Dalit Subbaiah (aka Lenin; born Pichai; October 24, 1952– February 14, 2022) was an Indian singer, writer, lyricist, and poet known for his contributions to social awareness music and Dalit music. He gained prominence for his advocacy for the rights and empowerment of Dalits through his songs.
Dalit Subbaiah
Birth name
Pitchai
Also known as
Lenin Subbaiah
Born
24 October 1952 Muniyandipatti, Melur, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India
Subbaiah was born in Muniyandipatti, Melur, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, India.[1] His father, Karruppan, was a Siddha physician, while his mother was deaf-mute. His parents named him Pichai (the alms given to beggars), but his elementary school teacher changed his name to Subbiah to make it more dignified.[2][3] The instructor who broke this caste taboo was punished because of this - a thug from the dominant caste raped his eldest daughter.[4]
Subbaiah made contacts with left-wing activists at Madurai Thiyagarajar College, which helped his career as a musician and activist take off. He also did Masters from American College and Law from Bangalore.[1]
Dalit Subbiah's musical journey gained momentum during the Dalit Art Nights organized by the Dalit Resource Center in Madurai in the 1980s.[1] Subbaiah has worked with a number of groups, such as the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), which published his songbooks under the title Isaipor (War of Music). There are 82 songs in this volume, and then there are 66 songs in his second volume.[5] He authored eight books and also owned and operated Spartacus Publishing.[6]
After landing a job at a government high school, he wed Malaysian-born Subbulakshmi. Their first son was named Spartacus, after one of Marx's favorite heroes, while their second son, Gorky, was named after the Russian Revolutionary writer.[1]
