Authors – Hemraj P Jangir*, Dona Biswas** and Bhanu Priya***

Due to the ongoing pandemic and subsequent lockdown, we at IIDS had to cancel our annual programme of Ambedkar Memorial Lecture. However, we remain committed to paying tribute to our icon by remembering Ambedkar and his works. Therefore, I, along with the co-authors of the article, decided to pick up from our tradition of reflecting on what Ambedkar means to us, which has previously been taken up by people in the anti-caste movement. 

We don’t need any particular occasion to celebrate the life and achievements of Dr. Babashaeb Ambedkar. He has emerged as consciousness for the masses of India. His life events from birth onwards, winding through Mahad Satyagraha, Poona Pact, Kalaram Mandir, Round Table conferences, the Constitution itself, the conversion and his death, are only a few events in the archiving of Babasaheb’s memory and multiple legacies. His life events have helped in the building of cultures of identity-assertion among oppressed caste groups. He has become an inspiration for artists, painters, writers, sculptors and scholars across social groups. In the last few years, Ambedkar has been reinvented, also appropriated, as the most popular and dynamic thinker in the country. Be it on the right, centre or the left side of the spectrum, all political parties are keen on carrying Ambedkar’s photo and claiming to be his followers. Columnists on current national issues are citing Ambedkar widely. The leaders of political parties are using his ideas or opinions for defending their agenda. Given the wide fields of study that he had ventured into, Ambedkar is being read by students and scholars from multiple disciplines.

In a society that excludes at all possible levels, the excluded have claimed the public sphere with the physical shape of a bust or statue of Babasaheb. Can we even begin to understand the processes that led to this symbolic physical manifestation of Babasaheb’s consciousness at narrow street corners and busy market places? On his 129th birth anniversary, as an act of remembering Babasaheb Ambedkar, we have invited young writers to send short anecdotal pieces on “What Babasaheb Ambedkar Means to Me”. This article is a collection of these anecdotes and captures the ideas of young Bahujan scholars on their vision for a better and just world through their engagement with Dr. Ambedkar. As an eminent thinker, writer, educator, economist, policymaker and a symbol of resistance, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar occupies a position of the highest integrity. The article is thus an attempt to make readers think with the writers on what Ambedkar means to them.

People have different stories of meeting with Ambedkar. Somebody’s family introduced them to Ambedkar (especially neo-Buddhist society), some met him during school or college days (through friends or books), and some met him through media (print, online, TV). I (Hemraj) met Ambedkar very late and the reason for it is Brahmanical society. The Brahmanical system never wanted to give recognition to Babasaheb in mainstream society; it always reserved him as a Dalit leader, while he has always been far more than that. This also explains why our school curriculum does not teach us about his life and ideas. Meeting with Ambedkar and reading his writings are certainly a re-birth situation for an individual. I was born and brought up in a culture where reading cannot be a habit, and one reads nothing but curriculum textbooks. Till my graduation years, I knew only one thing about Ambedkar, that he was the chairman of the constitution drafting committee. During my post-graduation period, I read Ambedkar’s biography by Narendra Jadhav. Babasaheb Ambedkar and his ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity inspired me a lot and forced me to read more about him. His book Annihilation of Caste is like a torchlight to understand the venom of Brahmanical society and its caste system.

Nabanita is a PhD research scholar at the University of North Bengal, Siliguri. She also runs a blog by the name Noyadosor where she talks about linguistic rights as a fundamental right. She writes: 

My first experience with caste as a category came through constant reminders that the state machinery imposes on you and believes that reservation is a privilege, that you are known best as a reflection of your category. It is hard to retaliate! Harder to consume as truth!  

But they fail to understand that it is a category towards emancipation, towards an egalitarian society, where Dalits can have a voice to let out the narratives of their experience. If voices do not liberate, what does? And Ambedkar is a revolutionary who has thought and practised the revolutionary thought of emancipation. 

Caste as a social reality meant to me a border, a limitation that comes from practices which are predisposed to annihilation; yet it is practised by us collectively/unconsciously, and even consciously so. Being deeply rooted in the existing prejudices, such practices make caste into a wall. And this is exactly where Ambedkar becomes our underground railroad to freedom.  

Ambedkar is more than just passion. He is my voice of resistance!

Bhanu Priya, an M.Phil. research scholar working on gender, caste and disability at Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) and Centre for Women’s Development Studies (CWDS), shares:

While I was always conscious of my social location as a backward caste woman and how it has shaped my life, Ambedkar’s work gave it a language, a meaning, a sense of collective identity. Having been brought up for most of my life in an upper-caste locality, I have grown up searching for the company of friends whose social locations I could relate with. This year, as I finally have the company of Bahujan friends with anti-caste consciousness, my childhood memories of searching for people to belong with keep coming back to me as flashbacks, dreams, sometimes nightmares, especially in this time of lockdown as I am nearly forced to be with myself. As we celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti this year by listening to the songs of Ginni Mahi and fellow singer-activists, breaking the only idol I had of a Hindu God as a symbolic marking of my resistance to Hinduism, and listening to some of Ambedkar’s speeches, filled me with a sense of power and assurance that I hadn’t really felt before in my own caste community which still hides behind upper-caste surnames for social acceptance. Before this, I didn’t know that such a world even existed where one didn’t have to hide their identity. Revealing my caste identity has always been a difficult coming out process filled with shame and inferiority; and even then, it never gave me the comfort to be open and unapologetic about my origins. Through Ambedkar, I got a sense of being backed up by a parental figure, not in a patriarchal sense really, but more like a child being held with assurance and pride. 

Ritu, a research scholar in History from Delhi University shares:

“Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence.” – Babasaheb Ambedkar

While discussing the importance of Babasaheb Ambedkar in my life, the above quote is most suitable for my experience with Ambedkar. My mind grew up while reading and understanding Ambedkar’s writings and speeches. For many, he might be the founder of the Indian constitution but for me, he is more than that. I was highly influenced by Ambedkar when I read his famous book “The Untouchables”. I lived the life of an untouchable while reading his book I realised why Ambedkar fought for untouchables, and why we need rights like the right to equality. The confidence and awareness in me for raising voice for justice and for my every kind of rights came because of Babasaheb. The importance of B.R. Ambedkar should not be limited as leader of scheduled castes. Ambedkar was a leader of various oppressed groups, especially women and untouchables. When the greatest leaders of this country were struggling to establish political democracy, Ambedkar fought for social democracy which was extremely required for Indians, which is still needed. Babasaheb believed that the caste ‘oppressed’ should leave Hinduism because it is the source of their oppression. Due to this thought, I kept myself free from every kind of religious superstitions. Due to his struggles we, the marginalized, can think of not just surviving but living our life with full dignity in this society. Thus, I call him the biggest liberator of my mind.

An Ambedkarite friend of ours who wants to remain anonymous shares: 

Ambedkar is someone who has given me my life, i.e., my education. From childhood, I like to go to school and wanted to become something. At that time, I was not aware of the efforts put by Savitribai Phule, Jotiba Phule and Babasaheb. I believe education can be the only medium which provides me the freedom to access public spaces for learning. The struggle by them is the sole reason for whatever sense of identity I have today. Otherwise, without the rights that Ambedkar fought for in his entire life, I would have been enslaved to tradition and domestic sphere. It is their ideas and thought which has given me the power to move ahead in the worst times of my life. As I became conscious about his ideas, whenever I heard his name it brought smile and pride on my face, that someone like us has changed lives of millions of people through the constitution and his work.

Khansemphi Raleng, a research scholar at Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, writes: 

To me, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was one of the most educated men, not only in India but in the world. Even though he was born as untouchable, he was able to do a lot of things which other educated people could not do. What really strikes me is that he was a teacher, a jurist, a politician, reformer, an economist, and so on. He was able to bring a lot of changes in his lifetime, starting from social life to economy, political life and education, and much more, which no one can address in writing and documenting. He is one of the reasons I believe that anybody can achieve anything irrespective of where they are born. He was a Dalit, yet his ideas and works are being studied and followed in the present. This means that everyone can choose their own destiny despite their birth identity. For me, he is a great example of a successful and intellectual person.

Dona Biswas, PhD research scholar at Ambedkar University Delhi, opined: 

Dr. B. R Ambedkar is often reduced to one-page essay in school books or described as constitution maker in educational institutions. But my mom used to say, “he is more than that!”. I could understand his vast canvas of work, his pragmatic and philosophical approach to social inequality and discrimination when I tried to understand the meaning of “Educate, Agitate and Organize!” His conversion into Buddhism from caste/religious tyranny of Hinduism particularly brings the true meaning of his pragmatic approach in life for many marginalized societies in India and outside.

Born and brought up in Assam, I remember attending just one occasion when my father got to take me to a neighbour’s workplace (clinic) to celebrate Babasaheb’s birthday. The neighbour is a doctor, hails from Bihar and married a tea-worker’s daughter in Assam. When I recollect the memories of my childhood in Assam, I could realize how the “bhadrolok” Bengalis would easily invisiblize the experiences and culture of Dalit-Bahujan Bengalis’ life. Rampantly, I relate when I still remember Babasaheb’s portrait hanging on the wall in his small chamber, probably the only photo of him I have seen in my childhood. 

Through my journey of attaining (higher) education, I could explore the joy of having my own voice that caste-ridden society denied us as it branded us as less important. I could understand the need for the assertion, the meaning of self-respect for Dalit rights and the anti-caste movement from close association with Babasaheb’s life and work. 

Partha Biswas, an Ambedkarite and student activist from West Bengal writes: 

I was born in a Namashudra or Chandal refugee family. Our tribe was sanskritized already, so most of our surnames were sanskritized too. My surname is Biswas, so I didn’t face casteism from the beginning. After passing 10th class, my mother asked me to apply for a caste certificate. That day I got to know that I am lower caste Hindu. When I was in class 12th, I filled the application form for engineering and medical college and mentioned SC as my caste status. After this, I began to observe the naked image of the Hindu caste system. I heard many casteist slurs about SCs and STs from my childhood friends and school mates. I took admission in a college where casteism was too strongly practised. After some time, I couldn’t concentrate on my studies and left it unfinished. Then one day, one Dada (a Bahujan man from Bengal) introduced me to Babasaheb. I started my academic journey again. Today, I am a student and activist. Now I have destroyed my Hindu identity and have woken up with my new Bahujan (Asura) identity.

Akash is an independent researcher and associated with various Ambedkarite movements. He writes: 

Ambedkar is not just a name or a person for me. He is one of the first historical figures whom my family introduced to me during my childhood. When I recollect the days as a kid, the first face I remember is of Ambedkar and the first words with which I used to greet others were “Jay Bhim”. During my years of growing up, Ambedkar was in my childhood stories, my father’s motivational speeches and in family discussions. His big photo at my house gives me a feeling that he is an important member of my family. His birthday and event of Buddhist conversion is like a festival for us and his death anniversary is pain. In my 28 years of life journey, wherever I visit I always search for Ambedkar’s statue as it gives me a sense of pride and happiness. After understanding community differences in India, now he has become a symbol of national solidarity for me. His name has become a slogan for me, texts have become voice for me, and his idea of equality has become a way of life for me… Jay Bhim. 

Amit Kumar, a research scholar at Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, shared his opinion: 

Words have no limits when it comes to describing anyone, but there are very few people in the world who are beyond the limits of words. One among them is Dr. B.R Ambedkar, who proved to the world that nothing can stop you if you work with dedication and put complete effort. If we compare him with his contemporaries, he had limited resources in social, economic and political aspects. Discrimination is a painful experience to every Dalit who is born and brought up in Indian society. Dr. Ambedkar believed that education is the only weapon which can be used in eradicating discrimination. 

At a time when people from certain castes were forced to carry a broom to clean the places they visited, denied entry in the temple for worship, not allowed to study, not allowed to drink water from common wells, not allowed to celebrate festivals with higher castes groups, not allowed to get their hair cut, he struggled and realized that this be can be minimized if not eradicated only through education. So, the realization part is very important in everyone’s life. 

He became one of the most educated and qualified persons, who was chosen to write the Constitution of India. He provided a very powerful slogan of “Educate, Agitate and Organize”. In fact, it is not a mere slogan, but wisdom from the struggles he faced throughout his life. 

Rehnamol Raveendran, who teaches at Delhi University, shared her views: 

Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar to me is a guiding force to reclaim my lost spaces of rights, dignity and self-respect. He taught me to think and analyse the varied layers of my lived experiences from different perspectives which eventually enabled me to become a better thinking person. Babasaheb is an ethical and moral strength for me to fight against the orthodox and regressive forces that I face in my everyday life as a Dalit woman. My education, dignity, self-respect, rights and recognition are the result of Babasaheb’s unbridled life-long struggle against the oppression of his community and humanity. Hence, Babasaheb is my emotion; emotion of love, affection, respect and gratitude. Jai Bhim.

Ara S Babu, an Ambedkarite and a social worker from Kerala who works at Tribal Extension Office of Edamalayar writes: 

Until post-graduation, I knew little about Dr B R Ambedkar. I learned many stories from my friends and I began to read about him. As Gail Omvedt writes, “If Gandhi was Bapu, the society in which he tried to inject equality while maintaining the ‘Hindu framework’, Ambedkar was Baba to his people, who not merely liberated the thousands from inequality, but also reconstructed our consciousness into a broader perspective. As he wishes, we are rewriting our forged history unless we can’t make our own history…” 

Vishnu Prazad K, Councillor, SIS-JNUSU writes: 

Ambedkar is the leader who made us aware of the reality that in the path of development, caste is the monster crossing your way no matter what turns you take. The chief architect of a wonderful document called ‘Indian Constitution’, he gave us this deterrent which aims to liberate millions from an age-old oppressive system. He was a visionary who inculcated the idea of equality in the unjust collective conscience of Indian society controlled by the caste system and empowered the lower castes to claim their rights. He was a Messiah of untouchables who gave power and knowledge to unshackle from clutches of Brahmanism and stand up against discrimination and exploitation. The man who reiterated time and again the need for social reforms to precede political reforms as he had already foreseen the danger of institutionalized ill-treatment and oppression of lower castes. He was a leader of the marginalized who gave the slogan “Educate, Agitate and Organize”, which reverberated in every citadel of higher education in the post-Mandal era. The future of Indian politics should be defined by the path of political mobilization of the marginalized as shown by Ambedkar, and panacea to stop this hate-spewing politics of Brahmanical Hindutva juggernaut.

Amit Poonia, a research scholar from Delhi School of Social Work, opined: 

For me, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the man who gave me the conscience of centuries-old casteist prejudices and segregation of the society, which are deeply rooted even today in the customs and rituals of most of India. He raised the question of human dignity, civil and democratic rights of dalits after independence. He was an icon who fought for the basic issues of social justice in the peak time of Brahmanical societies and introduced the question of caste, gender and labour in Indian politics. It is a result of his visionary approach that today we are able to understand the issues and we are able to nurture the thoughts about an ideal society. I feel immense happiness when I see the reintroduction of Dr. Ambedkar in Indian politics and society, but the other side of this is that we are not able to take his thoughts to ground levels in our work and politics. People are ready to misquote and misinterpret his idea and that will lead to even worse situations than now. So, as followers of Dr. Ambedkar we must invest in learning from his ideas and nurture them in the society, and not merely celebrating his image with lots of flowers and Brahmanical anecdotes.

Authors –

*Hemraj P Jangir is a research scholar at Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS), New Delhi

**Dona Biswas is a doctoral candidate in Women’s and Gender Studies at Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) & Centre for Women’s Development Studies (CWDS) 

***Bhanu Priya is a researcher at National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), New Delhi