Ambedkar, Ravidassias, Mission Singing & Deras: The Caste Question in Punjab | With Dr. Santosh K. Singh

In our latest interview with academics, we spoke to Dr. Santosh K. Singh, an Associate Professor at Ambedkar University, Delhi. Dr. Singh talks to us about his extensive ethnographic study of caste politics in Punjab. He discusses mission singing, the Dera phenomenon, Ravidassias, Dr. Ambedkar and more.

Santosh K Singh has his Masters, MPhil and PhD degrees, all in Sociology, from JNU’S Centre for the study of Social Systems (CSSS). At present Dr. Singh is an Associate Professor with the Global Studies Programme at School of Global Affairs at Ambedkar University Delhi. For the last decade or so, Dr. Singh has been conducting ethnographic field work in Punjab, trying to understand the complex caste history and sociology of religion. Dr. Singh also contributes regularly in the popular press like The Tribune, The Indian Express, The Deccan Herald and online platforms such as Scroll and Daily O. Currently he is working on a monograph on his work in Punjab  and an edited volume titled “Contemporary Village India” is under publication.