‘Dalit’ came to be used as an umbrella term for all those caste groups and communities that had suffered oppression in different forms since ancient times. They were labelled as untouchables and as they became conscious about their rights, they started organizing themselves into one single entity. This organization started by Jyotiba Phule finally culminated into dalit assertion under the leadership of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. The process of formation of dalit identity passed through different stages in the form of various lower caste movements during the freedom struggle. Finally, it was concretized into a unified social and political concept. It aims at seeking basic rights and attaining political power as a means to attain dignity.