Download - Ambedkar: his work and philosophy
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
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