Contents
B. R. Ambedkar
Chairing India’s constitutional drafting committee and challenging caste discrimination.
Annihilation of Caste · Constitution of India
- Born
- 14 April 1891
- Birthplace
- Mhow, India
- Died
- 6 December 1956
More people
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist and social reformer. His scholarship and political organising placed the rights of oppressed castes at the centre of debates about Indian democracy.
Early life
Caste exclusion
Born into a Mahar family and encountered untouchability at school.
International study
Studied at Columbia University and the London School of Economics and trained in law.
Career
- 1920s
Public campaigning
Established organisations and publications demanding equal rights for oppressed communities.
- 1947–1951
Law minister
Served as independent India’s first law minister and chaired the Constitution’s drafting committee.
- 1950s
Writing and religious reform
Continued political and intellectual work after leaving government.
Selected work
Annihilation of Caste
Published a radical critique of the caste system.
Constitution of India
Played a leading drafting role in the Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly.
The Buddha and His Dhamma
Posthumously published account of Buddhist teaching.
Beyond work
Buddhist conversion
Converted to Buddhism with large numbers of followers in Nagpur in 1956.
Women’s rights
Advocated reform of Hindu family law, including women’s property and marriage rights.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
