Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Contribution to Nation Building
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Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Some people are born brilliant, some have He was a true renaissance man, a person brilliantness thrust upon them and some achieve who excelled in many different areas of inquiry. brilliantness. To the last division, Dr. B.R. Though he was hated by orthodox Hindus and Ambedkar belongs. Dr. Ambedkar was a great labelled as a destroyer of Hinduism, historians now patriot, social thinker, political reformer, realize the crucial role Dr. Ambedkar played in philosophical writer with progressive ideas. He recognizing Hindu society. Far from being a traitor, stood for all political, social and cultural activities he played an important role in revitalizing which increased the cause of human progress and Hinduism, reviving it by challenging everything that happiness. He was the soul for the Constitution was unjust and unfair within it. In fact, he brought of India. He crusaded for the betterment of the about a renaissance of Hinduism by provoking oppressed and depressed classes. And in this the Hindus to rethink some of the basic tenets of struggle, he stood rare crusading spirit, carving their religion. out in this process and playing significant role for himself among the leading architects of modern He had a great faith in social reformers India. to create public opinion against the gross Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Contribution to Nation Building Jhunubala Das As a social reformer, Dr. Ambedkar inequalities in the society. He urged them to build believed in peaceful methods of social change. organizations to deal with urgent cases of He was supported to constitutional lines in the discrimination. The organizations should deal the evolutionary process of social transformation. He powerful section of society to give a chance to thought the factors like law and order are the oppressed and depressed classes to work in indispensable for social life. It also strives to sustain different sectors. The Hindu society should give institutions that will make better ‘social order’. a space to depressed sections by employing them He was opposed to the violent methods in social in their various sectors suited to the capacities of change for it hinders the tranquillity and creates applicants. chaos. He had no faith in anarchy methods. A According to Dr.Ambedkar, social welfare state of all cannot be developed on the change and social justice are indeed critical to grounds of terror, force and brutal methods. the egalitarianism that any democracy must aspire According to him violent methods to a peaceful it. As a social democrat Dr. Ambedkar stressed society is not only improper but also unscientific on a much broader notion of stable reconstruction and immoral. JANUARY - 2018 67 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review of country with inclusive growth and cultural Dr. Ambedkar always showed his integration in the Nation without caste followers, through the way he lived his own life, discrimination. As the major architect of the Indian that education and hard work alone held the key Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar constructed the to their liberation. The untouchables had been a safeguards for establishing a more equitable demoralized, helpless group of people, but society to millions of oppressed and depressed Ambedkar taught them to stop waiting for help classes. In this process, Dr. Ambedkar emerges to come from the outside and to rely upon not only as a valiant upholder of the Indian themselves instead. The idea was a revolutionary democratic republic, but also captures the one for a people who had always been told that uniquely distinctive place in the Indian Pantheon their lot in life was preordained and that they had no control over it. as a rare intellectual mass leader who awakened the social conscience of Modern India. Dr. Ambedkar said, “You can change your lot, but do not flock to temples hoping for He strongly believed that political justice to come to you in heaven. There is justice institutions were responsible for reforming the to be found on earth if you can fight for it. This existing social institutions by using legislative force idea gave them a new courage and a sense of self to yield the results. Political institutions will survive respect that they had never known before. The only when they actively work for social Ambedkar statue was an icon for depressed and reformation. oppressed classes civil rights. His posture, Constitution in his hand and showing a new path Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a freedom fighter for millions of downtrodden people to modern of the truest kind, not merely dreaming of setting society were symbols in the new era. India force from British rule, but of transforming India into a country where freedom holds meaning To conclude, Dr. Ambedkar has always for everyone. While Mahatma Gandhi led fellow resembled in lives of 160 million strong Dalit Indians in a struggle against discrimination in South communities throughout the country. Africa, Dr. Ambedkar led a battle, too, against Dr. Ambedkar views were consistently been prejudice within his own country. By securing inspiring the oppressed, depressed and the equality for his community, he was creating a more downtrodden classes to challenge the dominant equal world for us all. strands of political articulations in the country. According to Raja Sekhar Vundru who calls Dr. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as an emancipator of Ambedkar as the other father said: “Dr. Ambedkar the Dalits gave millions of untouchables an identity of their own … (He) is now regarded as a great Indian, a Dr. Ambedkar dedicated his life for the person relevant for all times to come. This is not uplifting of Dalits. He was opposed to the theory because his followers are unwavering in their of caste-based superiority and social devotion, or that they happen to be numerically discrimination. He made a path for legal rights to higher than supporters of any other person (dead enact the laws in connection with progress of dalits or living) in India, and certainly not because he which could positively change their lives. probably has been represented in the highest 68 JANUARY - 2018 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 number of statues erected for any man in history. very early on that he had a lot to achieve and that It is because his following has transcended time would always be running out for him. He generations. His relevance political, social, was an intellectual giant and perhaps if the plight ideological, religious, economic will persist as long of the untouchables had not pushed him into as the clamour and struggle for justice and equal politics, he could have been a scholar. rights exists”. Books were not only his weakness. He Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in “Annihilation of had a penchant for fountain pens of all kinds. He Caste” has remarked; an ideal society should be enjoyed well-tailored clothes and loved dogs. As mobile, should be full of channels for conveying a an adult, he took up both painting and playing the change taking place in one part to other parts. In violin because he believed that every man should an ideal society there should be many interests love music and art. His hobbies, be it reading or consciously communicated and shared. There music, spoke of his softer side. But in his political should be varied and free points of contact with career, not many people saw this side of other modes of association. In other words, there Ambedkar. He was often described as British should be social endosmosis. This is fraternity, bulldog and Sarojini Naidu once called him Mussolini. There is perhaps no one who had which is only another name for democracy. escaped his sharp tongue and unforgiving Democracy is not merely a form of Government. sarcasm, especially if those rebukes were It is primarily a mode of associated living, of deserved. He was truthful to the point of being conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially harsh. an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellowmen. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the first Indian to pursue a doctorate in economics abroad. He As a Scholar, he starved through argued that industrialisation and agricultural growth university life, saving every penny for his family could enhance the Indian economy. He stressed back home and to buy books. It was no easy at investment in agriculture as the primary industry any point to fight his way forward without a family of India. According to Sharad Pawar, fortune behind him and yet he did. He turned his Ambedkar’s vision helped the government to hardships into an opportunity to become stronger achieve its food security goal. Ambedkar and to fight harder. He was unafraid of opposition, advocated national economic and social of thinking differently from the crowd and of development, stressing education, public hygiene, speaking his mind. community health, residential facilities as the basic amenities. His D.Sc thesis “The problem of the Dr. Ambedkar, in his brief life time, Rupee: Its origin and solution” (1923) examines managed to acquire several University degrees the causes for the Rupee’s fall in value. He proved at the finest schools in the world, to edit the importance of price stability over exchange newspapers, to write books, to become the stability. He analysed the silver and gold exchange principal of a law college, to lead mass rates and their effect on the economy, and found movements, to address public conferences and the reasons for the failure of British India’s public to work on committees involved with the making treasury. He calculated the loss of development of the Indian nation. It was as though he sensed caused by British rule. JANUARY - 2018 69 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review In 1951, Ambedkar established he cautioned his fellow legislators against the use the Finance Commission of India.