Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS) is an ICSSR recognised research institute. It was founded in January 2003 by academicians and civil society activists to understand problems of marginalised groups of Indian society, identify reasons for their marginalisation, and suggest policies for amelioration. Since its inception, the Institute has carried out extensive research on development concerns of the marginalised groups and has widely published its research work. Recognising its contribution in the field of exclusion and marginalisation, the Economic and Social Research Council, UK, bestowed on the Institute the recognition of ‘Centre with Potential for Excellence’, and has been recognised as ‘The Emerging Centre for Social Science Research’ from the South Asia Research Hub, Department for International Development (DFID), UK. The Institute has also been chosen among fifty institutes as a policy research institute by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada under the Think Tank Initiative.