Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar was a social reformer, advocate and politician. He is also known as the father of the Indian Constitution. The occasion of Mahaparinirvan Diwas is celebrated every year to commemorate the death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Babasaheb Ambedkar contributed significantly in India’s fight for independence against the British Raj. BR Ambedkar was the first Law Minister of independent India.
It would be only fitting to pay rich tributes on his death anniversary, and that too in a grand manner. In Buddhism, the term ‘parinirvana’ means a person who has attained nirvana during his lifetime, and even after death. Hence, his death anniversary, on December 6, is observed as Mahaparinirvan Diwas every year, to acknowledge his achievements during his lifetime. Lakhs of grieving people gather at the Chaitya Bhoomi (Dadar Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai), on this day.
Baba Saheb was born on April 14, 1891, in Madhya Pradesh. His father was a Subedar in the Indian Army. His family moved to Satara in 1894 after his retirement. Shortly thereafter, Bhimrao’s mother passed away.
His family belonged to the Mahar caste, which was considered untouchable.
Ambedkar, who had witnessed economic and social discrimination since childhood, started studying in odd circumstances. He was married to a nine-year-old girl Ramabai in 1906 due to the prevalence of child marriage. His father Ramji Sakpal died in Bombay in 1912.
In the year 1912, Bhimrao graduated in Political Science and Economics from Bombay University. Although he got a job in Baroda, he moved to the United States in 1913 for further studies. In 1916, he received a doctorate degree from Columbia University and became the first Indian to pursue a doctorate in economics abroad. When he returned from the United States, the Maharaja of Baroda appointed Dr. Ambedkar as his political secretary.
Upon returning to India, he worked as the defence secretary for the Princely State of Baroda. However, the work was not easy for him as he was often ridiculed and castigated for being an untouchable. He quit his job as the defence secretary and took up jobs as a private tutor and accountant. He even established a consultancy business which failed to flourish due to his social status. He finally landed a job as a teacher at the ‘Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics’ in Mumbai.
A victim of caste discrimination, Ambedkar was inspired to uplift the pitiable state of the untouchables in the society. Thus, with the help of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, he founded a weekly journal called ‘Mooknayak’ which criticized the orthodox beliefs of the Hindus and the reluctance of politicians to fight against the discrimination.
Accumulating enough wealth, he moved to London to complete his education. In 1921, he received his master’s degree from ‘London School of Economics.’ Two years later, he acquired his D.Sc. in economics. After completing his law studies, he was admitted to the British bar as a barrister. After returning to India, he started working as a legal professional in the country. His passion for eradicating the practice of caste discrimination led him to establish the ‘Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha.’ The main aim of the organization was to provide education to the backward class.
In 1925, he was appointed to ‘Bombay Presidency Committee’ to work under the ‘All-European Simon Commission.’ The commission reports were thrashed by the Congress which set up its own version of the Constitution of free India. In 1927, he actively worked against untouchability. Instead of taking the route of violence, he followed in the footsteps of Gandhi and led a ‘Satyagraha’ movement. He fought for the rights of the untouchables who were denied access to the main water source and temples.
In 1932, due to his rising popularity as a crusader, he received an invitation to attend the ‘Second Round Table Conference’ in London. At the conference, he demanded a separate electorate for the depressed class, but his views were opposed by Gandhi. Finally, he reached an understanding with Gandhi and settled for the ‘Poona Pact,’ according to which a reservation was granted to the depressed class in the regional legislative assemblies and Central Council of States.
In 1935, he was appointed as the principal of the ‘Government Law College,’ a position he retained for two years. The following year, he founded the ‘Independent Labour Party,’ which went on to secure 14 seats in the 1937 Bombay elections. In 1936, he published his book ‘The Annihilation of Caste’ in which he ridiculed Hindu orthodox leaders and condemned the caste system practiced in the country. Next, he came up with his work ‘Who Were the Shudras?’ in which he explained the formation of the untouchables.
As soon as India became independent, he administered the transformation of his political party into the ‘All India Scheduled Castes Federation.’ However, the party did not perform well at the 1946 elections, held for the ‘Constituent Assembly of India.’ He served as the minister for labour for the ‘Viceroy’s Executive Council.’ He also served on the board of the ‘Defence Advisory Committee.’ It was his dedication that earned him the chair of free India’s first law minister. He also became the chairman of the drafting committee of the ‘Constitution of India.’
The Constitution drafted by him aimed at bringing about a social revolution in the country and freeing it from any sort of discrimination. It provided the citizens with freedom of religion, abolished untouchability, advocated rights for women, and bridged the gap between the different classes of the society. Other than his role as the framer of the Constitution, he also helped establish the ‘Finance Commission of India.’ It was through his policies that the nation progressed both economically and socially. He emphasized on free economy with a stable rupee.
He rejected the ‘Aryan Invasion Theory’ which describes the origin of the Aryans outside the Indian sub-continent. He came to a conclusion that the Aryans originally belonged to India. In 1951, following the indefinite stalling of the ‘Hindu Code Bill’ which was proposed by him, he resigned from the Cabinet. He contested for a seat at the ‘Lok Sabha’ but was defeated. He was later appointed to the ‘Rajya Sabha’ and remained a member of the ‘Rajya Sabha’ until his death.
B.R. Ambedkar was a leading activist and social reformer who dedicated his life, working for the upliftment of the Dalits and the socially backward class of India. A messiah for the downtrodden, Ambedkar continuously fought for the eradication of caste discrimination that had fragmented the Indian society.
got converted to Buddhism after attending a convention of Buddhist scholars in Sri Lanka. Inspired by their preaching, he wrote a book on Buddhism. After his conversion to Buddhism, he founded the ‘Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha’ (Buddhist Society of India) in 1955. He completed his final work ‘The Buddha and His Dhamma’ in 1956. The book was published posthumously. His deteriorating health worsened further as he suffered from diabetes and weak eyesight. He breathed his last in his home on December 6, 1956.
Since he had converted to Buddhism, a Buddhist-style cremation was organized for him. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of thousands of supporters, activists, and admirers.
To commemorate his contribution to the society, a memorial was constructed and established. His birthday, celebrated as ‘Ambedkar Jayanti’ or ‘Bhim Jayanti,’ is a public holiday in India. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian honor, ‘Bharat Ratna.’
The revolutionary, who fought against the untouchability practiced in India, is popularly known as the chief architect of the ‘Constitution of India.
