This paper provides materials for a college level course concerning the peoples of contemporary India. The focus of the paper is on the dalits of India, those people formerly called untouchables, and efforts to improve their status. The outspoken advocate for the untouchable caste was Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956). Born an untouchable, Ambedkar won scholarships to Columbia University in the United States and Oxford University in England and completed doctoral degrees in history and law. Ambedkar returned to India and founded a socialist style political party and eventually antagonized Gandhi and Nehru. This paper focuses on the legacy of Ambedkar and examines the changes in India's caste system over the years. The accompanying bibliography is arranged alphabetically with a brief annotation after each entry. (EH)