Very good morning to everyone present here. Thank you for allowing me to speak up on the auspicious occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti who has always been an inspiration for me.
Biography of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891 in the town and military cantonment of Mhow (now Dr. Ambedkar Nagar) in Madhya Pradesh. He got his degree from Elphinstone College, Mumbai. He subsequently obtained a doctorate from Columbia University, USA, and the London School of Economics. He was also assigned the big and challenging task of framing the ‘Constitution of India’ in the capacity of Chairman of the Drafting Committee. He was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ posthumously for his dedication and commitment to the welfare of our country. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has emphasized the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. According to him, these principles will make India a strong nation. He opines that hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and eventual dictatorship and the collapse of a nation. The birth anniversary of the father of the Indian constitution, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti. The day is recognition of his immense contributions to making our nation a democratic sovereign republic. It’s a national holiday across the country. The nation remembers his efforts in drafting Indian institutions, advocating the rights of Dalits, and establishing the foundation of the Reserve Bank of India.
B.R. Ambedkar or Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a financial expert, social reformer, and government official. All through his life, he battled for the freedoms of untouchables, and rose from an unfortunate youngster to numerous conspicuous situations in the Indian government, through his persistent effort and standards. He is viewed as the central designer of the Indian constitution and assumed a significant part in outlining it. He was the principal regulation pastor of Independent India and a beneficiary of Bharat Ratna, the most elevated non military personnel grant in India. He was one of the noticeable characters in battling distance and upliftment of the retrogressive class. Dr. Ambedkar realized 9 dialects like English, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, Pali, and Persian. It was a Buddhist priest ‘Mahant Veer Chandramani’ who made Ambedkar turn towards Buddhism. Subsequent to tolerating Buddhism, Babasaheb was likewise called ‘The advanced Buddha of the age’. Dr. Ambedkar had the most noteworthy title of Buddhism ‘Bodhisatwa’ and had composed a book ‘The Buddha and his Dhamma’. Ambedkar composed his self-portrayal ‘Sitting tight for a Visa’ in 1935-1936.
Thoughts of Dr. Ambedkar:
“Positively, my Social Philosophy may be said to be enshrined in three words: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. Let no one; however, say that I have borrowed my philosophy from the french revolution. I have not. My philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teachings of my Master, the Buddha. In his philosophy, liberty and equality had a place; but he added that unlimited liberty destroyed equality, and absolute equality left no room for liberty. In His Philosophy, the law had a place only as a safeguard against the breaches of liberty and equality; but He did not believe that law can be a guarantee for breaches of liberty or equality. He gave the highest place to the fraternity as the only real safeguard against the denial of liberty or equality or fraternity which was another name for brotherhood or humanity, which was again another name for religion”. —Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
It is the education which is the right weapon to cut the social slavery and it is the education which will enlighten the downtrodden masses to come up and gain social status, economic betterment, and political freedom.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Bharat Ratna
Famous quotes by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar You ought to know
- Slavery does not merely mean a legalized form of subjection. It means a state of society in which some men are forced to accept from others the purposes which control their conduct. Cultivation of the mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence.
- I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.
- The constitution is not a mere lawyers document, it is a vehicle of Life, and its spirit is always the spirit of Age.
- Democracy is not merely a form of Government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards our fellow men.
- We must stand on our own feet and fight as best as we can for our rights. So carry on your agitation and organize your forces. Power and prestige will come to you through struggle.
- Political tyranny is nothing compared to social tyranny and a reformer who defies society is a more courageous man than a politician who defies Government.
- There have been many Mahatmas in India whose sole object was to remove Untouchability and to elevate and absorb the depressed classes, but everyone has failed in their mission. Mahatmas have come, Mahatmas have gone but the Untouchables have remained as Untouchables.
- Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man’s life is independent. He is born not for the development of society alone, but for the development of himself.
- Being grateful has limitations, No man can be grateful at the cost of his dignity, No woman at the cost of her chastity, and No country at the cost of its freedom.
- “So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you.”
- Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle. Goats are used for sacrificial offerings and not lions.
- Learn to Live in This World With Self-Respect. You Should Always Cherish Some Ambition, to do something in this World. They Alone Rise Who Strive.
- For a successful revolution, it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice, necessity, and importance of political and social rights.
- Religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules. The moment it degenerates into rules, it ceases to be a religion, as it kills responsibility which is an essence of the true religious act.
- My social philosophy may be said to be enshrined in three words: liberty, equality, and fraternity. Let no one, however, say that I have borrowed philosophy from the French Revolution. I have not. My philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teachings of my Master, the Buddha.
- My final words of advice to you are to educate, agitate and organize; have faith in yourself. With justice on our side, I do not see how we can lose our battle. The battle to me is a matter of joy. The battle is in the fullest sense spiritual. There is nothing material or social in it. For ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is a battle for freedom. It is the battle of reclamation of human personality.
