B R Ambedkar: 130th Birth Anniversary:
The nation celebrated the 130th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on 14th April 2021.
- Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot (knowing or using several languages) orator, a scholar and thinker of comparative religions.
- Birth: Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in 1891 in Mhow, Central Province (now Madhya Pradesh).
- He is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution and was India’s first Law Minister.
- He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee for the new Constitution.
- He was a well-known statesman who fought for the rights of the Dalits and other socially backward classes.
- He led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 against Hindus who were opposing the decision of the Municipal Board.
- In 1926, Municipal Board of Mahad (Maharashtra) passed an order to throw open the tank to all communities. Earlier, the untouchables were not allowed to use water from the Mahad tank.
- He participated in all three Round Table Conferences.
- In 1932, Dr. Ambedkar signed the Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi, which abandoned the idea of separate electorates for the depressed classes (Communal Award).
- However, the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and to 18% of the total in the Central Legislature.
- His ideas before the Hilton Young Commission served as the foundation of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- In 1936, he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a legislator (MLA).
- He was appointed to the Executive Council of Viceroy as a Labour member in 1942.
- In 1947, Dr. Ambedkar accepted PM Nehru’s invitation to become Minister of Law in the first Cabinet of independent India.
- He resigned from the cabinet in 1951, over differences on the Hindu Code Bill.
- He converted to Buddhism. He passed away on 6th December 1956 (Mahaparinirvan Diwas).
- Chaitya Bhoomi is a memorial to B R Ambedkar, located in Mumbai.
- He was awarded India’s highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna in 1990.
