Indian-American Historian Awarded MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant for Dalit Studies

Indian-American professor Shailaja Paik has been awarded the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant, amounting to $800,000, for her extensive work on Dalit studies. Paik, a historian and professor at the University of Cincinnati, has been recognized for her exceptional scholarly contributions that explore the challenges faced by Dalit women in India.

The MacArthur Fellowship, often referred to as the “genius” grant, is conferred annually to individuals exhibiting extraordinary achievements and potential. In its announcement, the MacArthur Foundation highlighted Paik’s dedication to uncovering “the multifaceted experiences of Dalit women,” elucidating enduring caste discrimination.

Professor Paik holds numerous faculty affiliations, including with Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Asian Studies at the University of Cincinnati. She is celebrated for her pioneering scholarship, offering new insights into historical caste domination and the systemic discrimination Dalit women encounter.

Paik’s own life story underscores her research. Originally from Pune’s Yerwada slum, she overcame significant socio-economic obstacles to advance academically, eventually earning her doctorate from the University of Warwick. Her father, Deoram F. Paik, placed great emphasis on English education as a means to uplift their family, while her mother, Sarita Paik, protected her daughters from environmental hardships.

Paik’s 2014 book, “Dalit Women’s Education in Modern India: Double Discrimination,” is a seminal work that outlines the educational and societal barriers faced by Dalit women in Maharashtra. Her recent book, “The Vulgarity of Caste: Dalits, Sexuality, and Humanity in Modern India,” published in 2022, examines the lives of Maharashtra’s Tamasha artists, many of whom are Dalit women.

Throughout her career, Paik has accrued numerous accolades, including fellowships and awards like the Frederick Burkhardt Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Stanford Humanities Center Fellowship. Her recent honors include the 2023 John F. Richards Prize and the Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Prize.

The support from these awards will further enable Paik to continue her influential research and writing. “This funding will allow me to continue my research and writing, helping educate others and creating documentation about the lives of the Dalits and the caste system,” Paik explained.