Hyderabad, Sept. 14 -- "In the school, I became a being with a name that was written on a paper with a future of my own."

Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd is one of the most prolific writers and activists from Hyderabad, with a style of writing and speaking not just unique, but filled with the kind of courage that is possible only when one has fully understood one's own roots.

While he is known for being the voice of the marginalised and has written countless articles and books on issues related to the caste system, his book "A Shudra Life" examines, in his own words, the life he led, the experiences that shaped him and who he became - written with an honesty and clarity of thought typical of Ilaiah.

As someone who grew up reading his op-eds in ...