| B. R. Ambedkar (1891 - 1956) |
Born in a low class Mahar family of Mhow in western India. His Father was in Indian Army. In early days, the Gaekwar (the ruler) of Baroda awarded him scholarship. He was sent to study in universities of the United States, Britain, and Germany. After his return he entered the Baroda Public Service at Gaekwar's request, and there after he turned to legal practice and teachings.
He founded several journals the first being Mooknayak with the help of Shahu Maharaj, the Maharaj of Kolapur.
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He soon established his leadership among the Low Caste Hindus fondly called Harijans by Babu and succeeded in obtaining special representation for them in the legislative councils of the government. Contesting Mahatma Gandhi's claim to speak for Harijans, he wrote" What Congress and Gandhi Have done to the Untouchables (1945)."
In 1947 Ambedkar became the law minister of the government of India. He took a leading part in the framing of the Indian constitution, outlawing discrimination against untouchables, and skillfully helped to steer it through the assembly. He resigned in 1951, on the issue of Hindu Code Bill as the Congress party was not keen to see the Bill through. In October 1956, finally in despair because of the perpetuation of untouchability in Hindu doctrine, he renounced Hinduism and became a Buddhist, together with about 200,000 fellow men, at a ceremony in Nagpur, India. A day is bound to come when Ambedkar's ultimate dream of a common civil code for the whole of India will come true.
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| Category filed under: Political |
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