Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (B.R.Ambedkar)


Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born in Mhow(M.P.) on 14 April 1891(Sunsign Aries).He was the 14th and last child of Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai. His family was of Marathi background, also known as Babasaheb,he was an Indian political leader, Buddhist activist, philosopher, thinker, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholarand a revolutionary. Born into a poor Mahar Untouchable family, Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination.

Ambedkar has been honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.Overcoming numerous social and financial obstacles, Ambedkar became one of the first "Dalit" to obtain a college education in India. Got law degrees and multiple doctorates for his study and research in law, economics and political science from Columbia University and the London School of Economics.
He is regarded as a Bodhisattva by Indian Buddhists even though he never claimed himself to be a Bodhisattva.By 1927 Dr. Ambedkar decided to launch active movements against untouchability. He began with public movements and marches to open up and share public drinking water resources, also he began a struggle for the right to enter Hindu temples. 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.
In 1935, Ambedkar was appointed principal of the Government Law College, a position he held for two years. Settling in Mumbai, Ambedkar oversaw the construction of a large house, and stocked his personal library with more than 50,000 books.His wife Ramabai died after a long illness in the same year
In 1936, Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party, which won 15 seats in the 1937 elections to the Central Legislative Assembly. He published his book, "The Annihilation of Caste" in the same year, based on the thesis he had written in New York.
Attaining immense popular success, Ambedkar's work strongly criticized Hindu religious leaders and the caste system in general.Ambedkar was a fierce critic of Mahatma Gandhi (and the Indian National Congress). He protested the Congress decision to call the untouchable community Harijans (Children of God), a name coined by Gandhi.
Ambedkar served on the Defence Advisory Committee and the Viceroy's Executive Council as minister for labour.
Ambedkar was also critical of Islam and its practices in South Asia. Between 1941 and 1945, he published a number of books and pamphlets, including Thoughts on Pakistan, in which he criticized the Muslim League's demand for a separate Muslim state of Pakistan but considered its concession if Muslims demanded so as expedient.]While justifying the Partition of India, he condemned the practice of child marriage in Muslim society, as well as the mistreatment of women.
He was theArchitect of India's constitution
In the 1950s, Ambedkar turned his attention to Buddhism and travelled to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to attend a convention of Buddhist scholars and monks.His final work "The Buddha and His Dhamma" was completed in 1956. It was published posthumously.
Since 1948, Ambedkar had been suffering from diabetes.Just three days after completing his final manuscript "The Buddha and His Dhamma", it is said that Ambedkar died in his sleep on December 6, 1956 at his home in Delh

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