Shailaja Paik is the first Dalit Person to receive the prestigious MacArthur which is decorous in the academic domain as well as in the social domain. Shailaja is referred to as the genius award, also called the MacArthur generously funded, as the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur fellows represent people with exceptional ability, imagination, strong commitment and some scope in particular area of work.
Shaila’s research history goes back to caste and women but centers more about the lives of Dalit women. This has been a major historical development which in one way or the other provides answers to the questions of several billions most of whom are women.
Shailaja Paik’s journey
Delving deeper in to the unspoken realities of Dalits, especially women ॳ Shailaja Paik cartography of the academia evokes willingness for such devotion. Ordinarily, Dalits are known as ‘low caste’ or ‘untouchables’ in the Hindu hierarchy of castes and also have endured socio-economic difficulties too. It is her argument that Dalit women in today’s society face the same challenges of caste discrimination which they manage to navigate without being overbearing about it.
Shailaja Paik’s debut novel: ‘Dalit Women’s Education in Modern India: Double Discrimination faces the discrimination and oppression much more faced by Dalit women based on their gender, caste and even the age at which they decide to educate themselves.’ (2014) brings forward the issues that Dalit women in particular face not only in terms of caste but also gender or even the decision of undertaking specific education. This is followed by another book of Shailaja Paik ‘The Vulgarity of Caste: Dalits, Sexuality, and Humanity in Modern India’ (2022), which helps to form the no less effective focus for the comprehension of the dalit women and their lives.
By looking at Dalit women, Shailaja Paik goes beyond the boundaries and levels of oppression and reveals the complexity of their constitution as well as the architectures of caste and gender relations and how they are interrelated to women in particular. She even marked traditional narratives that overlook Dalit’s voices particularly women who adequately are engaged with the issues of caste.
Shailaja Paik academic journey
Beginning with a bachelor and master’s degree from the University of Pune conveys the academic development in Shailaja Paik. Brown University is among the universities where she has so far pledged both teaching and research. Yet in 2010, Paik journey commenced with the University of Cincinnati where she undertook extra activities in gender and sexualty studies as well as Asian studies. This combined all her work extending the studies of oppressed communities’ history in India. She instructs younger cohorts who primarily seek to broaden the comprehension of caste, gender, and sex in South Asian studies.
Shailaja Paik awarded ‘MacArthur Fellowship’
Shailaja Paik being awarded under the prestigious ‘MacArthur Fellowship’ Award which is meant for individuals with unparalleled skill and fostering great possibilities for the future endorsements. She focuses on the relational gender vectors and women’s activism with special attention to the global south. This made her of the importance more than any award even though she committed to her role as a teacher more so in the academic world but rather all of it outside socially and economically. The awarded fellowship in the amount of $ 800,000 is said to be the one that represents an endorsement of the type of work she does and encourages further creativity and exploration. It is her work on caste, gender and sexuality that is what credited her on the global pedestal.
Social impact on Shalija Paik work contributions
Shailaja Paik’s work is an academic exercise, but touches upon a social issue concerning the understanding of Dalit women, and what the impact of that understanding is. Her work highlighted the ongoing struggles of the women and the community which is perpetually oppressed in India. Her work is likely to enhance the understanding of caste and gender, something that is urgently needed in Indian society.
