Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, also known as Babasaheb was born on April
14, 1891. Ambedkar was born in the British founded town and military
cantonment of Mhow in the central provinces. He was the 14th and the
last child of Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai Murbadkar. His family
belonged to a Marathi background from the town of Ambavade in the
Ratnagiri district of modern day Maharashtra.
His father served in the Indian Army at Mhow cantonment. Ambedkar received a degree of formal education in Marathi and English.
They were from Hindu Mahar Caste, who were treated as untouchables.
Though he attended the school but he was given no attention by the
teachers. He was not even allowed to sit in the class. Overcoming
numerous social and financial obstacles, Ambedkar passed his
matriculation examination in 1907 and entered the University of Bombay,
becoming one of the first persons of untouchable origin to enter a
college in India. He was married to a nine year old girl, Ramabai from
Dapoli in 1908.
He entered Elphinstone College and obtained a scholarship of twenty five
rupees a month from Gayakward ruler of Baroda, Sahyaji Rao III for
higher studies in the U.S.A. By 1912, he obtained his degree in
economics and political science and prepared to take up employment with
the Baroda state government. In the same year his wife gave birth to her
first son, Yashwant.
In 1935, Ambedkar was appointed principal of the Government Law College
for two years. He founded the Independent Labour Party in 1936, which
won 15 seats in the 1937 elections to the Central Legislative Assembly.
He was appointed chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee.
Ambedkar had been suffering from diabetes since 1948.From June to
October in 1954, he was bed ridden owing to clinical depression and
failing eyesight. He died in his sleep on December 6, 1956 at his home
in Delhi. A memorial for Ambedkar was established in his Delhi house at
26 Alipur Road. His birth date is celebrated as a public holiday known
as Ambedkar Jayanti. Many public institutions are named in his honor,
such as the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in Hyderabad, B.R.
Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur etc.
On the anniversary of his birth and death and on Dhamma Chakra Pravartan
Din, 14th October at Nagpur at least half a million people gather to
pay homage to him at his memorial in Mumbai.
He was an Indian nationalist, jurist, dalit, Buddhist, political leader
and a Buddhist revivalist. He was also the chief architect of the Indian
Constitution. Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social
discrimination and the Indian caste system.
His message to his followers was “Educate!!!, Organize!!!, Agitate!!!”
