Bhima Rao Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.
He had his basic education at Government Schools in Dapoli and Satara.
He studied at Elphinstone School and College, Bombay from where he passed his
matriculation (1907) and obtained his BA in Economics (1913). He was awarded
the Baroda State Scholarship which enabled him to complete his in MA Economics
(1915) from Columbia University.
He served as Military Secretary to Maharaja of Baroda (1916 – 1917) but soon
resigned to practice an independent Accountant and Investment Consultant (1917
– 1918).
He served as Professor of Political Science & Economics at Sydenham College
of Commerce, Bombay (1918 – 1921).
He went on sabbatical and obtained M.Sc Economics and D.Sc Economics at
London School of Economics and Bar At Law from Grays Inn, London (1921 – 1923).
He enrolled as Advocate at Bombay High Court and concurrently served as
Professor of Law and Principal at Government Law College, Bombay. (1923 –
1937).
He was elected Member of Bombay Legislative Assembly (1937 – 1942).
He served as Member for Labour Affairs in Viceroys Executive Council
(1942 – 1947). He was the first Union Minster of Law and Justice (1947 – 1951).
He however resigned from the post and continued as Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha till
his death (1951 – 1956).
He died on December 06, 1956 at New Delhi aged 65 years.
Jurist
An eminent legal practitioner and
teacher, He was elected as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the
Constituent Assembly of India in August 29, 1947. He guided and regulated the
debates of the august body with grace, patience, discipline, objectivity and
impartiality and helped to draft the longest constitution of a sovereign nation
in the world within a record span of two years, eleven months and eighteen
days.
The Constitution of India consisting
of 395 articles in 22 parts, 14 schedules with a total of 117369 words in the
English language version was adopted on November 26, 1949 and implemented with
effect from January 26, 1950.
He thus is
widely acknowledged as the Father of the Constitution of India or the Chief Architect
of Indian Constitution.
He as the first
Union Minister of Law and Justice of India was also entrusted with the
implementation of the Constitution of India. He drafted the comprehensive Hindu
Code Bill which abrogated social disparities and caste inequalities, provided
women with equal rights to divorce, inheritance of properties and remarriage.
Economist
A student of eminent economists John Dewey of Columbia university and
Harold Laski of London University, He is the first South Asian to be awarded a
double doctorate in Economics. He published scholarly articles on public finance,
revenue and taxation.
The Reserve Bank of India was conceptualized based on his guidelines
submitted to the Royal Commission on Indian Rupee and Finance.
He as Labour Member in the Viceroy Executive Council introduced several labour
reforms including standard working hours, equal pay scales, minimal wages,
dearness allowances, leave benefits and medical insurance. He encouraged trade
unions and established employment exchanges.
He formulated the National Water Policy and National Power Policy which
paved way for the construction of several multipurpose hydel projects across
the nation.
Social Activist
An iconoclastic social reformer, He founded the All India Depressed
Classes Federation which organized conferences and established institutions for
their social, cultural, educational and economical advancement.
He participated in all the Round Table Conferences at London where he
campaigned for separate electorates and reserved seats for the Depressed
Classes. He fought for the abolition of untouchablity and eradication of illiteracy
and poverty.
He organized the Mahad Satyagraha in 1927 which enabled the Depressed
Classes to use public water resources.
He edited periodicals Mooknayak, Janata, Bharata where he wrote on
social justice and empowerment of Depressed Classes.
The
Constitution of India drafted under his leadership officially abolished
untouchability and outlawed all forms of human discrimination.
Awards
The Government of India posthumously
conferred on him the Bharat Ratna in 1990.
Fellowships
He was elected Fellow of the
Faculty of Arts and Law and Syndicate, University of Bombay.
Doctorates
He
was awarded a PhD in 1927 from London University for his thesis titled “Problem
of the Rupee and its Solutions” and DSc in 1927 by Columbia University for his
thesis titled “The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India”
An eminent Jurist, Economist, Independence activist, Humanist and Social
reformer, He was conferred Honorary Doctorates by University of Colombia (1952)
and Osmania (1953).
Titles
He was affectionately
addressed as Baba Saheb by the People of India. He was voted as the Greatest Indian in 2012 in
the poll organized by TV 18 and CNN TV
Publications
He published
his autobiography titled “Waiting for a Visa” in 1935 – 1936.
Biopic
Dr. BR Ambedkar
a biopic coproduced by the National Film Development Corporation and Ministry of
Social Justice, Government of India was released in 2000.
Ambedkar
Jayanti
April 14th
, The birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar is observed annually as Ambedkar
Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti, The day has been declared as a public holiday under
Negotiable Instruments Act by the Government of India .
Chaitya
Bhoomi
Chaitya Bhoomi
is located at Dadar, Mumbai. It means the sacred land with a Buddhist shrine.
Dr.B.R.
Ambedkar was cremated here on his death on December 06, 1956. His funeral was
attended by over 500000 followers. A square shaped memorial with a circular
wall and two entrances. There is a small two storied dome shaped structure.
There is a Stupa and Ashoka Pillar at the main entrance and statues of Buddha
and Ambedkar in the centre. The memorial was inaugurated on December 05, 1971
by Smt. Meerabhai Yeshwant Ambedkar daughter in law of Dr BR Ambedkar.
A sacred and
pilgrimage place, Neo Buddhists from all over the world assembles on Mahaparinirvan
Din.
Deeksha
Bhoomi
Deeksha Bhoomi
is located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. It means the sacred land where people were
ordained as Buddhists.
Dr.BR Ambedkar embraced
Buddhism with 500000 followers on Ashok Vijaya Dashmi – October 14, 1956. This day
is observed as Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din. Dr BR Ambedkar administered the
oath of 3 jewels, 5 percepts and 22 vows to half a million of his followers in
the presence monk Mahasthavir Chandramani of Burma. This is the biggest religious
mass conversion event in World history.
A historic and
architectural splendour is spread on 4 acres the place consists of a two large
storied hemispherical buildings, a Bodhi tree and Buddha Vihara. A Stupa at the main entrance is the largest
hollow stupa in the world. The memorial was inaugurated by HE KR Narayanan, then
President of India in 2001.
A sacred and
pilgrimage place, Neo Buddhists from all over the world assembles on Dhamma
Chakra Pravartan Din.
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