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 of India.
He sent hundreds of books with an acquaintance to Bombay out of the thousands he had collected over the years. The rest he booked for London. Bheemrao bade good bye to USA at the end of June. 1916.
At Heathrow airport Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar realised that England was a different country. The British suspected every Indian, especially the youth because of the freedom movements in India. Indian revolutionaries were active in USA and Dr. Bheemrao had met Lala Lajpat Rai who was suspected to be a sympathiser of the militants. Thus Bheemrao Ambedkar had also become a suspect.
At the airport the British police searched him thoroughly. They found nothing except passport and some personal documents. The police let him go.
Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar got enrolled in ‘Gray’s Inn’ for the study of law and in ‘London School of Economics and Political Science’ for economic studies. It was the month of the October of 1916.
Before leaving USA Dr. Ambedkar had written a letter to Baroda Treasury officials requesting them to send his monthly scholarship remittances to his London address as he would be studying there for two more years. The state officials scoffed at it. They were already antagonised and were jealous that a lowly untouchable was getting degrees in America and England using the money of Baroda state. They plotted and sent a letter on behalf of Sayajirao Gaekwad stating that the scholarship period was over and the state wouldn’t send any more money. He was asked to return to serve the state as per the terms of the bond.
Dr. Ambedkar was shocked. He was left with no option but to return. Without money he could not survive. He booked the parcels of his books to Bombay through ‘Thomas Cook & Son’ the shipping agents.
A friend gave him a lift in his car to the French port of Marseilles. He sailed for India on ‘Kaiser-E-Hind’ ship bound for Bombay via Colombo. On 21st August, 1917 he reached home.
In Bombay bad news awaited him. The ship carrying cargo of his books had sunk in Mediterranean sea when it hit a mine. Those were the First World War years.
To add to the woe he was literally penniless. The family too was broke. It was a very embarrassing situation. He wanted to join the service of Baroda state immediately. But he needed money for railway fare and stay at Baroda till his salary became due. There was no one who could lend money to him. He knew not what to do.
Then, the miracle happened. The postman arrived with a money order for Rs. 2000 payable to Bheemrao Ambedkar. It was from ‘Thomas Cook & Son,’ the indemnity amount as the book parcels were insured. It solved all the immediate problems of Dr. Ambedkar.
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