Dr. B.R Ambedkar
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is regarded as one of the important personalities of Indian politics. He was born on 14th April 1891. in a poor family. Every year 14th April is observed as Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti. He was extremely intelligent right from his childhood days. With great determination in him, he studied very hard and became lawyer.
Dr. Ambedkar had to face many difficulties in his early days because he belonged to the community of untouchables. Even in his school, he was made to sit outside the classroom. He was not allowed to mix up with the other students of the higher caste. Despite such difficulties, young Ambedkar never lost heart. By the quality of his hard work and commitment, he earned several scholarships to support his education. He even went abroad to complete his degree in Economics and Political Science.
After he returned India, he decided to fight against social evils like caste system and other inequalities faced by the lower segments. He started various social campaigns. He demanded that people belonging to the lower caste be given special reservation in the Government sector. His increasing popularity and immense knowledge made him a towering figure. The fact that he had suffered inequalities during his young -age helped him in being the most suitable candidate to draft laws of social justice in the Constitution. He presented the Constitution based on the principles of democracy, equality and fraternity. Therefore, he is called as the ‘Architect of Indian Constitution’.
In both Round Table Conferences of 1930 and 1931, he asked for separate electorates for Dalits. In the following year, British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald declared independent constituency for Dalits. In 1932, Dr. Ambedkar signed Pune Pact with Gandhiji helping Delfts to hold 18% reservation in joint constituency. Dr. Ambedkar also formed ‘Independent Labour Party’ and ‘Scheduled Caste Federation’ for their political rights. However, his most important political achievement was the drafting of Indian Constitution.
According to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, “A just society is that society in which ascending sense of reverence and descending sense of contempt is dissolved into the creation of a compassionate society.” He was greatly influenced by the Buddhist scriptures. He read and wrote on the Buddhist faith. In his later years, he legally converted himself to Buddhism. He completed a book ‘Buddha and Karl Marx’ just a few days before his death.
Dr. Ambedkar is still remembered as one of the key architects of the Indian Constitution who devoted his life to fight for social justice and eliminating inequality.
