a. A detailed write-up on the Great Saint whose birth anniversary, it propose to celebrate, giving details about the role played by the Saint in promoting social justice, removal of inequality & discrimination (only in respect of those saints, not specifically named in para 2 of the scheme or separately approved and notified by the Foundation as mentioned therein)

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, affectionately and reverently known by his followers as ‘Babasaheb’, was born in the Mahar community, which at that time was one of the ‘untouchable’ castes. Throughout his childhood and youth, Dr. Ambedkar had to suffer the humiliating treatment meted out to ’untouchables’ by the ‘upper castes’ of society. Despite all difficulties, he completed his education in India, and having received a scholarship from the then Maharaja of Baroda, proceeded to the United States of America to study at Columbia University. He completed his MA in economics and went on to successfully achieve his Ph.D. in 1916. Dr. Ambedkar then went on to join the London School of Economics, from where he received the degree of D.Sc. (Economics), and enrolled himself at the reputed Gray’s Inn for Law where he proceeded to qualify as a Barrister. Having distinguished himself in his studies, Dr. Ambedkar then returned to India to practice law at the Bombay High Court. Unfortunately, he had to face caste-based discrimination, ostracism and stigma once again, and inspite of his outstanding knowledge, qualifications and acumen, he came to be called a ‘poor man’s barrister’. Humiliations, insults and caste-based discrimination awakened and strengthened Dr. Ambedkar’s resolve to emancipate his fellow ‘untouchables’ and free them from social slavery.

Dr. Ambedkar played a major role in awakening the depressed classes to their rights, and to the injustices being heaped on them by the so called ‘upper castes’ of society. He strove to bring about unity amongst the untouchables by founding and establishing political parties and organizations for their unity and upliftment, and publishing newspapers to disseminate information and spread awareness amongst them, and espouse their cause. He founded the Marathi fortnightly, ‘Mooknayak’ (leader of the voiceless), in 1920, and the organisation, ‘Bahishkrit Hitkarni Sabha’ in 1924.

In 1927, Dr. Ambedkar led the historic satyagraha in the town of Mahad, where untouchables were forbidden to draw water from the Chavdar lake situated there, to secure this right for the downtrodden masses, and end the mindless caste-based discrimination. Addressing the crowds at the site of the satyagraha, Dr. Ambedkar said that untouchables can be elevated only by themselves, by learning self-help, regaining self-respect and achieving self-knowledge. This event marked a turning point in the movement for upliftment of the downtrodden masses, and turned it onto the path of agitation, and Dr. Ambedkar became an icon of inspiration and hope for the depressed classes. Dr. Ambedkar started another newspaper, ‘Bahishkrit Bharat’, in 1927 to air the grievances and sufferings of the downtrodden masses, and also started the ‘Samaj Samata sangh’ to bring about unity and reconciliation and social equalities between the untouchables and the caste Hindus.

b. A note on the theme of the celebrations. 

‘Dr. ‘Babasaheb’ Bhimrao Ambedkar – a social reformer and ‘poor man’s barrister’