Welcome to the March edition of our monthly events! This month’s conversation, titled “Caste and Mental Health: Understanding the Impact of Structural Inequalities,” will take place on 4.00 PM EDT—Friday 20 March, 2026 at AB 6051, Academic Building, 15, Seminary Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
This event will feature Divya Kandukuri, writer, Ambedkarite feminist activist, and founder of The Blue Dawn, a mental health collective advancing anti-caste and feminist perspectives in India’s mental health discourse. Through her advocacy, trainings, and digital initiatives, Kandukuri works with professionals and communities to integrate social justice into mental health practices while addressing caste, gender, pop culture, and the rights of women, queer, and caste-oppressed communities.
The talk will be followed by a discussion with Priyanshi Madhukar, PhD Candidate (ABD) at Howard University. Madhukar’s research focuses on sociogenic disability studies in Black and Dalit feminist literatures from the 19th to the 21st century. She is also developing her global legacy project, The Lost Heirs of Dalit Heirlooms, scheduled for release in 2026.
Together, the speakers will engage critical questions around caste, structural inequality, and mental health, highlighting how social hierarchies shape access to care, lived experiences, and the broader discourse on well-being.
Moderated by Manohar Boda, PhD Student at Rutgers University.