Ambedkar

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, commonly known as Dr. Ambedkar, was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and politician who championed the rights of Dalits and other marginalized groups. He was the principal architect of the Constitution of India and served as India's first Minister of Law and Justice after independence.

Born into the Mahar caste in Mhow (present-day Madhya Pradesh) in 1891, Ambedkar faced discrimination in early life. He pursued higher education in India and abroad, studying economics and law at institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom, including Columbia University and the London School of Economics. He returned to India to practice law and advocate for social reforms.

As a political leader, Ambedkar founded organizations to organize Dalit political activity and to press for constitutional guarantees of equality, anti-discrimination provisions, and the abolition of untouchability. He chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, and his work helped shape provisions such as universal suffrage and fundamental rights.

In 1956, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism and led the Dalit Buddhist movement; he died later that year in Mumbai. His legacy endures in Indian constitutional law and in ongoing debates on caste and social justice.