The 12th Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture was delivered by Shri. Bezwada Wilson on the theme of "Public Health, Human Rights, and Constitutional Values" on 17th January, 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi Center of Contemporary Studies, Mumbai University. The lecture was organised by CEHAT and Anusandhan Trust in collaboration with the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Research Center, University of Mumbai.
Amruta Bavadekar, Director, CEHAT welcomed the speakers and the audience, and Dr. Vibhuti Patel Managing Trustee of the Anusandhan Trust walked us through the history and importance of the K. R. Memorial Lecture Series. Dr. Manisha Karne from the Dr. Baba Saheb International Research Center welcomed everyone on behalf of Mumbai University and inaugurated the meeting.
Shri. Bezwada Wilson addressed the issues of caste and gender inequality in India as they survive and thrive in practices like manual scavenging that undermine human dignity as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Shri. Wilson reflected on his own life experiences and struggles with the Safai Karamchari Abhyaan to question how such a practice continues to exist and operate as caste-based labour despite progress in technology. He raised concerns about the health and well being rights of waste workers and their eroding access to public health system. Through the QandA session, Shri. Wilson urged the audience to invert their gaze and lay the obligation of undoing caste on those who benefit from it. He urged everyone to look for guidance in Dr. Ambedkar's vision as articulated through the constitution.
The lecture was chaired by Shri. Ravi Duggal, independent researcher and activist. Shri. Duggal added to Shri. Bezwada Wilson's intervention through his decades of experience working in the field of public health. He spoke about the need for state investment in sectors such as health as being crucial to ensure a universal system that 'works for everyone' and factors such as caste and gender no longer remain determinants for accessing and benefiting from public healthcare. Shri. Duggal added that annihilating caste as Dr. Ambedkar called for is the only solution to the human indignities it imposes.
