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Every year India celebrates the birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on April 14. He was one of the leading social reformers, scholar, lawyer, politician, and a pioneer advocate of women’s rights. Also known as the architect of the Indian constitution, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar worked tirelessly towards the upliftment of Dalits or untouchables by advocating the power and importance of education. In 2024, India will observe the 134th birthday of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. As the day is around the corner, here are a few interesting facts about Ambedkar for students.
Lesser-known Facts About Ambedkar
1. Ambedkar was born in the Mhow town of present-day Madhya Pradesh, India.
2. He belonged to the Mahar caste, one of the untouchable castes in the Indian social system.
3. He was also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar.
4. Ambedkar was the 14th child of their parents Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai.
5. Ambedkar attended numerous prestigious universities including the University of Mumbai (BA), Columbia University (MA, PhD, LL.D), and the London School of Economics (MSc, DSC).
6. Ambedkar was the first Indian to pursue a Doctorate in Economics abroad.
7. He was also the first double doctorate holder in Economics in South Asia.
8. Ambedkar is the only Indian whose statue is placed alongside Karl Marx in the prestigious London Museum.
9. B. R. Ambedkar was the first law minister of independent India.
10. Rajgirh, Ambedkar’s personal library was once the world’s largest private library with over 50,000 books.
11. Nobel Prize winner Prof. Amartya Sen once said that he considered Dr. B. R. Ambedkar his father in economics.
12. Although it was Pingali Venkayya who designed the Indian Flag, the concept of Ashok Chakra was proposed by Dr Ambedkar.
13. Ambedkar knew 9 languages including Hindi, English, Pali, French, German, Sanskrit, Marathi, Gujarati, and Persian.
14. Bhimrao Ambedkar is also the first and only person to receive “Doctor All Science” from the London School of Economics.
15. Babasaheb is also the world’s first and only Satyagrahi who did Satyagraha for water.
16. He was a prolific writer who penned several literary works such as The Annihilation of Caste and The Buddha and His Dhamma.
17. He established the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, an organization that worked to uplift the oppressed sections of society.
18. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with 500,000 of his followers. This massive conversion was later called the Dalit Buddhist movement.
Hope you enjoyed reading these facts about Dr B. R. Ambedkar. If you want to read more such interesting facts, you can visit our blog Hidden Facts About Brahma Kumaris.