Dakshayani Velayudhan (1912-1978), a prominent Dalit politician from Cochin (present-day Kerala), was the first and only Dalit woman to be a part of the Constituent Assembly of India. (Wikipedia, “Dakshayani Velayudhan,”; Feminism in India, “Dakshayani Velayudhan: The Only Dalit Woman In The Constituent Assembly”). Our team has prepared a brief biography of Velayudhan based on available public sources. It includes her formative years, education, her term in the Cochin Legislative Council, her position among the women of the Constituent Assembly, her post Assembly career and other miscellaneous information. The document explains Velayudhan’s role in Assembly debates and provides information about posthumous tributes paid to her. The document avoids quotations. The main reason for avoiding quotations is that I was unable to find the records of the speeches she delivered. Our guide on the Constituent Assembly of India provides an overview of the Assembly. Our Ambedkar biography page provides information about Dr. Ambedkar and the Constitution.
Biographical information
Dakshayani Velayudhan was born on 4th July 1912 in Mulavukad, Cochin state (now Ernakulam district, Kerala) (Wikipedia). Others identify her birthplace as the Bolgatty Island in Cochin (100 Extraordinary Women…; The Quill Project) and her date of birth as the 8th of July (100 Extraordinary Women…; The Quill Project). According to The Quill Project and Feminism in India, she was born into the Pulaya community which is a lower caste in Kerala. It is said that she was the first woman from her community to defy the social rules to wear the upper cloth (Wikipedia; WISCOMP). The entry on Ayyankali in this website covers another important leader from the same community and period.
The first Dalit woman graduate
Dakshayani did her schooling in Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam and St. Christopher’s College, Madras (The Quill Project). She did her graduate degree in science in 1935 from University of Madras with scholarships from the state of Cochin (My Words n Thoughts). She did her teachers’ training from the University of Madras (My Words n Thoughts). She was the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate in India (Wikipedia; WISCOMP). It is said that in her graduate class, she was the only woman and was discriminated by her classmates for being a member of a lower social class (Feminism in India). The entry on Caste and Schooling in India covers the current trends on the social issue.
The Cochin Legislative Council
In 1945, the state government of Cochin nominated Dakshayani Velayudhan to the Legislative Council (Wikipedia). She became the second member of her family to follow a career in public service, the first being her brother, K.P. Vallon, a prominent social reformer (100 Extraordinary Women; Wikipedia, “Pulaya”). It is reported that she spoke for the first time in the Legislative Council on 2 August, 1945 (100 Extraordinary Women). Along with her husband R. Velayudhan, who was also a member of the Provisional Parliament, she is said to be the first Dalit woman to enter the Parliament of India (100 Extraordinary Women; Dakshayani Velayudhan Digital Archive).
Members of the Constituent Assembly
In 1946, at the age of 34, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Madras. With this, she became the Assembly’s first Dalit woman member (Wikipedia; Dakshayani Velayudhan Digital Archive). We find differences in the way the women members of the Assembly have been enumerated. According to Wikipedia, she was the eighth woman member of the Assembly, while Feminism in India enumerates 15 women members of the Assembly, including Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Hansa Mehta and Sarojini Naidu (Feminism in India; Wikipedia). According to one of the sources, she was elected, while the other states that she was nominated (Wikipedia; 100 Extraordinary Women). Our study on Dalit Women deals with the intersection of the caste and gender discrimination.
What the sources say about her role in the debates
The Quill Project Database states that she was an active participant in the debates, and was against proposals for separate electorates. It also states that she was in favor of a more decentralized and flexible federal system. (The Quill Project). Feminism in India mentions that she supported the cause of Educational rights for the Scheduled Castes. (Feminism in India) The Digital Archive mentions that she strongly opposed the system of Untouchability and forced labor. (Dakshayani Velayudhan Digital Archive) A blog mentions that after working with Gandhi and Ambedkar, both of whom shaped her Politics, she had two primary goals. The first was to fight untouchability, and the second was to ensure the commemoration of Ambedkar and his works. (100 Extraordinary Women) Other than references to her support for separate electorates, this project does not cite her speeches. Our projects on Separate Electorates, Gandhi vs. Ambedkar and Article 17, explain the support to the cause of ending Untouchability.
Later life and death
She was a member of the Constituent Assembly, and the Provisional Parliament from 1946 to 1952. (Wikipedia; My Words n Thoughts) After that she was no longer active in Politics, and focused her energy on the socially disadvantaged sections of the society. (Feminism in India) In 1977, she started the Mahila Jagriti Parishad (Women’s Awakening Council), an NGO, to protect and promote the rights of women and slum dwellers in Delhi. (Quill Project; Feminism in India) She died on 20th July 1978, after a short illness at the age of 66. (Wikipedia)
Recognizing Dakshayani Velayudhan
The Government of Kerala created the Dakshayani Velayudhan Award in its 2019 Budget. It recognizes women who work to empower other women in the state. (Wikipedia, “Dakshayani Velayudhan Award”; WISCOMP) Historian Cherai Ramadas has written a biography of her in Malayalam. (Wikipedia, “Cherai Ramadas”) I have not confirmed if the title of her biography was “The Sea has no Caste” (Quill Project). As – and only if – people are able to access them, records provide a means to understand and assert one’s rights. The Ambedkarite Educational Program provides the skills to create records and publish information on the Internet for ₹297 (~$4) in order to do the same. (Movement) Members are able to access teaching immediately and for free.
Inconsistent details
- Place of Birth: Some sources say Mulavukad. Others say Bolgatty.
- Date of Birth: A large majority of sources say July 4, 1930. One source says July 8.
- Number of Women in the Assembly: One source says 9. Others say 15.
- Nomination to the Council: The source says she was nominated. Others say she was elected.
- First Dalit Couple: Her husband was also the first Dalit to get elected to the assembly. The couple was the first Dalit couple of Kerala.
Takeaway
Dakshayani Velayudhan (4th July 1912 – 20th July 1978) was a Pulaya woman from Cochin and the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate from India. She was also the youngest woman to be appointed to the Cochin Legislative Council in 1945 and the first Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly at the age of 34 in 1946. Different sources mention her as an orator against untouchability and in favor of education. The first Dalit women’s organisation, Mahila Jagriti Parishad was founded by her in 1977. Every year the award bearing her name is given by the Government of Kerala, to recognise women who work towards the upliftment of women in the society.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Dakshayani Velayudhan?
Born on 4th July 1912 in Cochin, she was the first and only Dalit woman of the Constituent Assembly of India and the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate of India.
How many women were in the Constituent Assembly?
The number of women in the Constituent Assembly is mentioned as nine in the article of The Wire and 15 women in the article of Feminism in India.
What was Dakshayani Velayudhan’s contribution in the Assembly?
Different sources say that she participated in several debates. In one of the debates, it is said that she criticized the reservation of seats for women and defended the cause of a decentralized federal system and an all-India services.
What is the Mahila Jagriti Parishad?
A women’s rights organization, founded by her in 1977.
What is the Dakshayani Velayudhan award?
It is an annual award by the government of Kerala, to honour and recognize women who work for and empower women of the state.
SOURCES
- Wikipedia, “Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- Wikipedia, “Dakshayani Velayudhan Award”
- Wikipedia, “Cherai Ramadas”
- Wikipedia, “Pulaya”
- Feminism in India, “Dakshayani Velayudhan: The Only Dalit Woman In The Constituent Assembly”
- Quill Project, “Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- 100 Extraordinary Women, “Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- Dakshayani Velayudhan Digital Archive, “Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- WISCOMP, “Stories of Courage #7: Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- My Words n Thoughts, “Dakshayani Velayudhan”
- Constituent Assembly Debates (please add dates and volumes for her speeches)
- Cherai Ramadas, Kaala Shasanakalkku Keezhadangatha Dakshayani Velayudhan (Malayalam) (please add details)
