B.R.Ambedkar

Presented By- : Group – AGroup Members- Ankita DwivediBhaskar Bhushan, Chetan Anand, Hena Mumtaz, Manish Kumar, Mohan Kumar, Ragini Kumari, Sweta Rani and Swetabh

At a glance

Constitutional democracy

Post independence era

Pre independence era

Caste & Untouchability

Social justice & supportive polityWriting and Speeches

Introduction

Rights of Human Beings

Religion

Thoughts and Ideas

• Born: April 14, 1891, at Mhow

• Education: Elphinstone High School (1908), London School of Economics (1922).

• Books : The Buddha and His Dhamma, Who Were the Shudras?

• Died: December 6, 1956, Delhi

• Awards: Bharat Ratna

Introduction

• 14th child of Ramji and Bhimabai Sakpal Ambavedkar.

• Belonged to the “untouchable” Mahar caste

• Father and Grand Father served in the British Army.

• His teacher Mahadev Ambedkar chaged his surname to Ambedkar from Ambavedkar.

• Ambedkar became one of the first untouchables to obtain college education

Contd…

• In 1913, Bhimrao Ambedkar lost his father.

• Maharaja of Baroda awarded scholarship to Bhim Rao Ambedkar and sent him to America for further studies

• For the first time in his life, Bhim Rao was not demeaned for being a Mahar

• Attained a degree in Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia

• Babasaheb, was an Indian nationalist, jurist, Dalitv political leader and a Buddhist revivalist

Contd…

His writings

His Writings and Speeches

• Annihilation of Caste- In which he discussed about the castes in India, Their mechanism, Genesis and Development.

• What path to Salvation- A speech given by Babasaheb in Bombay Presidency Mahar Conference

• Waiting for a visa- This was written after 18 years of return from America.

• Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah (Speech)- A speech given by Ambedkar on 101st birthday of Mahadev Gobind Ranade.

Contd…

• The Buddha and his Dhamma- This book contains about Siddhartha Gautama- How a Bodhisatta became the Buddha.

• Pakistan, or the Partition of India- This book contained the demand of the Muslim league, Weakening of the defences,Break up of Unity and lot more.

• 1916, presented his first research paper at Columbia University

His thoughts and ideas

• Be Educated, Be Organized and Be Agitated

• If you want success, you must be narrow minded

• The history of India is nothing but a history of a mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahminism.

• Untouchability is nothing but slavery. Tell a slave, he is a slave he will revolt

Contd…

• Lost rights are never regained by begging, and by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle

• If Tilak had been born amongst the untouchables, he would not have raised the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright,” but he would have raised the slogan: “Annihilation of Untouchability is my birthright”.

• Caste has no scientific origin

• Hindutva belongs as much to the untouchable Hindus as to touchable Hindus

On Human Rights…

Rights of Human Beings

• B. R. Ambedkar: An Indefatigable Defender of Human Rights

• Ambedkar is India's foremost human rights activist during the 20th century

• Ambedkar was the most towering figure among these Dalit leaders

• He roused the dalit consciousness to fight for the eradication of dalit discrimination; to claim equality of treatment, status and opportunity.

• Ambedkar was a great supporter of women's liberation

Contd…

• He blamed the verna system, which has not only subjugated Dalits but also women

• One of the memorable struggles of the Dalits was the Vaikkom Satyagraha in Travancore in Maharashtra.

• Ambedkar had been closely involved in the struggle to give Scheduled Caste people solid statutory safeguard

• He was considered a crusader for the human rights of the Dalits in India

On Religion..

Religion

• Ambedkar was approached by various leaders of different denominations and faiths.

• On 22 May 1936, an "All Religious Conference" was held at Lucknow

• He practiced what he advocated and became a Buddhist in 1956.

• He fought for the right to choose ones' faith.

• He encouraged the Dalits to embrace Buddhism to liberate their own selves from Hindu subjugation

Contd…

• After embracing Buddhism, Ambedkar said, "Unfortunately for me I was born a Hindu Untouchable... I solemnly assure you I will not die as a Hindu.“

• Many Dalits employ the term "Ambedkar(ite) Buddhism" to designate the Buddhist movement, which started with Ambedkar's conversion.

• He published a series of books and articles arguing buddhism was the only way for untouchables to gain equality

• Ambedkar publicly converted on 14 October 1956, at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur

• He was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution

• In 1947, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, invited Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar to join his Cabinet as a Law Minister

• In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution before the people of India

• It was adopted on November 26, 1949

Constitutional Democracy

Contd..

• He was the first Law Minister of India; conferred Bharat Ratna in 1990

• In October 1948, Dr. Ambedkar submitted the Hindu Code Bill to the Constituent Assembly in an attempt to codify the Hindu law

• The Bill caused great divisions even in the Congress party

• Consideration for the bill was postponed to September 1951

Contd…

• He and many candidates of his party were elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly

Caste and Untouchability

• Belonged to the “untouchable” Mahar caste

• As an army child he was sent to the government school for education

• Ambedkar and other untouchable student were segregated and given little attention by the teachers

• They were even not allowed to touch the water vessel or tap of drinking water

Contd..

• For Ambedkar, the peon use to pour water from a height and then he use to drink it.

• “No peon, No water”

• Ambedkar came on the scene in 1927 and led a mass movement of the untouchables

• Spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination, the system of Chaturvarna

Contd..

• He attended all the three Round Table Conferences in London and forcefully argued for the welfare of the "untouchables“

• Clarified untouchability in order to support his fight for equality

• In 1937, Dr. Ambedkar introduced a Bill to abolish the "khoti" system of land tenure in the Konkan region

• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar set up the "Independent Labor Party" in August 1936

Poona Pact

Poona Pact, 1932

• He wanted a separate electorate for the untouchables

• Gandhiji disagreed with the facts and went on to till death ansun.

• Leaders rushed to Ambedkar for giving up his idea of separate electorate

• Later, both came up to an undertanding, which became the famous Poona Act, 1932.

Pre Independence

• In 1927, he led the Mahad March at the Chowdar Tank at Colaba, near Bombay

• In July 1924, he founded the Bahishkrit Hitkaraini Sabha

(Outcastes Welfare Association)

• Played a major role in Poona Act in 1932

• In 1937, Dr. Ambedkar introduced a Bill to abolish the "khoti" system of land tenure in the Konkan region

• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar set up the "Independent Labor Party" in August 1936

Post Independence

• He was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution

• He was the first Law Minister of India; conferred Bharat Ratna in 1990

• On May 24, 1956, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, he declared in Bombay, that he would adopt Buddhism in October

• On 0ctober 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers

Contd…

• He is regarded as the father of the Indian Constitution

• In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution before the people of India

• On December 26, 1956, he died

• He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, in the year 1990

Summary..

Constitutional democracy

Post independence era

Pre independence era

Caste & untouchability

Social justice & supportive polityWriting and Speeches

Introduction

Rights of Human Beings

Religion

Thoughts and Ideas

Thank you