Devendra Choubeys book Adhunik Sahitya Mein Dalit Vimarsh (Dalit Discourse In Modern Literature) is a collection of essays written by him on various aspects of Hindi dalit literature, published in journals over a period of 15 years. It is a timely intervention in dalit studies which merits a sustained, serious, critical evaluation and theorization on its literary production. Structured on grounds of genre, intellectual bearings and ideological position of Hindi dalit writings, the book offers a detailed and nuanced reading of substantial dalit writings in Hindi published in the last 15 odd years.
Dalit literature in Hindi emerged as a sustained literary movement and gained critical attention in the post-Mandal period. Literary journals like Hans and Katha Desh deserve credit for providing visibility, space, editorial encouragement and discerning scholarship on dalit writings in Hindi. Rajendra Yadav, the editor of Hans and well-known Hindi novelist, reserved an exclusive column in the journal for presenting dalit discourse. Excerpts from autobiographies of todays well-known dalit writers in Hindi were published in this journal first.
Thus, Hindi dalit discourse found receptive critical intervention in mainstream Hindi journals and literary space almost from its initial phase of articulation.