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IN PHOTOS | 'My birth is my fatal accident': Remembering Rohith Vemula on his death anniversary

“Maybe I was wrong, all the while, in understanding the world. In understanding love, pain, life, death… My birth is my fatal accident. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past.” Seven years ago, on January 17, 2016, Rohith Vemula wrote these words in his final letter to the world. Scholar Anand Teltumbde had noted: “Rohith Vemula’s dream of becoming a science writer like his idol, Carl Sagan, ended abruptly at the altar of caste.” 
“Maybe I was wrong, all the while, in understanding the world. In understanding love, pain, life, death… My birth is my fatal accident. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past.” Seven years ago, on January 17, 2016, Rohith Vemula wrote these words in his final letter to the world. Scholar Anand Teltumbde had noted: “Rohith Vemula’s dream of becoming a science writer like his idol, Carl Sagan, ended abruptly at the altar of caste.” (File Photo | PTI)
“Maybe I was wrong, all the while, in understanding the world. In understanding love, pain, life, death… My birth is my fatal accident. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past.” Seven years ago, on January 17, 2016, Rohith Vemula wrote these words in his final letter to the world. Scholar Anand Teltumbde had noted: “Rohith Vemula’s dream of becoming a science writer like his idol, Carl Sagan, ended abruptly at the altar of caste.” (File Photo | PTI)
TNIE online desk
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'January 30 marks the twenty-seventh birthday of Rohith Vemula and martyrdom day of Gandhiji. Both were victims of witch-hunt by RSS. Rohith and his friends were victimised by BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] ministers for challenging RSS politics,' the All India Students Association (AISA), the student-wing of the Communist Part of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, had said. (File Photo | PTI)
'January 30 marks the twenty-seventh birthday of Rohith Vemula and martyrdom day of Gandhiji. Both were victims of witch-hunt by RSS. Rohith and his friends were victimised by BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] ministers for challenging RSS politics,' the All India Students Association (AISA), the student-wing of the Communist Part of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, had said. (File Photo | PTI)
Rohith Vemula died by suicide after he was suspended from the university along with four others after a complaint by the local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP. Many allegations of caste-related discrimination emerged after his suicide. Further, Vemula’s institutional murder sparked massive protests across the country. (File Photo | PTI)
Rohith Vemula died by suicide after he was suspended from the university along with four others after a complaint by the local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP. Many allegations of caste-related discrimination emerged after his suicide. Further, Vemula’s institutional murder sparked massive protests across the country. (File Photo | PTI)
At the time of his death, Vemula was a 26-year-old PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad. Vemula’s fellowship of Rs 25,000 was suspended for raising “issues under the banner of the Ambedkar Students Association.' He and the four students were removed from their hostel rooms, then they set up a tent on the campus and began a hunger strike. He later chose death by suicide. (IN PIC: Radhika Vemula holds her son's portrait during a Youth Congress protest in New Delhi on March 2, 2016 /Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
At the time of his death, Vemula was a 26-year-old PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad. Vemula’s fellowship of Rs 25,000 was suspended for raising “issues under the banner of the Ambedkar Students Association.' He and the four students were removed from their hostel rooms, then they set up a tent on the campus and began a hunger strike. He later chose death by suicide. (IN PIC: Radhika Vemula holds her son's portrait during a Youth Congress protest in New Delhi on March 2, 2016 /Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
Police use water cannons to disperse students during a protest against the Ministry of Human Resource Development in New Delhi on Monday over the suicide of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula at University of Hyderabad. (File Photo | PTI)
Police use water cannons to disperse students during a protest against the Ministry of Human Resource Development in New Delhi on Monday over the suicide of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula at University of Hyderabad. (File Photo | PTI)
Journalist Rahul M who was photographing a protest near the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Delhi on 30 Jan, 2016, wrote in the Caravan of being assaulted by the Delhi Police who also shattered his camera. (File Photo | PTI)
Journalist Rahul M who was photographing a protest near the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Delhi on 30 Jan, 2016, wrote in the Caravan of being assaulted by the Delhi Police who also shattered his camera. (File Photo | PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a protest rally over Rohith Vemula's suicide at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 23, 2016. (File Photo | PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a protest rally over Rohith Vemula's suicide at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 23, 2016. (File Photo | PTI)
Rohith Vemula's mother Radhika at a protest rally over her son's suicide at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (File Photo | PTI)
Rohith Vemula's mother Radhika at a protest rally over her son's suicide at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (File Photo | PTI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with CPI leader D Raja at Hyderabad Central University during protests over Rohith Vemula's death. (Photo | PTI)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with CPI leader D Raja at Hyderabad Central University during protests over Rohith Vemula's death. (Photo | PTI)
Radhika Vemula gets emotional after paying a floral tribute to the statue of her son Rohith on the University of Hyderabad campus. (File Photo | S Senbagapandiyan, EPS)
Radhika Vemula gets emotional after paying a floral tribute to the statue of her son Rohith on the University of Hyderabad campus. (File Photo | S Senbagapandiyan, EPS)
Seven years after Vemula's death, SC/ST students continue to face hostilities in all avenues of life including education and employment. (File Photo | S Senbagapandiyan, EPS)
Seven years after Vemula's death, SC/ST students continue to face hostilities in all avenues of life including education and employment. (File Photo | S Senbagapandiyan, EPS)
Many advocated for legislation prohibiting caste discrimination in educational institutes and asked it to be named the ‘Rohith Act.’ This is yet to see the light of day. (Photo | PTI)
Many advocated for legislation prohibiting caste discrimination in educational institutes and asked it to be named the ‘Rohith Act.’ This is yet to see the light of day. (Photo | PTI)
Rohith Vemula
University of Hyderabad
Caste discrimination
Dalit student

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