The Politics of Pain, Identity, and Resistance in Sharankumar Limbale’s The White Paper

Abstract

Sharankumar Limbale’s The White Paper (Shwetpatra) is a foundational text in Dalit autobiographical writing and a landmark in the evolution of Dalit aesthetics. This research paper examines the text as a socio-political document that exposes caste violence, illegitimacy, hunger, and the psychological trauma of growing up in a deeply stratified society. Using placeholder APA citations, the paper analyzes Limbale’s narrative through the lenses of Dalit theory, Ambedkarite philosophy, subaltern studies, and trauma theory. The study argues that Limbale transforms personal suffering into collective resistance, making his autobiography not merely a personal narrative but a political manifesto. The paper further explores themes of identity fragmentation, social exclusion, caste-based humiliation, and the politics of survival. It concludes that The White Paper exemplifies “art for life’s sake,” challenging traditional literary aesthetics and asserting the legitimacy of Dalit experience as central to Indian literature.