Who was Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar?
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was born in Mho, M.P., on 14th April 1891, in a Mahar family. He was the fourteenth child of his father Sri Ramji Sakpal. He could enjoy the love and affection of his mother Smt. Bhima Bai for five years only. In its place, he received the deep affection of his aunt Mira Bai, who out of deep loves for Bhima Rao, called him by Bhima. In due course of time, this child Bhima was known as Dr. Bhima Rao Ambedkar.
Early Life and Untouchbility
Those days, India was in the grip of the white men’s government and as the undisputed king of India. By sowing the seeds of untouchbility and adopting the policy of ‘divide’ and ‘rule’ the rulers were reaping a rich harvest and Hindus were disheveled in the mud of absurd feelings of differences as high-low, big small, Brahman, Thakur, Kayastha, Chamar , Kori, etc. Bhim Rao wanted to study Sanskrit, but the teacher of Sanskrit did not allowed him as his student, because he was an untouchable.
Bhima beings helpless, he took to the study off Persian Language. The teachers could not touch even his exercise book and pen/pencil. He had to go thirsty for the whole day in the school because, being an untouchable he could not drink water in the school. When Bhima having married a girl, named Rama Bai in 1905, he went to Bombay with his father, and linked himself admitted in Alfinston School. There was no such thing as untouchbility in this school.
Education of Bhim Rao Ambedkar
In 1907, Bhima passed his Matriculation Examinations. Being passed with him, Maharaja of Baroda Sri Sayaji Rao Gayakward, began to give him scholarship of Rupees Twenty-five per month.
After his B.A. in 1912, Maharaja Baroda employed Bhim Rao as a lieutenant in his army. After the sudden death of Bhima’s father. He resigned the post of army and later on, with the help of scholarship from Baroda Maharajah, he went to America. During America voyage, Bhima earned the degree of M.A. in 1915 and in 1916 the degree of Ph.D. after that he went to London, and earned the degrees of D.Lit and Bar-At-Law. While in London, he made a deep study of standards of Parliamentary Democracy of Britain, freedom and Liberalism.
Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a First Law Minister of Independent India
Dr. Bhim Rao takes charge of the post of the first Law Minister of Independent India in the government formed under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru after India got independence on 15th August, 1947.
During his tenure, he wanted to make changes in the old laws, but on account of difference of opinion with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in this matter. Dr. Ambedkar had to resign his post in 1951, having left the government Dr. Ambedkar dutiful himself fully to the service of the untouchables, and was called the ‘Mahisa’ of the depressed classes.
By resigning from the Nehru government, Dr. Ambedkar taught a lesson to those unlucky Hindus in whose veins were flowing the blood of untouchbility and the venom of hatred. They believed that on this earth, there is none either high or low, then where did these words. Like untouchbility and hatred come from?
In June 5, 1952 the University of Columbia, in recognition of his knowledge of the law; conferred on Dr. Ambedkar the honorary degree of L.L.D., and expressed its sense of respect to Dr. Ambedkar, in these words, Dr. Ambedkar is a great man, not only of India but also of the humanism and supporter of human rights ‘In the book entitled- Who in Shudra? A history of the untouchables, the question of Shudras has been dealt at length, after this his other book’ Thoughts of the Linguistic Provinces’ was published in 1955.
On the Way of Buddhism
Dr. Ambedkar was not opposed to only Hindu religion but to no other religion; he himself believed that religion was essential for man. His fight was not against the Hindu religion, but against the system of untouchbility and hatred, through which some people have claimed to be higher and superior in comparison of other sections.
The words untouchbility and hatred- have no place in religion. Man has religion, as enunciates by Dr. Bhim Rao, indicates as a matter of fact and reality, an outline of essential unity or similarity of all religions via-
Every religion accepts mortality as its part.
Religion have to be scientific, it ought to be based on intellect and reason.
It is ethical part, there should be included the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity.
In case, these qualities are not included at social levels in a religion, it would destroy, it cannot survive.
Religion should not encourage poverty
Bhima was quite clear in his opinion that religion should be based on principles, and not something bound by ‘do’s and don’ts , Dr. Bhim Rao favored Buddha-religion because it was based on equality. In 1949, Dr. Ambedkar delivered a lecture on ‘Buddha-religion and Marxism’ in Boddha Conference in Kathmandu (Nepal). In 1951, he himself founded the Indian Buddha Public Association, and edited a book entitled ‘Buddha worship way’.
World Buddha Conference
In 1954, Bhima participated as the Indian hand over in the world Buddha conference at Rangoon (Burma). In 1955, he founded the Indian Buddha Assembly. On 4th October 1956, Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddha religion and the same year in 1956 Bhima was decorated with the degree of New- Buddha in Kathmandu. On this celebration a group of Shudras entered into the fold of Buddhism.
Achievements of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar
Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a great man, loved by the whole world, went to the Great Journey to the other world on 6th Dec. 1956. Bhim Rao was a true nationalist and a great humanitarian in the real sense.
Today some Indians contract makes smaller the wide and great personality of Dr. Ambedkar to a particular sect of the Indian society is an injustice to a telling personality, who represented those sons of Indian culture who were inspired by the nectar-full words of the great seers.
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was in the first line of freedom fighters, when Bharat was under the subjugation of the White race. To call him only an asset of the society or play the politics of the vote using Dr. Ambedkar name, will be called political trick. As a matter of fact, that great personality cannot be indentified with politics.