ABSTRACT
This chapter examines that social identity is the source of discrimination and unfavourable inclusion of Dalits in the markets. It focuses on the experience of Dalit businesspersons who have managed to enter the market, sustain themselves and have earned investible surpluses through trade and commerce in towns in middle India. The chapter analyses the role and nature of discrimination that is experienced by Dalit entrepreneurs. It then outlines the attempts made by the Dalit entrepreneurs to understand their near exclusion, or adverse inclusion, in the formal credit market. The Dalit Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established in 2005 with the aim to ‘instil the spirit of entrepreneurship among Dalit youth and to empower them to walk along with the rest’. The weak social networks of the Dalit entrepreneurs can be broadly classified as social networks based on ascriptive ties, business ties with upper-castes, and market relationships.
