at Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies at Vilnius University in Lithuania.