A new anthology edited by public intellectual and civil rights activist Anand Teltumbde, Whither Human Rights in India brings together leading thinkers, lawyers, and human rights defenders to examine the contemporary crisis of democracy and civil liberties in India.

The volume traces the historical and ideological foundations of India’s human rights framework, from colonial legacies and constitutional promises to the challenges posed by majoritarian politics, state violence, and systemic inequality. Contributors critically analyse judicial responses, hate speech, impunity, “bulldozer justice,” and contested models of development, while also foregrounding the lived experiences of Dalits, Adivasis, religious minorities, women, children, LGBTQI+ persons, and prisoners.

The book features essays by Harsh Mander, Kalpana Kannabiran, Aakar Patel, Teesta Setalvad, Gautam Navlakha, Mihir Desai, among others, offering a wide-ranging and unflinching assessment of human rights at a critical juncture in India’s democratic journey.

Dedicated to the memory of Father Stan Swamy and Professor G. N. Saibaba, the anthology stands as both a record of resistance and a call to re-examine the future of democracy and human dignity in India.

About the Editor
Anand Teltumbde is a leading public intellectual, author, and civil rights activist, widely regarded as a foremost authority on Ambedkar and the Dalit movement. His notable works include The Republic of Caste, The Radical in Ambedkar, Khairlanji: A Strange and Bitter Crop, and The Persistence of Caste. He has contributed extensively to major journals and newspapers and has taught at IIT Kharagpur and Goa Institute of Management.