LANGUAGE IN INDIA

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Volume 26:7 July 2026
ISSN 1930-2940

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Poetry as Resistance: Inclusivity and Social Justice in the Poems of Omprakash Valmiki

Dr. Kamble Prakash Abhimannu

Abstract

The poetry of Omprakash Valmiki represents a powerful expression of Resistance Literature. It gives voice to the lived experiences of marginalized communities and advocates inclusivity and social justice. This study analyzes Valmiki's body of work from the perspective of human consciousness. It focuses on the interrelationships among language, society, education, cultural identity, and social critique. The research highlights representations of discrimination, resistance to human exploitation, and opposition to caste- based social structures. It also foregrounds self-respect and everyday struggles. The study demonstrates how the poet transforms personal and collective suffering into a poetic expression of human dignity and self-esteem.

The study examines the use of colloquial and folk language, symbols, metaphors, and other poetic devices. These elements help construct a consciousness of resistance. Valmiki's poems do not appeal to sympathy but assert human rights by establishing a consciousness of rights. They generate awareness of equality and democratic values at economic, social, cultural, linguistic, professional, and educational levels. His poetry highlights an existential commitment to education and addresses the question of women's freedom. It envisions the construction of a new inclusive society and affirms its educational relevance in contemporary times. Overall, his poetry advocates the creation of a humanistic social order.

Keywords:Omprakash Valmiki, Resistance Literature, Inclusivity, Social Justice, Human Rights, Language and Identity

Methodology

The Study uses the following approaches: A. Socio-economic analysis of cast-based discrimination, particularly late twentieth century. B. Textual / Close Reading Analysis, focusing strictly on poetic form, imagery, symbolism, metaphor, irony, and structural composition. C. Historic Contextual Analysis, examining caste-based social formations and institutional exclusion shaping Marginalise life in late twentieth-century India. D. Critical Discourse Analysis, how the poems interrogate dominant caste ideology and reconfigure power relations through linguistic intervention. E. Psychological-Experiential Analysis, addressing representations of humiliation, memory, and collective trauma as lived emotional realities. F. Subaltern Theoretical Framework, interpreting the formation of voice within broader emancipatory and anti-caste thought.

Literature Review

Subaltern literature has emerged as a critical cultural and political force in modern Indian literature, especially since the late twentieth century. Dalit poetry functions not merely as personal expression but as collective testimony that challenges dominant literary and social narratives. In Hindi literature, Omprakash Valmiki exemplifies this transformative perspective. His collections, Ab Aur Nahin, Bas! Bahut Ho Chuka, and Sadiyon Ka Santap, assert resistance against caste oppression and foreground Dalit self-respect and dignity. Valmiki’s works align with other Hindi Dalit poets, including Jaiprakash Kardam (Gungi Awaazein), Kanwal Bharti (Aag Ki Lakeerein), Surajpal Chauhan (Pratirodh Ki Kavitayen), and Mohandas Naimishray (Aaj Bhi Khada Hoon). Collectively, these poems challenge caste-based discrimination, social exclusion, and exploitation, while critiquing mainstream literature’s idealized portrayals of rural life.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Kamble Prakash Abhimannu
JAIN (Deemed-to-be University)
Department of Languages, Hindi Area,
JGI Knowledge campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Mobile No – 8861257217
prakash.office09@gmail.com
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