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Rajni Tilak (1958–2018)
Rajni was a popular and visible leader of Dalit women, especially in North India. She dedicated her life to the emancipation of women at the grass roots, enhancement of Dalit women’s leadership, and sensitisation of Dalit organisations to the issues of gender and patriarchy.
The one word that comes to mind when one thinks of Rajni is “feisty.” And therefore, it is hard to imagine that she is no longer somewhere on the horizon, writing, speaking, organising, and networking. We lost her to a stroke on 30 March 2018. She was just 60.
I have known Rajni personally since the mid-1990s. We met several times over the years at a number of events, usually organised by the National Federation of Dalit Women (NFDW). We enjoyed a cordial relationship, and she always struck me as a very friendly and accessible person, someone with whom most people would be comfortable. Even then, her clarity of thought and strong perspectives on Dalit women’s issues was very evident.
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