Baba Saheb Ambedkar was now an old man. Over working and six decades of struggles and travails had told upon his life. He was not keeping well. Diabetes and other ailments were ravaging his body. He needed medical attention constantly. In one spell of weakness he spent a long time in Mavlankar Hospital of Bombay. […]

On 15th August, 1947 Indian became a free country. As expected Jawaharlal Nehru took oath as Prime Minister. Dr. Ambedkar was sworn in as the Law Minister.The first thing that Independent India needed was a constitution to function under.On 29th August, 1947 a committee was appointed to prepare the draft of the constitution. The Constitution

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland and Second World War broke out. Britain declared war against Germany. The Viceroy of India also declared war against Germany. The Indian leaders protested. They said that the Viceroy had no business in dragging India into war. The Congress party asked the countrymen not to cooperate with the British in

When the British Prime Minister made that statement Gandhiji was in jail as a consequence of Civil Disobedience Movement. He reacted sharply.He wrote a letter to be British Prime Minister to the effect—‘You have granted Separate Constituency status to Harijans of India. It mustbe taken back or I will go on indefinite fast in protest.’Gandhiji’s

Following Simon Commission report the British claimed that they wished to transfer more power to Indians or grant self-rule. To draft the constitution First Round Table Conference was held in London in 1930. The leaders of all groups were invited to present their respective cases. It had a Minorities Commission to hear the case of

There were laws made to give the untouchables their basic rights. But many such laws were made ineffective by terror tactics of upper castes.One such glaring case was that of Chavdar pond of Mahad. The municipal committee and state assembly had passed resolutions that Chavdar pond was a public water source where everyone including untouchables

Dr. Ambedkar started his legal practice in Bombay High Court in July, 1923. The caste factor again proved a road block. The solicitors didn’t extend their co-operation to him.As a result he was forced to take up the cases of the lower courts to stay afloat.His big break came when some Brahmins of Poona filed

Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar was again in Bombay having nowhere else to go. To make a living he tutored some children and then opened an advisory firm for share brokers. But as soon as it became known that the firm was run by an untouchable the brokers shied away for fear of losing their caste conscious

Dr. Ambedkar informed Baroda officials through a telegram that he was arriving.It delighted Sayajirao Gaekwad. He knew about the progress of Bheemrao Ambedkar, his protege. And the protege, Dr. Ambedkar had rightly dedicated his thesis that got him Ph.D. degree from Columbia University to the Baroda king in the words—‘Dedicated to the king of Baroda,

Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar had now decided to continue his higher education in England. He wanted to study law and economics. The knowledge of law was essential if he wanted to battle for the rights of the lower castes. The legal study in a British institution made more sense as the British were the colonial rulers

Bheemrao joined Columbia University. First, he stayed at Hartley Hall Hostel. Then, he shifted to Cosmopolitan Club where several other Indian students were staying. Finally, he moved to Livingston Hostel to share a room with another Indian Naval Bhatna, a Parsi.Living with Bhatna proved very useful for Bheemrao. They became friends for life and Bhatna

Bheemrao took admission in Elphinston College on 3rd January, 1908.The college was relatively a good experience for Bheemrao. Being a government college of a premier city untouchability was almost invisible. More so because the teachers were educated Indians or foreigners. And the students came from rich and upper class families of liberal outlook. So the

Bombay experience was not the only episode that troubled the soul of young Bheemrao. Everytime he interacted with people of other castes a new wound was inflicted on him.In one of those years some parts of Maharashtra suffered famine conditions. No rains came. Goregaon area was worst affected. The government departments started relief operations and

Sometimes Bheeva wondered if there could be a place on the earth where a Mahar boy were treated like a human being?One day Bheeva thought of Bombay (Mumbai) a big, very big city, the city of dreams, of rich, cultured and civilised people. There couldn’t be any untouchability there. He wanted to be there, just

One day a sympathetic teached decided to show the other boys that Mahar boy Bheemrao was as good as any of them. He asked Bheemrao to go to the black board and write the words he would dictate.Bheemrao felt elated at receiving the attention of the teacher. He got up and walked towards the blackboard