P. Radhakrishnan (Madras Institute of Development Studies)

P RADHAKRISHNAN 
Professor, Sociology
Madras Institute of Development Studies
79, Second Main Road, Gandhinagar,
Adyar, Chennai - 600 020
Tamil Nadu, INDIA.

Phones: 91-44-24412589 (Office) 
91-44-24412295 (Office) 
91-44-24411574 (Office) 
91-44-24402003 (Residence) 
91-44-24419261 (Residence) 
Fax: 91/44-24910872 
Mobile: 9444939261
email: prk1949@gmail.com 
email: prk_mids@hotmail.com
email: prk_mids@vsnl.net
email: prk@mids.ac.in

RESEARCH CONCERNS 
Affirmative Action; Agrarian Problems; Backward Classes and Reservations; 
Backward Class Politics; Caste System; Untouchability; Weaker Sections; 
Emancipation Politics; Corruption; Democratic Governance; Education and 
Globalisation; Education and Weaker Sections; Educational Perspectives; 
Electoral, Caste and Vote-bank Politics; Globalisation and Society; Human 
Resource Development; International Affairs; Language Politics; Law and 
Justice; Peasant Struggles; Land Reforms; Social Change; Politics and 
Governance; Public Policy; Religion, Communalism, and Secularism; Religion 
and Society; Religion and Globalisation; Social Conflict; Social 
Discrimination; Social Mobilisation, Social Movements; Social Mobility; 
Terrorism. 

RESEARCH FOCUS: Tamil Nadu against all-India background. ? 

MAJOR RESEARCH WORKS 

Projects 

1. Progress towards Education for All: The Case of Tamil Nadu (With R. 
Akila). (As part of India?s input to the World Summit on Education (Year 
2000 Assessment of Education For All) held at Dakar)), sponsored by the 
Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and the 
National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi. 
April 2000.

2. Science, Technology and Social Sciences in Higher Education in Tamil 
Nadu: A Study of Democratisation and Access. (Project sponsored by the 
Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development). 

Books and monographs

1. The Perfidies of Power: India in the New Millennium (Online 
publication, http://www.ideaindia.com, 2007).

2. Religion, Caste and State.  Rawat Publications, 2006. 

3. Progress towards Education for All: The Case of Tamil Nadu (With R. 
Akila).? 

4. Peasant Struggles, Land Reforms, and Social Change: Malabar 1836-1982 
(Sage 1989; Online 2007, http://www.ideaindia.com). 

Articles in books/journals, MIDS Working Papers, and short notes in 
journals 
BACKWARD CLASSES, RESERVATIONS (AFFIRMATIVE ACTION) ? 
1. Muslim Backwardness and Sachar Report, South Asian Journal, No. 19, 
January-March 2008.
2. Affirmative Action through Usurpation: OBC Reservation and the Tamil 
Nadu Model. South Asian Journal. No. 13. July-September 2006. 
3. Job Quotas in the Private Sector. Economic and Political Weekly. XXXIX 
(40). 2-8 October 2004. 
4. Dalits and Durban (reproduced from The Hindu (Leader Page). 27-28 
August 2001).  In Sukhadeo Thorat and Umakant (Ed.) Caste, Race and 
Discrimination: Discourses in International Context. Rawat Publications. 
2004. 
5. Backward Castes/Classes as Legal and Political Entities. In Veena Das 
(Ed.) The Oxford India Companion to Sociology and Social Anthropology. 
Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. 2003. 
6. Sensitising Officials on Dalits and Reservations. Economic and 
Political Weekly. XXXVII (7).  16-22 February 2002. 
7. Caste, Politics, and the Reservation Issue. In B. HarrissWhite and S. 
Subramanian (Ed.) Illfare in India. Sage Publications. 1998. 
8. Backward Class Movements in Tamil Nadu. In M.N. Srinivas (Ed.) Caste, 
Its Twentieth Century Avatar. Penguin India. 1996 (Hard Cover); 1998 
(Paper Back). Reproduced in The Hindu (Sunday Magazine) 1 February 1998. 
9. Mandal Commission: A Sociological Critique. In M.N. Srinivas (Ed.) 
Caste, Its Twentieth Century Avatar. Penguin India. 1996 (Hard Cover); 
1998 (Paper Back). Reproduced in The Hindu (Sunday Magazine).  11-18 
August 1996. 
10. OBCs and Central Commissions (On the two allIndia Backward Classes 
Commissions of 1953 and 1979). Seminar. No. 375. November 1990. 
11. Two Steps Backward (On the Mandal Commission Report). Frontline. 1-14 
September 1990. 
12. Karnataka Backward Classes  (Report). Economic and Political Weekly. 
XXV (32). 11 August 1990. 
13. Reservations in Theory and Practice. MIDS Bulletin. XX (4). April 
1990. 
14. Backward Classes in Tamil Nadu: 18721988. Economic and Political 
Weekly. XXV (10). 10 March 1990 (Also MIDS Working Paper. No. 89. March 
1989). 
15. Tamil Nadu Backward Classes. MIDS Bulletin. XIX (10). October 1989. 
16. Ambasankar Commission and Backward Classes (Report). Economic and 
Political Weekly. XXIV (23). 10 June 1989. 
17. Evolution of Reservation Policy in Tamil Nadu. MIDS Bulletin. XIII 
(12). December 1983. 
18. In Defence of Mandal Commission?. Economic and Political Weekly. XVI I 
(27). 3 July 1982. 

BRIDE PRICE AND DOWRY 
19. Economics of Bride price and Dowry. Economic and Political Weekly. 
XVIII (23). 4 June 1983. 
20. Economics of Bride price and Dowry. Economic and Political Weekly. 
XVIII (47). 19 November 1983. 

CASTE SYSTEM, WEAKER SECTIONS, EMANCIPATION POLITICS 
21. Vanniyar Separatism: Nebulous Issues (On the demand for bifurcation of 
Tamil Nadu for carving out the Vanniyar dominated northern districts as a 
separate state). Economic and Political Weekly. XXXVII (32). 10-16 August 
2002. Also, The Vanniyar Separatism. Frontline. 30 August 2002. 
22. Census: A Costly Digression (On the proposal to include Caste in the 
2001 Census). Frontline. 18 September 1998. 
23. Putting Society Together Again. In Henry Thiagaraj (Ed.) Human Rights 
From the Dalit Perspective. Dalit Liberation Education Trust. Madras, 
1996. Reproduced from The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 27 August 1995. 
24. Caste Disabilities in Perspective. MIDS Bulletin. XXIII (8). August 
1993. 
25. Communal Representation in Tamil Nadu, 18501916: The prenonBrahmin 
Movement Phase. Economic and Political Weekly. XXVII (31). 31 July 1993. 
Also MIDS Working Paper. No. 108. July 1992. 
26. Ambedkar's Legacy to Dalits: Has the Nation Reneged on Its Promises. 
Economic and Political Weekly. XXVI (33). 17 August 1991 Also MIDS Working 
Paper. No. 101. January 1991. 
27. Ambedkar on Marx, Buddha and the Oppressed. In National Seminar on 
Marx, Ambedkar and Polarisation of Oppressed and Exploited Classes in 
India. Sanjivayya Institute of SocioEconomic Studies. New Delhi. 1991. 

EDUCATION 
28. Academic Freedom in India, South Asian Journal, No. 18, 
October-December 2007.
29. The great Education Muddle: State Failure and Judicial Jigsaw. 
http://www.eSocialSciences.com 7 December 2005
30. Right Pathway to Higher Education. Sify.com (January-March 2006; 
Humanscape.org (January-March 2006).
31. Progress Towards Education for All: The case of Tamil Nadu (With R. 
Akila). In R. Govinda (Ed.) India Education Report: A Profile of Basic 
Education. Oxford University Press, 2002. Published for UNESCO, MHRD, and 
NIEPA. 
32. India's Educational Efforts: Rhetoric and Reality (With R. Akila). 
Economic and Political Weekly. XXVII (48). 27 November 1993. 
33. Indigenous Education in British India: A Profile. Contributions to 
Indian Sociology. 2 (1). JanuaryJune 1990. 
34. CasteDiscriminations in Indigenous Indian Education 1: Nature and 
Extent of Education in Early 19th Century British India. MIDS Working 
Paper. No. 63. April 1986. 
35. CasteDiscriminations in Indigenous Indian Education 3: Study of Early 
19th Century Bombay Presidency. MIDS Working Paper. No. 64. April 1986. 

FAMILY, SOCIAL CHANGE 
36. Changing Family Among the Nayars. Vidya Bharati. V (1). January-June 
1979. 

GLOBALISATION & RELIGION
37. Understanding Cults in Modern India. In Volume on International 
Symposium on Cultic Studies, Institute of World Religions, Chinese Academy 
of Social Sciences, December 2007.
38. Religion Under Globalisation. Economic and Political Weekly. 39 (13). 
27 March 2004. 

HISTORY 
39. From Deep Ganga to Shallow Waters of Cauvery: Seventh South Indian 
History Congress. Economic and Political Weekly. XXII (8). 21 February 
1987. 

LAW AND SOCIETY 
40. Lawyers' Agitation in Tamil Nadu. Economic and Political Weekly. 14-20 
December 2002. 
41. Ayodhya Issue and Freedom of Expression. Economic and Political 
Weekly. 5-11 October 2002. 

AGRARIAN PROBLEMS, PEASANT STRUGGLES, LAND REFORMS, SOCIAL CHANGE 
42. Farmers? Suicides: Some Sociological Perspectives. South Asian 
Journal. No. 11. January-March 2006.
43. Land Reforms: Rhetoric and Reality. Economic and Political Weekly. XXV 
(47). 24 November 1990. 
44. Tamil Nadu: Getting at Benami Land Holdings. Economic and Political 
Weekly. XXV (28). 14 July 1990. 
45. Land Reforms in Tamil Nadu. MIDS Bulletin. XIX (7). July 1989. 
46. Land Reforms and Social Change: Study of a Kerala Village. Economic 
and Political Weekly. XVIII (5253). 24-31 December 1983. 
47. Land Reforms and Changes in Land System: Study of a Kerala Village. 
Economic and Political Weekly. XVII (39). 25 September 1982. 
48. Land Reforms in Theory and Practice: The Kerala Experience. Economic 
and Political Weekly. XVI (52). 26 December 1981. 
49. Peasant Struggles and Land Reforms in Malabar. Economic and Political 
Weekly. XV   (50). 13 December 1980. 

OTHERS

1. Interview 
Dalits have not benefited from quotas. Rediff.com (13 June 2006) URL  
http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/jun/13inter1.htm

2. Articles in newspapers/on websites (from 1990 onwards) 
BACKWARD CLASSES, RESERVATIONS (AFFIRMATIVE ACTION) 
1. Supreme Court and the SCs. The New Indian Express (Leader page) 11 
March 2008.
2. OBC Reservation and TN Model. The New Indian Express (Leader page). 8 
July 2006.
3. The Reservation Rigmarole. The New Sunday Express (Magazine section). 7 
May 2006. 
4. Vanniyars and Social Mobility. The New Sunday Express (Sunday 
Magazine). 2 February 2003. 
5. Sensitising Officials. The Hindu (Leader Page). 3-4 December 2001.
6. White or Grey? (On Tamil Nadu Government?s White Paper on Reservations 
tabled in the Assembly on 11 May 2000). The Hindu (Leader Page). 26 July 
2000.
7. Reservation Politics (In Karnataka). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 26 
February 1995.
8. The Quota Conundrum (On the reservation politics in Tamil Nadu). The 
Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 19 February 1995.
9. Judicial Pragmatism, Political Opportunism (On the Supreme Court 
Judgments on the notifications relating to the Mandal Commission 
recommendations). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 14 March 1993.?
10. Reservation in Perspective (On the emergence and history of 
reservation in Madras Presidency). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 23, 30 
August; 6 September 1992.
11. The Mandal Odyssey. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 13 October 1991.
12. Reply to Andre Beteille: Some Issues Overlooked (On reservations). The 
Hindu (Leader Page). 8 November 1990. 

CASTE SYSTEM, WEAKER SECTIONS, EMANCIPATION POLITICS 
13. The Vanniyar Vampire (Related to the write-up Vanniyar Separatism, but 
confined to the importance of the Vanniyar?s numerical preponderance in 
socio-political affairs). The New Sunday Express, Sunday Magazine, Cover 
Story. 28 July 2002.?
14. Dalits and Durban (On the furor on caste-race discrimination and 
non-inclusion of caste in the U.N. Conference Against Racism, etc., in 
Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001.) The Hindu 
(Leader Page). 27-28 August 2001.
15. The Meaning of Vaikom (On the meaning, message and significance of the 
Vaikom Satyagraha of 192425 for establishing the rights of the 
Untouchables for use of the temple road). The Hindu (Leader Page). 5-6 
April 1999.
16. Cast Off Caste in Census 2001 (On the need for excluding Caste from 
the 2001 Census). Indian Express (Leader Page). 9 December 1999.
17. The Dalit Controversy  (On the demands of Dalit Christians for 
Scheduled Caste status). The Hindu (Leader Page). 9-10 January 1996.
18. Putting Society Together Again (On social exclusion and social 
integration). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 27 August 1995.?
19. Manuvadis and Mayawati  (On BrahminDalit politics in Uttar Pradesh). 
The Hindu (Leader Page). 30 June 1995.
20. Exploiting the Exploited  (On Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha?s 
exploitation of the usage Pariah). The Hindu (Leader Page). 13 May 1995.
21. The Truth About Manu?s Misdeeds  (A fresh look at Manusmriti). The 
Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 8 November 1992.
22. Ambedkar on Minorities. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 22 September 
1991.
23. Political Appropriation of Ambedkar. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 12 
May 1991.
24. The Political Relevance of Ambedkar. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 5 
May 1991.?
25. Ambedkar's Legacy. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 20 January 1991. 

EDUCATION 
26. Dharampal and 'The Beautiful Tree. Asian Tribune. 2 November 2007. 
27. India's Educational Backwardness. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine) (With?R. 
Akila). 26 July 1994. 

ELECTORAL POLITICS 
28. Democratic Governance. The Hindu (Leader Page). 15-16 April 2002.?
29. Tamil Nadu's Shame (On the political crisis in Tamil Nadu precipitated 
by the arrest of DMK President and former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi 
at the behest of AIADMK General Secretary and Chief Minister, J. 
Jayalalitha). The Hindu (Leader Page) 3 July 2001.
30. Electoral Eccentricities. (On the swearing-in of Jayalalitha as Chief 
Minister of Tamil Nadu despite her disqualification by the Election 
Commission from contesting the Assembly election). The Hindu (Leader 
Page). 23 May 2001.
31. Conviction Politics (On the conviction related disqualification of 
Jayalalitha). The Hindu (Leader Page). 1-2 May 2001.
32. Politics of Perdition. (On the present Tamil Nadu election politics). 
The Hindu (Leader Page). 21-22 March 2001.
33. Coalitions and Political Skulduggery? (On political perfidies at the 
Centre). The Hindu Business Line (Leader Page). 11 May 1999.
34. Witches? Brew or Magic Potion? (On the political crisis at the 
Centre). The Hindu Business Line (Leader Page). 16 February 1998.
35. The Perfidies of Power (On the political crisis at the Centre). The 
Hindu Business Line (Leader Page). 10 April 1997.
36. Practical or Suicidal? (On India?s electoral politics). The Hindu 
(Leader Page). 26-27 April 1996. 

FAITH AND DEVELOPMENT
37. Crossing the Sethu Rubicon, The New Indian Express (leader page). 26 
September 2007. 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 
38. Terrorism is imperialist Frankenstein. Asian Tribune. 4 February 2007. 
39. The Taliban Tangle (On terrorist attacks on the U.S. on 11 September 
2001, and the retaliatory strikes). The Hindu (Leader Page). 24 September 
2001. Reproduced on the website of the Socialist Alliance.?

LANGUAGE POLITICS?
40. The Language Muddle. (On the medium of instruction controversy in 
Tamil Nadu). The Hindu (Leader   Page). 29-30 December 1999. 

LAW AND SOCIETY 
41. Plagiarism of The Economist type, Asian Tribune. 30 November 2007. 
42. Plagiarise or Perish. The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 7, 14 July 2002.
43. CNG Jolts Delhi! How did it happen? Indya.com News. 4 September 2001. 

NATION?S CONCERNS 
44. India: Anbumanis and Other Avoidable Scandals. Asian Tribune. 1 
December 2007. 
45. From Missile to Messianism: The Beginning of the Odyssey of a 
Proactive President. The Milli Gazette. 1-15 September 2002.?
46. Census and the Disabled  (On issues for consideration in the census of 
the disabled as part of the 2001 Census). The Hindu (Leader 
Page). 11 July 2000. 

POLITICS, GOVERNANCE, CORRUPTION 
47. The Legacy of Kamaraj. Sify.com. 24 November 2003.
48. The Affairs of Governance. India.com. February 2001.
49. The Mother of All Scamsters. (On the politics of corruption in Tamil 
Nadu during AIADMK (Jayalalitha?s) rule, 199196). The Hindu Business Line. 
19 August 1997.
50. A Mother?s Elegy for the AIADMK (On the misrule of Jayalalitha in 
Tamil Nadu, 199196). The Hindu Business Line. 20 August 1997.
51. Rao?s Redemption  (Appraisal of P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister 
of India). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 16 March 1997.
52. The Rise and Fall of Rao (Appraisal of P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime 
Minister of India). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 23 March 1997.
53. Scams and Stability (On the politics of corruption in India). The 
Hindu Business Line (Leader Page). 16-17 January 1997.
54. Marriage and Morals (On the controversy about the vulgarity, 
ostentation and misuse of Government machinery for the marriage of 
Jayalalitha?s fosterson). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 12 November 1995. 

RELIGION, COMMUNALISM 
55. Danish cartoons: Muslims are right to be angry. The Milli Gazette.11 
February 2006.
56. Modi?s Cyber Chicanery. (On Hindutva?s manipulation of electoral 
politics in Gujarat).  The Milli Gazette (Online), 9 December 2002; (Print 
Edition), 16-31 December 2002.?
57. Communal carnage and political opportunism. The Milli Gazette. 1-15 
June 2002.
58. Conversion Politics. The Hindu (Leader Page). 6-7 November 2002.
59. Faith in a time of rationality (On miracle and Mother Teresa). The 
Hindu   (Sunday Magazine). 30 September 2001.?
60. The Conversion Bogey (On Hindutva?s atrocities against minorities). 
The Hindu (Leader Page). 25-26 January 1999.
61. Camouflaging Communalism (On the two Bills before Parliament to curb 
communalism in elections). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 7 November 1993.
62. A Deepening Paradox (On the politics of temple administration in Tamil 
Nadu). The Hindu (Sunday Magazine). 22 December 1991.