Breaking the Divide

The importance of technological infrastructure for the marginalized communities

In 2012, after being in JNU for 2 years and having submitted my M.Phil thesis, I started attending various events organized by Dalit writers, academics, activists, and organizations. During one such event – a book launch at Gandhi Peace Foundation, I noticed a stark contrast in how our programs are organized in comparison to the others.

I entered the Gandhi Peace Foundation and there was another group that was wrapping up their book launch function. There were cameras (DSLR), tripods, flashlights, reflectors, and umbrellas on both sides of the stage. After they left, our team set up the stage and the book was launched. There wasn’t a single person who had a camera or even a smartphone, including me, who could take pictures of the event. These events would usually go unnoticed except when the press was invited.

The situation on JNU campus was no different for student groups led by marginalized communities. We have had so many events (cultural and academic) organized by us, but not a single event was ever covered by any local news or media. We had led many movements along with the Student's Union, and yet we were unseen and unheard.

Sanghapali filming a part of the #DalitWomenFight Yatra in Bihar. Image taken on March 1, 2014.

By the end of 2012, I had decided to buy a DSLR camera and a smartphone. I saved money from my scholarship, and I remember reaching out to my Facebook friends from the US to seek their help in buying a DSLR camera during the Thanksgiving sale. This is the one camera that changed many things in my life – my vision, my perspective, and my path. From being an NLP trainer, I became an amateur photographer and a documentary maker. This also made a huge impact on the many movements I was part of between 2013 and 2018.

Even today I see that our communities, especially students, are still struggling to own one smart device – be it at a school, college, or university level. The pandemic raised a lot of questions as to how our communities’ younger generation would cope up with the rest of the world. The rest of the world was moving at a fast pace with access to technology and with emerging ed-tech platforms. There was a major chunk of the society even in the cities that was left behind without any support. Since the first lockdown in 2020, we have been working with some of them from 5 states, and we aim to provide them infrastructure aid for them to keep up with the technological advancements and to break the divide.

An appeal: We request our allies, friends, and collaborators to support us in providing infrastructure aid to the children from the camps who are attending our online classes. You can do so by donating your old phones and laptops. Get in touch with us via email info@projectmukti.com or message us on our social media to donate.