Reclaiming an offensive word and adding dignity to lives of leather workers

Over 2 million people are employed in India's leather industry, and 'chamars' or leather makers derive their caste name from their chosen profession

Sudheer Rajbhar, an artist-activist, wanted to question the use of “chamar” as a slur. So he decided to print “chamar” in various scripts on to 40 cotton bags and leave them in public places to gauge people’s reaction. As expected, while not many reacted in Mumbai, people in Delhi and Allahabad found it offensive.

“I knew I would face questions because that is how we have been accustomed to use the word – as a slur,” says Rajbhar. Words like “chamar” and “bhar” that are used to denote Other Backward Classes are seen as an insult to the community, and their