By The Editor
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar born on April 14,1891 in the small town of Ambavade, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra to untouchable and ‘low’ Hindu Mahar caste parents had to patiently bear the heavy brunt for many years . Amidst constant taunts and insults from high caste classmates in schools he worked very hard and determined to emerge triumphant which he finally proved. His ancestors were in employment of the army of British East India for their livelihood and his father was also in the army rising to the rank of Subedar. As per their tradition , till today there are many Mahars in the Indian army and the Mahar Regiment is also quite prominent. Seeing that the young lad had gifted talents for academics and hard work the Maharaja of Baroda adopted him with financial support, and later sending the bright youth abroad to United Kingdom (U.K.) and United States of America (U.S.A.) from where he earned Ph.Ds.(Doctors of Philosophy) in Law, Political Science and Economics.
After returning to India, Ambedkar worked as military secretary for Baroda state, considered high post in those days, and then as professor of political economy at Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. Meanwhile, he never ceased to fight against the evils of untouchability and casteism and finally argued that political power was a strong weapon and hence highly necessary. When India achieved independence on August 15,1947 Ambedkar became the first Law Minister and in two weeks’ time on August 29, he was appointed Chairman of a seven-member committee to frame the Constitution of India. Owing to various unavoidable reasons one after another resigned or died, etc. leaving Ambedkar alone to do the task assigned which he ungrudgingly accepted and completed it satisfactorily and admirably in time and placed the draft Constitution before the Constituent Assembly on November 4,1948. With regard to the sensitive and delicate issue on untouchability all suggestions and proposals as proposed by him were accepted and consequently the Constituent Assembly passed the draft Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949.
In the first Lok Sabha election of 1952, Ambedkar was defeated by Congress candidate but only few days later he was elected to Rajya Sabha. Within a year in 1953 ‘untouchability’ was declared unlawful by an Act of Parliament which provides for severe punishment against offenders. Throughout his life Ambedkar felt very uneasy with Hinduism and tried to study other religions like Islam and Christianity which however did not suit him at all. Finally he turned his attention to Buddhism and after much consideration he decided that it was the best alternative. Hence on October 14, 1956 at Nagpur, Maharashtra Dr.Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar along with half a million of his devoted followers embraced Buddhism. Within two months Ambedkar died in his sleep on December 6, 1956 at his home in Delhi and was cremated at Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai the next day.