*Invitation from Friends of Naveen Babu*** * **Public Meeting on*
Caste, Class & Social Change *Commemorating scholar and revolutionary martyr* *Yalavarthi Naveen Babu *M.Phil** * * *With the release of his Book titled:* *From Varna to Jati: * *Political economy of caste in Indian social formation*** Any attempt to rise above the exigencies of vote bank politics and look at the ways and means to bring about a deeper transformation of the exploitative structures of Indian society cannot overlook the pervasive and enigmatic reality of the infamous Indian 'caste system'. This is more so for a Marxist scholar and a revolutionary martyr like Y. Naveen Babu. He was entering the prime of his youthful life when he worked on his M. Phil dissertation entitled " From Varna to Jati: Transformation from Pastoral to Agrarian Social Formation" in JNU, on which this commemorative volume is based. Using the more dynamic conception of *jati* as opposed to a static Western understanding of 'caste', he traces its history in the social, cultural and economic aspects of the formation of *varna* into *jati* from the Rig-Vedic to the end of 20th century and analytically demonstrates how these changes were grounded into the changing modes of production and its accompanying social formation. Naveen's work is a modest but significant interdisciplinary contribution to Indian Marxist historiography, sociology and political economy. This basic framework and approach argued by him and others before and after him, continues to be valid and relevant, not only for a scientific understanding of caste, but also for its relevance in contemporary social movements. Hence this public meeting and discussion. As an emerging student activist and developing social scientist, Naveen's work and life were closely intertwined. Besides caste, he also had an unwavering dedication to the exploited classes, minorities and nationality identities and willingly gave his life to the wider purpose of bringing about an egalitarian society. Today, even as identity-based politics of all kinds appear to occupy the centre stage of all electoral calculations, their assertions through social movements are ruthlessly suppressed. Naveen's work and life reveals an interesting ideological and organisational link between these various movements. Moreover, for all those who are often fed with the portrayals of revolutionaries as inherently violent, deprived, intimidating, irresponsible, irreparable etc., Naveen is the best example of the exact opposite of any such stereotypes. In fact, many people fondly called him "Gandhi", despite his revolutionary Marxist orientation, because he had a Gandhian personality and lifestyle. He touched many lives in many ways, hence this commemoration by academics, activists and contemporaries. *SPEAKERS: Gautam Navlakha, well-known journalist, Professor Haragopal, University of Hyderabad, Professor Adapa Satyanarayana, Osmania University, Ashok Tankasala, editor VAARTHA telugu daily, Vara Vara Rao, renowned revolutionary poet, Dr Raghuram, scientist from Delhi, and Dr Ramesh Babu, scientist from USA.* * * *Date: 21 September, Sunday, 2008* *Time: 10.30 a.m*. *Venue: ICSSR Auditorium*, *O.U. Hyderabad*. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
