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Abhik Bhattacharya
Abhik Bhattacharya is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. He is a specialist in the socio-political dynamics of Eastern and Central India, with a deep focus on marginalized communities. Professional Focus His reportage and analytical pieces bridge the gap between academic sociological inquiry and mainstream journalism. His primary beats include: Adivasi and Dalit Rights: He writes extensively on land rights, identity politics, and the systemic challenges faced by tribal communities in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. Cultural History & Folklore: He explores syncretic traditions, the evolution of national symbols (like Vande Mataram), and the intersection of myth and modern politics. Governance & Law: He analyzes specific state legislations, such as witch-hunting laws and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), through the lens of customary tribal rights and gender justice. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025) His recent portfolio reflects a focus on indigenous identity and the preservation of history: 1. Adivasi Identity & Tribal Politics "Jharkhand witch-hunting killing: What the rise in attacks on Adivasi women reveals" (Dec 5, 2025): Investigating how medical scarcity and patriarchal control lead to spikes in witch-hunting cases. "Mothering AI, the Adivasi way" (Oct 16, 2025): Discussing a film that explores how the "Western gaze" in AI training data overlooks indigenous perspectives. "A non-tribal to head Tribal Affairs Ministry? Why Suresh Gopi’s comment doesn’t pass the history test" (Feb 4, 2025). "Uttarakhand’s exemption of Adivasis from UCC poses many questions" (Jan 29, 2025): Exploring the tension between cultural customary rights and gender equality. 2. Cultural History & Syncretism "New book reveals India’s syncretic folklore through the life and times of Saint Gorakhnath" (Dec 11, 2025): Rediscovering lost narratives of inclusivity in UP and Bihar. "Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Bande Mataram’ carried a message that ‘Vande Mataram’ did not" (Dec 11, 2025): A historical comparison of the two songs' inclusive vs. religious undertones. "Bengali Hindus know how to worship. They don’t need lessons" (April 11, 2025): A defense of "meatatarian spirituality" against modern religious homogenisation. 3. Political Analysis & Social Movements "As new government takes charge in Bihar, Sachchidanand Sinha’s wisdom will be deeply missed" (Nov 22, 2025): Reflecting on the economist's influence on Bihar’s demand for special category status. "Significance of Rahul Gandhi’s blue t-shirt in Parliament — and why it is the colour of resistance" (Jan 2, 2025): Exploring the sky-blue symbol of the Dalit movement. "Ambedkar, Amit Shah and the varying concepts of salvation" (Dec 25, 2024): A critique of the assimilation of Dalits into Hindutva frameworks. Signature...
More From Abhik Bhattacharya
New book reveals India’s syncretic folklore through the life and times of Saint Gorakhnath
December 11, 2025 11:34 IST
'Lores of Love & Saint Gorakhnath' rediscovers lost narratives of inclusivity that have been part of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar’s folktales
Tue, Dec 23, 2025
Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Bande Mataram’ carried a message that ‘Vande Mataram’ did notSubscriber Only
December 11, 2025 06:15 IST
Rabindranath Tagore's song did not invoke religious sentiments, unlike the one by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Tagore's message was of togetherness
Mon, Dec 15, 2025
A witch-hunt that speaks of governance deficitSubscriber Only
December 06, 2025 07:39 IST
In 2023, there was a 100 per cent rise in witch-hunting cases in Jharkhand from 2022
Sat, Dec 06, 2025
Jharkhand witch-hunting killing: What the rise in attacks on Adivasi women revealsSubscriber Only
December 05, 2025 12:44 IST
Despite state laws, the practice continuues, rooted in medical scarcity, 'ojha-dayan' beliefs and patriarchal control of land
Fri, Dec 05, 2025
As new government takes charge in Bihar, Sachchidanand Sinha’s wisdom will be deeply missedSubscriber Only
November 22, 2025 07:08 IST
Sinha used Lohia’s critique of Marx to understand Bihar’s economic crisis and his contentions helped shape Bihar’s demands for special category status
Mon, Nov 24, 2025
‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Amar sonar Bangla’ share similar imagination of ‘mother’. They don’t deserve different treatmentSubscriber Only
November 12, 2025 06:47 IST
After 120 years, however, that has changed. On the one hand, the nation is celebrating 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ with much gusto; on the other, ‘Amar sonar Bangla’, now the national anthem of Bangladesh, is being vilified.
Wed, Nov 12, 2025
Mothering AI, the Adivasi waySubscriber Only
October 16, 2025 16:21 IST
Aranya Sahay’s film ‘Humans in the Loop’ starts a crucial conversation on how the Western gaze determines the data on which AI is trained
Tue, Oct 28, 2025
In detaining Sonam Wangchuk, government has forgotten the lessons of historySubscriber Only
September 26, 2025 19:35 IST
Leaders who follow the path of non-violence acquire a moral heft – they are seen as above usual political tussles. Government must not make mistake that Congress regimes made with Jayaprakash Narayan and Anna Hazare
Fri, Sep 26, 2025
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha’s new book celebrates dissent and spirit of democracySubscriber Only
September 25, 2025 20:12 IST
It is a curation of his speeches, writings and letters that repeatedly evoke issues that have been shaping contemporary politics -- coalition politics, manual scavenging, the significance of party cadres and the deliberate silencing of Manipur
Wed, Oct 08, 2025
Ban on Sci-Hub, Libgen goes against the essence of free knowledgeSubscriber Only
August 25, 2025 16:07 IST
To make knowledge free in a knowledge economy might be utopia, but at least our judiciary could take a more nuanced view so as not to further facilitate the reproduction of ‘theoretical Brahmins’ and ‘empirical Shudras’
Mon, Aug 25, 2025
‘Himachal Pradesh polyandry’: This is not a news. It is Savarna gazeSubscriber Only
July 23, 2025 18:17 IST
Unlike the caste society, different tribal groups practice multiple forms of marriage, and often they are connected to preserving natural resources, either for the clan or for the family
Wed, Jul 23, 2025
Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Bangladesh and a few untold storiesSubscriber Only
July 16, 2025 15:30 IST
The birth of Bangladesh was a victory of the ethno-linguistic spirit over religious dogmatism. Satyajit Ray’s films and writings upheld that spirit
Thu, Jul 17, 2025
Kamal Nayan Chaubey’s Adivasi or Vanvasi unpacks the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram’s influence on tribal politicsSubscriber Only
June 01, 2025 16:19 IST
"In its early days — the VKA was formed in 1952 — the organisation focused on two things: countering Christian influence among tribals and spreading Hindu values. However, from 1970 onwards, many Left-oriented organisations started raising the issue of forest and land rights," says the author
Sun, Jun 01, 2025
Bengali Hindus know how to worship. They don’t need lessonsSubscriber Only
April 11, 2025 17:46 IST
The man in a recent viral video, or for that matter, anyone who questions Bengali Hindus’ meatatarian spirituality, must understand our complex history
Fri, Apr 11, 2025
Santosh K Singh’s The Deras: Culture, Diversity and Politics recovers the syncretic, if male-dominated, character of these sacred spaces in PunjabSubscriber Only
April 06, 2025 10:20 IST
In the state's Jat-Sikh-dominated society, Valmikis and Chamars rarely found representation. Deras occupied this vacuum. They offered the marginalised shelter, spatiality to counter the caste hegemony and legends of Ambedkar and Ravidas.
Mon, Apr 07, 2025
Ranchi is a city that does not need to be yours to be yoursSubscriber Only
March 17, 2025 12:14 IST
Dotted with a Hanuman mandir, a masjid and a church in a row, Ranchi’s main road doesn’t boast of syncretism, it flexes coexistence. It is not a melting pot, but a salad bowl — where none is forced to assimilate.
Wed, Mar 19, 2025
Why AAP and BJP are fighting over @CMODelhi handle on XSubscriber Only
February 18, 2025 18:53 IST
The Delhi CMO has mailed X asking them to restore the original handle to avoid ‘misuse’ and ‘tampering’. It is clear that the political battleground has shifted; the fight is over digital estate.
Wed, Feb 19, 2025
A non-tribal to head Tribal Affairs Ministry? Why Suresh Gopi’s comment doesn’t pass the history testSubscriber Only
February 04, 2025 14:54 IST
Adivasis have always been underrepresented in government. Only an Adivasi leader would be able to understand the complex demands of the communities beyond the binary of modern development and conservation of traditional culture
Tue, Feb 04, 2025
Gender equality or customary rights? Uttarakhand’s exemption of Adivasis from UCC poses many questionsSubscriber Only
January 29, 2025 14:44 IST
While it is necessary to preserve the cultural rights of the Adivasis, gender rights must have a larger appeal. Tribal daughters deserve to own their father’s property
Wed, Jan 29, 2025
Debates on illegal immigration during Delhi elections have a more than 30-year historySubscriber Only
January 24, 2025 18:15 IST
Success of AAP had catalysed narratives on development and corruption in the past 10 years. But political parties are back to harping on insider-outsider binary
Fri, Jan 24, 2025
Chandrabindoo is back: Why the return of the Kolkata band is laden with nostalgiaSubscriber Only
January 14, 2025 19:13 IST
With their new album Talobasha, the millennials whose secrets they know best, find a space to fall back on
Tue, Jan 14, 2025
Significance of Rahul Gandhi’s blue t-shirt in Parliament — and why it is the colour of resistanceSubscriber Only
January 02, 2025 15:52 IST
Though it is not clear why blue was conceived as the symbol of the Dalit movement, Ambedkarite scholars say that it is due to the colour of the sky beneath which everyone is equal.
Thu, Jan 02, 2025
Born in UP, married to a Jain, still a ‘Jharkhandi’: Sitarani’s spirit upholds the essence of Jharkhand’s statehood struggleSubscriber Only
January 01, 2025 10:08 IST
As Jharkhand turns 25 this year, those who invested their youth to get ‘independence’ for the state deserve a mention. Sitarani Jain is one such andolankari.
Wed, Jan 01, 2025
It could be heaven or it could be hell: Ambedkar, Amit Shah and the varying concepts of salvationSubscriber Only
December 25, 2024 16:13 IST
The way Ambedkar conceived the concept of ‘hell’ is antithetical to the framework of Hindutva politics, which wants to assimilate Dalits into their fold as ‘backward Hindus’. For the father of the Indian Constitution, ‘hell’ was the place where Dalits were being pushed to through centuries of deprivation and marginalisation
Wed, Dec 25, 2024Journalism of Courage
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