Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is considered as a 'Messiah' of Dalits and oppressed classes in India. He was the chairman of the Drafting Committee that was constituted by the Constituent Assembly in 1947 to draft a constitution for independent India. He played an influential role in framing the constitution. Bhimrao Ambedkar was also the first Law Minister of India.

He was born on April 14, 1891, in Madhya Pradesh. His father's name was Ramji and his mother's name was Bhimabai Sakpal Ambedkar. He belonged to the 'untouchable' Mahar Caste. His father and grandfather served in the British Army. In those days, the government ensured that all the army personnel and their children should be educated and for this purpose ran special schools. Bhimrao Ambedkar received an excellent education which would have otherwise been denied to him by the virtue of his caste.

Bhimrao Ambedkar experienced caste discrimination right from his childhood. When his father got retired he settled in Satara Maharashtra where Bhimrao got enrolled in the local school. Here, he had to sit on the floor in one corner of the classroom and teachers would not touch his notebooks. In spite of these hardships, Bhimrao continued his studies and passed his matriculation examination from Bombay University with flying colors. Later, he joined the Elphinstone College for further studies. In 1912, he graduated in Political Science and Economics from Bombay University and started working in Baroda.

In 1913, Bhimrao Ambedkar's father died. In the same year, the Maharaja of Baroda awarded Bhim Rao Ambedkar with a scholarship and sent him to America for further studies. In July, 1913, Bhimrao went to New York and engrossed himself in the studies. In 1916, he attained a degree in Master of Arts and Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia University

From America, Dr. Ambedkar went to London to study economics and Political Science. But the Baroda Government ended his scholarship and called him back.

The Maharaja of Baroda appointed Dr. Ambedkar as his political secretary. But no one took orders from him because he was from a low caste

In November 1917, Bhimrao Ambedkar returned to Bombay. Herewith the assistance of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, on January 31, 1920, started a fortnightly newspaper, the 'Mooknayak' (Dumb Hero). The Maharaja also appeared in many meetings and conferences of the 'untouchables' addressed by Bhimrao.

In September 1920, after accumulating adequate money, Ambedkar went back to London to complete his studies. He became a barrister and got a Doctorate in Science. After completing his studies in London, Ambedkar returned to India. In July 1924, he founded the 'Bahishkrit Hitkaraini Sabha' (Outcastes Welfare Association). The main aim of the Sabha was to uplift the oppressed within the society to get them the status just like others in the Indian society. In 1927, he led the 'Mahad March' at the Chowdar Tank at Colaba, near Bombay, to give the untouchables the right to draw water from the public tank.

Here, he burnt the copies of the 'Manusmriti' publicly. In 1929, Ambedkar made the divisive decision to co-operate with the all-British Simon Commission which looked into the setting up a responsible Indian Government in India. The Congress decided to boycott the Commission and drafted its own version of a constitution for free India. The Congress version had no requirements for the oppressed classes, Ambedkar was not sure of Congress's commitment to safeguarding the rights of the oppressed classes. A separate electorate was announced for the oppressed classes under Ramsay McDonald Communal Award'. Gandhiji went on a fast unto death in opposition to this decision. All the leaders rushed to Dr. Ambedkar to give up his demand. On September 24, 1932, Dr. Ambedkar and Gandhiji made a compromise, which became the famous 'Poona Pact'. According to the pact, the separate electorate demand was replaced with special concessions like reserved seats in the Regional Legislative Assemblies and Central Council of States.

Dr. Ambedkar attended all the three Round Table Conferences in London and vigorously argued for the welfare of the "untouchables". Meanwhile, the British Government decided to hold provincial elections in 1937. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar set up the 'Independent Labour Party' in August 1936, to contest the elections in the Bombay province. He along with numerous candidates of his party was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly. In 1937, Dr. Ambedkar introduced a bill to abolish the 'khoti' system of land tenure in the Konkan region, the serfdom of agricultural tenants, and the Mahar "watan" system of working for the Government as slaves. A section of an agrarian bill referred to the depressed classes as 'Harijans' or 'People of God'. Bhimrao strongly opposed this title for the untouchables. He argued that if the "untouchables" were people of God then all others would be people of monsters. He did not want anyone to give such a reference. But the Indian National Congress succeeded in introducing the term Harijan.

When India became independent, the first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru invited Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, to join his Cabinet as a Law Minister. The Constituent Assembly entitled him the job of drafting the Constitution to a committee and was elected as the first Chairman of the Drafting Committee. In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar drafted the Constitution. Which was adopted on November 26, 1949.

On May 24, 1956, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, he stated in Bombay, that he would adopt Buddhism as his faith in October. On October 14, 1956, he took up Buddhism along with a lot of his followers, and just about two months later on December 6, 1956, he passed away.