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 customer.
Amid all these turbulations, Dr. Ambedkar kept writing articles and essays which regularly were printed in journals and magazines world over and earned recognition to his intellectual calibre. But he needed a job, well paying and respectable.
A post of a professor fell vacant in Sidenheim College of Bombay. Dr. Ambedkar applied for it on 5th Dec. 1917. There were a lot of qualified candidates with impressive references and diplomas. The principal of the college was an Englishman who wanted best person on the job. Dr. Ambedkar had referred to his stint at London School of Economics and his teacher Prof. Edvin.
The principal contacted Mr. Edvin and asked for his opinion. Professor Edvin was very impressed with scholarly qualities of Dr. Ambedkar in the brief period they had intellectually interacted. He strongly recommended Dr. Ambedkar for the professorship remarking that the college and students will find a treasure of knowledge in him.
So, Dr. Ambedkar was appointed ‘Professor of Political Economics’ on a monthly salary of Rs. 450 temporarily w.e.f. Nov. 1918.
His being an Indian and a Mahar didn’t evoke confidence and interest among the student at first. They stayed away from his classes mostly. But Dr. Ambedkar lectured on regardless in his own unique style that exuded his command over the subject. Gradually his brilliance won the battle against the prejudice. The students now flocked to his classes and Dr. Ambedkar didn’t ever fail to spellbind them with his speeches.
Caste prejudices showed up even in that academic environment. One day a Gujarati lecturer passed on a muted remark against Dr. Ambedkar taking water from the pitcher kept in the staff room. Such incidents proved to Bheemrao Ambedkar that a struggle was needed to uplift the untouchables.
In his spare time he began to go to the areas around to rally the lower castes against social prejudices detrimental to their interests. During one such outing he met Shahuji Maharaj of Kolhapur, the descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji for whom lower caste soldiers had fought many a battle. Shahuji was a sympathiser of the backward classes. He would often organise feasts where he sat with lower castes and partook food. So, many of his relatives and upper caste friends dreaded him.
Shahuji was pleased to meet Dr. Ambedkar. They organised mass feasts and called upon all backward classes to forget differences and unite to fight for their basic rights. He even provided financial help for Dr. Ambedkar to start a magazine to espouse the cause of Dalits.
Now Dr. Ambedkar realised the importance of completing the legal course he had started to study in England. As a barrister he could fight for the rights of the untouchables more forcefully legally and politically.
When he had left London, some of his helpful professors had got him a special waiver permission from the university that Dr. Ambedkar could resume his courses within a period of four years. So, he could go back and resume studies without any problem. There still were some months left for the stipulated period to end. But he must hurry. The professors were very impressed by his academic prowess and understood his domestic compulsions.
He had saved some money during his professorship of one and a half years. But it was not enough. His old friend Bhatna and Shahuji also contributed to raise enough sum to enable Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar to go to London and resume studies.
Thus, in July, 1920 Dr. Ambedkar sailed for London.
London degrees
In September, 1920, Dr. Ambedkar got down to the serious business of the studies. He would spend almost 12 hours of the day in libraries taking notes. Then, he would study at home and write research papers, thesis and essays eating little and sleeping little. Money was always short.
Meanwhile, his wife was bravely soldiering at home. Her younger sister and brother were doing labour work to keep the family alive. Dr. Ambedkar had no money to spare. He was himself at the tither’s end.
Dr. Ambedkar again wrote to King Sayajirao explaining his financial predicament. The king again was generous and granted him a scholarship till all his courses were completed.
Professor Edwin Kenin and Harold Laski were happy to see him back and were very co-operative and helpful.
In 1921, Dr. Ambedkar earned the degree of M.Sc. ‘The Problem of the Rupee’ thesis made him ‘Doctor of Science’. Then, he passed the law exam to become a Barrister.
In April, 1923 Bheemrao Ambedkar returned to Bombay as Ph.D., D.Sc., M.A., M.Sc., Bar-at-Law.
Shopping Cart
