Remembering Babasaheb

Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was one of the most visionary leaders of India, whose ideas of equality and freedom shaped India's policy. Dr Ambedkar's high values and principles continue to motivate millions of people across the nation. For his immense contribution to the formation of the Indian constitution, he is also called the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’. Moreover, Dr. Ambedkar was the first law minister of India after independence.?

A symbol of knowledge and prodigy, Dr Ambedkar worked untiringly, even in adverse circumstances, as an educationist, legal expert, economist, politician and social reformer and spread knowledge for the welfare of the nation. Dr Ambedkar’s unwavering faith in the rule of law and commitment to social and economic equality are the backbone of our democracy. In 1950, Ambedkar, who headed the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, said in the Constituent Assembly that political democracy “cannot last long without social democracy”. Such a polity, he said, would have liberty, equality and fraternity as its core.

When discussing Dr BR Ambedkar, the advancement of minorities and the struggle against caste prejudice come first. He had far deeper and wider thoughts than that, though. The Mahars, a family from the lowest social class, gave birth to him in 1891. Dr Ambedkar experienced injustice from an early age because in Hindu tradition, Brahmins were regarded as the highest and most favoured caste and Shudras the lowest. He attended the University of Columbia in America, where he received his Master’s and PhD.

Education for all:

To educate Dalit students, he founded the Peoples Education Society in Bombay and Aurangabad. His lectures, articles for journals and work in educational institutions all demonstrate his commitment to education. Every educational institution, according to him, ought to function as a force for social change. Education is what transforms a person’s life and even the well-being of society.

Dr Ambedkar did not consider education only as a means of self-support or as a tool for a child’s personality development. He believed that education, which is also a prerequisite for every contemporary social movement because it calls for concerted effort, is the most efficient means of bringing about desired social change. He advocated for classes that expose students to a wider variety of knowledge and for disadvantaged people to receive free scholarships. He saw education to be a tool for achieving social justice. He made a contribution to education by not only involving the underprivileged in the development process but also by offering new perspectives on the use of education as a tool for achieving social justice. He firmly believed that education is crucial for reducing inequality and poverty. He believed that the key to societal change is through education.

Protection for minorities:

As a result, Dr Ambedkar’s vision gave education a revolutionary role. He added Articles 29 and 30 to the Constitution after taking over as the chairman of the drafting committee to include protections for minorities. Under Article 29 of the Constitution, a person’s right to admission into educational institutions that the state manages or financially supports are guaranteed.

According to Article 30, all minorities should have the ability to construct and operate educational institutions of their choosing, independent of the basis for discrimination (religion or language).?

Equitable social order:

The establishment of an equitable social order is emphasised throughout the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, and Directive Principles of the Constitution. Dr Ambedkar thought that the lives of the untouchables would significantly improve with access to education. He always exhorted his followers to aim high in their academic pursuits.

His remarkable life remains an enduring inspiration for all Indians. Babasaheb Ambedkar developed his talents as an economist, jurist, scholar and politician, rising up from a modest background and struggling against poverty and caste-based discrimination.