Gallery Talk: Caste, Everyday Life, and the Power of Dalit Expression

Benson Neethipudi is an engineer by academic qualification, a management consultant by work experience, and a public policy professional interested in the intersection of identity, equity, and technology. He has advised state and local government agencies in the United States and India, worked in commercial software product development, and led projects at philanthropic foundations. Benson graduated from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) with a Master of Public Administration. At SIPA, he served as the President of the Student Association, was the class valedictorian, and recipient of Campbell Award, the highest University honor for exceptional leadership. He is an alumni of the AIF William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service in India. Benson is Dalit (formerly ‘untouchables' in India), whose lived experiences with caste have molded his courage and strengthened his commitment towards making this world a more equitable place for the marginalized." In his address, Benson will present an overview of how caste shapes the Indian society, how it operates overtly and covertly in everyday life, and how in those circumstances Dalit Art and art forms represent resistance and resilience.