Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow (now in Madhya Pradesh) a renowned Indian jurist, economist, social reformer, and political leader. His original surname was Sakpal but his father registered his name as Ambadawekar in school, and his Marathi Brahmin teacher, Krishnaji Keshav Ambedkar, changed his surname from 'Ambadawekar' to his own surname 'Ambedkar' in school records. He was also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar meaning "Respected Father", played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution and was a strong advocate for the rights and upliftment of marginalized communities, particularly the Dalits (formerly known as the "untouchables").
Ambedkar belonged to a Mahar (Dalit) family, and facing severe social discrimination. Despite attending school, Ambedkar and other untouchable children were segregated and received minimal attention or assistance from their teachers. They were forbidden from sitting inside the classroom. When they needed water, someone from a higher caste had to pour it from a height, as the untouchables were not allowed to touch the water or the vessel containing it. Typically, the school peon performed this task for Ambedkar, but if the peon was unavailable, he had to go without water. Ambedkar later described this experience as "No peon, No water." Additionally, he was made to sit on a gunny sack, which he had to take home with him each day.
Born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow (now in Madhya Pradesh). He was the 14th and last child of his parents
Real surname was Ambawadkar
Studied at universities in the US, Britain, and Germany
Ambedkar was the first Indian to pursue a doctorate in economics abroad
After obtaining a degree in economics and political science from Bombay University, he became the first Indian to get a doctorate (Ph.D.) degree in economics from Columbia in 1927
During his three years at Columbia University, Ambedkar took 29 courses in Economics, 5 in Philosophy, 11 in History, 6 in Sociology, 4 in Anthropology, 3 in Politics, and one each in elementary French and German
He was a master in 64 Subjects and had knowledge of 11 Languages
Babasaheb is the first and only person in the world to receive a valuable doctorate degree called “Doctor All Science” from the London School of Economics.
Ambedkar was influenced by John Dewey and his work on democracy.
“Rajgirh”, his personal library consisted more than 35000 books and it was the world’s largest private library
In 1920, he published the weekly Mooknayak (Leader of the Silent) in Mumbai with the help of Shahu of Kolhapur
By 1927, Ambedkar launched an active movements and marches against untouchability. He led a satyagraha in Mahad to fight for the right of the untouchable community to draw water from the main water tank of the town.
Ambedkar was the world’s first and only Satyagrahi, who did Satyagraha for drinking water
25 December 1927, was celebrated as Manusmriti Dahan Din (Manusmriti Burning Day) by Ambedkar and Dalits
Because the classic Hindu text, the Manusmriti (Laws of Manu), for ideologically justifying caste discrimination and untouchability, and he ceremonially burned copies of the ancient text.
The credit of giving place to “Ashok Chakra” in the Indian Tricolour also goes to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Although the National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya
Everywhere in the world, Buddha’s closed-eyes statues and paintings are visible, but Babasaheb as a painter, made the first painting of Buddha in which Buddha’s eyes were opened
He started the fortnightly journal Bahiskrit Bharat in Marathi and formed two organizations, SamajSamata Sangh and Samata Sainik Dal in 1927 to reinforce the demand for equality of the depressed classes
In 1928, the Depressed Classes Education Society, Bombay was founded
The RBI was established in 1935, and its foundation was influenced by Ambedkar’s writings and thoughts on monetary economics.
One of his key works, The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Its Solution (1923), critically analyzed India's monetary system and proposed reforms that later aligned with the principles of the RBI.
B.R. Ambedkar was appointed as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee for the Constitution of India on August 29, 1947. This was one of the most significant roles he played in shaping modern India. As the chairman, Ambedkar was responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution, which laid the foundation for India's democratic governance. Under his leadership, the committee produced a document that guaranteed fundamental rights, social justice, and equality for all citizens, irrespective of caste, religion, gender, or ethnicity.
Ambedkar’s legacy was celebrated through his birth anniversary, April 14, is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti, and he is remembered as one of the most significant figures in India's history. Pandit Nehru rightly described him as the ‘symbol of the great revolt against all the oppressive features of Hindu society’. Nobel Prize winner Prf. Amartya Sen considered Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as his father in Economics
The first statue of Babasahed was built in the year 1950 when he was alive and this statue was established in Kolhapur city
Dr. Ambedkar is the only Indian whose statue is attached to Karl Marx in London Museum
His 20-page long autobiography, “Waiting for Visa” is used as a textbook in the Colombia University
Based on a global survey called “The Makers of the Universe” a list of 100 Humanist people of the last 10 thousand years was made by Oxford University, in which the fourth name was Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
In conclusion, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's life as a student teaches us the immense value of education, perseverance, and social responsibility. Despite facing severe social discrimination, Ambedkar used education as a tool to break the shackles of inequality and inspire others to do the same. His journey emphasizes that education is a powerful weapon for overcoming personal and societal challenges.