Ilaiah characterises his name change as a tool for the upliftment of Dalits.Ĭurrently, Ilaiah is serving as director of the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad. As an English-language proper noun rather than its equivalent in an Indian language, "Shepherd" is meant to demonstrate a symbolic break with the cultural norms Ilaiah believed "Brahmins" sought to "impose" on Indian society. Ilaiah identified in this choice recognition and reaffirmation of his family origins. In May 2016, in protest against "Brahmanic hegemony" he claims continues to persist in India, Ilaiah appended "Shepherd" to his name. Ilaiah has encouraged proficiency in the English language for Dalits, arguing that it would allow Dalits in India to intellectually engage the world outside India without non-Dalits speaking "for them". Ilaiah earned a Ph.D on the basis of his work exploring the political dimension of Buddhism, culminating in God as Political Philosopher - Buddha Challenge to Brahminism. He has been a recipient of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Award and was a Nehru Fellow between 1994-97. degree in political science and an M.Phil., awarded for his study of land reform in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
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