Veena Ramani

Indian feminist and journalist who exposed caste-based oppression through investigative reporting

Veena Ramani (1925-1975) was a trailblazing Indian journalist whose fearless reporting brought caste discrimination to national attention. Born into a Dalit family in Madras (now Chennai), she became the first woman editor of Samathva, a Tamil-language weekly. Her 1958 exposé on untouchability practices led to her receiving death threats but also inspired anti-caste legislation. Ramani's groundbreaking interviews with marginalized communities revealed systemic injustices. She co-founded the Veena Ramani Institute of Social Justice, which trains journalists from marginalized castes. Despite her early death at 50, her work remains foundational to India's social justice movements. Her memoir Breaking Chains (1973) is still taught in journalism schools worldwide.