The Father of the Indian Constitution consists of the following. He is called Babasaheb Ambedkar, a title accorded to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar out of courtesy. For this reason, he is popularly known as the Father of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, he was included as a member of the drafting committee of the Constitution of India’s Constituent Assembly and was elected as the Chairman.
Early Life and Education
Born as a poor Dalit, Ambedkar was the son of Ramji Sakpal and Culabai Sakpal, born on April 14, 1891. However, he had been a victim of extreme caste discrimination, and yet he was a good scholar. He studied at Elphinstone College in Bombay and, with B. R. Ambedkar’s support, was the first person of Dalit origin to get a college degree in India. He then proceeded to Columbia University on a scholarship to complete his master’s and doctorate rewards.
Return to India
After returning to India in 1923, Ambedkar fought against social discrimination and became the indicator of Dalit folks. Public life, to him, was a means through which he could assist the people in his community in gaining education, which began his search for ways of attaining that goal. In the last decade of the twenties and early thirties, he demanded the removal of untouchability and other social evils.
Some classifications put it under the Framing of the Constitution.
When India got freedom in 1947, Dr Ambedkar became the first Law Minister of free India. Later, he was chosen to be the Chair of the Drafting Committee to draft the Indian Constitution. He had constitutional accountability, which involved determining the Constitution through Assembly talks for over three years.
Key Contributions
Some of Ambedkar’s significant contributions include
- Constitutional Rights and Freedoms that safeguard civil liberties
- Made provisions for constitutional protection and affirmative action for Dalits and other socially backward classes.
- Parliamentary democracy and the federal system of governance are recognized and practiced.
- Allotting universal adult franchise that resulted in the right to vote for the general public
- It became a republic of liberty, equality, and fraternity as the fundamental principles of the state.
Thus, Ambedkar formulated a constitution that ensured the provision of voice and authority previously unattainable to the downtrodden segments of society. He ensured some form of social democracy and inclusion were kicked into the Constitution.
Fight Against Caste Discrimination
Besides contributing to constitution-making in India, Ambedkar remained concerned with establishing Dalit rights. He was involved in several agitations for demanding civic rights, such as treating water as a fundamental human right and praying in temples.
He mobilized the Dalits by forming the Bahishkrit Hitkarni Sabha and the Independent Labour Party to contest local body elections. Many oppressed groups received confidence from his leadership and started seeking justice and equal treatment.
Buddhism and Last Years
In his last years, Ambedkar embraced Buddhism to fight discriminating castes inherited from Hinduism. He wrote many articles on this topic and later became a Buddhist in October 1956, along with five lacs of followers in Nagpur. But sadly, he died just after one-and-a-half months and died on December 6, 1956.
Legacy
As a legal luminary, Ambedkar contributed a lot to framing India’s Constitution and the social reform movement, thus liberating millions of depressed people. He rekindled Buddhism and brought awareness of their political rights amongst the vulnerable population of India concerning the Constitution. Of course, one can state that he is an outstanding example of a nation-builder and a social liberator.
The Constitution he wrote today continues to steer the biggest democracy in the world. It is an evolving document that affords the dreams and vision of one billion Indians to create a just society. Indeed, the goal of Babasaheb Ambedkar of eradicating the caste system and improving the plight of the oppressed continues as a dream unfulfilled. India still reveres him today as a giant of a man and a guiding light who led from the front even more than six decades after he left the scene.
Conclusion
Most commonly, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, referred to as Babasaheb Ambedkar, is credited for being the Father of the Indian Constitution. He was born on 14th April 1891 in a needy family of ‘Untouchables.’ He was expelled due to caste discrimination, but he continued his studies and obtained his first college degree from Bahujan Samaj in India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar study from Columbia University and then returned to India again and fought for the rights of the Dalit community and against untouchability.
As India’s first Law Minister after independence, Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee that formulated the Constitution, establishing essential rights and protections for oppressed communities. His contributions included enshrining civil liberties, parliamentary democracy, and universal suffrage, promoting freedom, equality, and fraternity.
Ambedkar also fought against caste discrimination, forming organizations to mobilize Dalits for civil rights, and later embraced Buddhism to combat caste injustices. He passed away shortly after converting in 1956. His legacy continues to influence India’s democratic framework and social reforms, inspiring movements for equality and social justice.
