Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, in present-day Madhya Pradesh. Despite barriers imposed by caste discrimination, he pursued higher education in India and abroad. He studied at Columbia University in New York and later pursued studies in economics and law in London. The Parliament of India's biographical account records his studies at Columbia and the London School of Economics and his legal practice after returning to India. His academic training in economics and law informed a career that joined scholarship with public advocacy.

Ambedkar organized and wrote against the exclusion and discrimination faced by communities then classified as untouchable, now commonly described as Dalit. He founded organizations and newspapers, promoted education and mobilized campaigns for civic rights. One well-known episode was the 1927 Mahad Satyagraha, in which he led a campaign asserting the right of Dalits to draw water from a public tank. His political work and writings addressed social inequality, representation, rights and the institutions needed for a more equal society. Columbia University describes his work as a sustained engagement with caste as a form of inequality and historical injustice.

After independence in 1947, Ambedkar became India's first Minister of Law and Justice. He was elected chair of the Constituent Assembly's Drafting Committee, which prepared the draft text debated by the Assembly. As chair, he played a prominent role in shaping and explaining constitutional provisions, but the Constitution was the product of the Assembly and its committees, debates and collective decisions, rather than the work of one person alone. The Constitution abolished untouchability and established a framework of fundamental rights and democratic government. Ambedkar resigned from the cabinet in 1951 after disagreements over legislation and policy, and later served in the Rajya Sabha.

Ambedkar's books and speeches addressed economics, caste, law, religion and political representation. Among his influential works is Annihilation of Caste, originally prepared as a speech and published in 1936 after the event organizers withdrew their invitation. The Ministry of External Affairs lists works including The Problem of the Rupee and States and Minorities, reflecting the range of his economic and constitutional interests. In October 1956, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in Nagpur along with many followers. This decision reflected his sustained critique of caste hierarchy and his pursuit of a religious and ethical community grounded in equality.

Ambedkar died in New Delhi on 6 December 1956. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. He remains an important figure in Indian public life: his contribution to constitutional democracy, his critique of caste and his emphasis on education and dignity continue to shape scholarship, political debate and social movements. The title often given to him as the 'Father of the Indian Constitution' reflects his prominent drafting role, while recognizing that constitution-making was a collective undertaking helps place his achievement in its institutional context.