We asked our followers on social media that when and how did they first time learn about Babasaheb Ambedkar. Here are a few of the replies. We will write another post soon if we will get more replies. Let us know how did you learn about Dr Ambedkar? What is your story? [Read Part-II – How First Time I Learnt About Babasaheb Ambedkar]

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I first started searching about Shudras in Google as I used to watch Mahabharata a lot, then one day I found Dr Ambedkar’s book on who were Shudras and it completely opened my mind, I realized the calibre of Babasaheb after reading that book, thereafter I read few books of Babasaheb and he is my inspiration. – Sairam Spva

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I was discriminated in school; other students were given priorities in school activities.

It happened frequently. I thought it was unintentional due to my childishness. As I become mature and started to understand what it was. I started to read Ambedkar’s books. – Chintan Varmora

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But I had heard of Ambedkar after coming to live in Maharashtra. I remember an incident that happened in Thane maybe where his statue was garlanded with chapals. That’s when I first read about him as leader of Dalits in the newspaper.

It was 1989 or 1990 maybe and I lived in Bombay. Twenty years ago I did a Women’s Studies course from Pune University. That Centre is now called Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Women’s Studies Centre. I made a great friend in that course, a Dalit Christian girl who is still a dear friend. I started reading about Babasaheb Ambedkar. However, I am a little nervous to participate more than sharing posts because my late lecturer Sharmila Rege was not fully accepted by Dalit scholars, as far as I know. But she was very dedicated to her Dalit students in Sociology and Women’s Studies. I have read Annihilation of Caste and Riddles in Hinduism. I am also married in a Maharashtrian Brahmin family and attitudes towards other castes and poorer classes are very obvious. I have learned more from my Facebook associations with Dalit friends and groups. I still don’t know much, however.  – Susan Elizabeth Dhavle

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I learnt about Dr Ambedkar when I was in 6th class but I understood Dr Ambedkar and their lifetime work in class 12th, from then I have become his most sincere follower.

What he did, no one can do India not even Gandhi did.

With the struggle, Baba Saheb brought representations of Dalit community (depressed class) in parliament. He opposed the idea of Hinduism which teaches us inequality.

On his birthday, I salute him.

– Shubham Kamal

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I 1st read Babasaheb as part of my M.A. course on caste and gender, where Dr Sharmila Rege made us read Castes in India, Annihilation of Caste, Riddles in Hinduism and Rise and Fall of Hindu Women. I fell in love with his writing as it made me understand the depth of the structural problem like caste. I thank him for making me realise of my own caste privileges. – Debasmita Deb

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I can’t remember because my father is Ambedkar so through my father and my area where I live and our family does not believe in God, it’s Ambedkar way we follow.  – Dhiva Karan

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Since post-Rohith movement at the age of 17. It was a shocking instance when I came to know about the caste system, till 17, I thought that there is just me and my family and relative who are discriminated by savarana… After knowing about Babasaheb now I am proudly say that I am Dalit. – Vikas Kumar

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When I was a kid my father used to tell me a lot about Babasaheb. He still does that. – Anurag Siddharth

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My Father told about him and gave a book. – Rajarajan Rajasekaran

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I was born an ardent Babasaheb follower because my parents through all their hardships and immense difficulties introduced me and my siblings to Babasaheb from our young days and provided us with the education which was beyond their capacity despite our poor background enriching us beyond any measurable wealth in the world. Our eternal gratitude towards Babasaheb continues lifelong as we continue to learn about his unparalleled, remarkable struggle and ultimate triumph. Jai Bhim!  –  Sumit Survase

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From my family. They told me that he is God of us. He gave us the real life. We do not pray other gods like hanuman but we worship Babasaheb. We try to do what he told us to do – Educate – Organise – Agitate.

– Tanisha Kapoor

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It was two years back in 2015! I was struggling with my internalised casteism! Then I wanted some texts on anti-caste. So A searched Babasaheb! I learnt about him through the Internet. – Rani Sinha

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Let us know in the comments when and how did you first time learn about Babasaheb Ambedkar?

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