The epitome of empowerment and pride – Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar

A vast chunk of the population from the Dalit community in India owe a lot to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. His work to uplift the lower castes by fighting for the eradication of caste system and promotion of woman empowerment has forever placed him in the hearts of many Indians.

He was a jurist, economist, politician and social reformer while India was under British rule. He was also the first minister of Law and Justice of Independent India and the chief architect of the Indian constitution.

Here are 7 lesser known facts about Dr Ambedkar which would make you want to respect him more:

Name

Ambedkar’s original name was actually Ambavadekar. But his teacher, Mahadev Ambedkar, who was fond of him, changed his surname from ‘Ambavadekar’ to his own surname ‘Ambedkar’ in school records.

Education

He was also the first Indian to pursue an Economics Doctorate degree in a foreign land. He has a degree in Economics from The London School of Economics as well as The University of Colombia.

Principal

He was also the principal of the renowned Government Law College (GLC). He took up the position for two years.

Constitution

He framed the Indian Constitution, which took two years to compile. The day it was put to use marks the republic day of India, January 26, 1950.

Kashmir

Article 370 is the section of the Indian Constitution which grants special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was opposed to the decision and predicted that it may cause problems in the future.

Health

Dr Ambedkar suffered from a severe case of diabetes in the later stages of his life. He breathed his last on December 6, 1956.

Autobiography

His autobiography titled “Waiting for a Visa” is used as a textbook at the University of Columbia. He wrote it in 1935.

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has thus transformed the lives of many Indians and will forever remain in every body’s hearts for many years to come.