WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION
…and the Constitution of India was adopted on November 26, 1949. The same came into effect on January 26, 1950, celebrated as the Republic Day of India.
November 26, earlier observed as the National Law Day, was declared as the Samvidhan Divas (or Constitution Day) in 2015 by the Government of India to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ambedkar, born on April 14, 1891, was the first Law Minister of independent India. Ambedkar played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution. He chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constitution supported by members, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, among others.
Ambedkar, who blessed India with so many firsts…
- first Indian to pursue a doctorate in economics overseas
- first from a so-called ‘low’ caste to enter Elphinstone College in Mumbai
…led a life struggling and beating several pains, various societal norms, and discriminations.
- Born with the “untouchable” tag as he belonged to a Dalit (Mahar) caste, his entire life, he faced, refuted, and fought against the socio-economic discrimination subjected on him, his family, and other people of lower castes.
- Unequal rather unfair treatment at education centers, hurdles at every step could not stop his determination to receive an education. It is hard to imagine someone opposed and stopped at every turn could achieve the best of education from India and abroad.
- He became the Voice of the Voiceless (mooknayak) to oppose the practice of untouchability and launched various active movements against it. His mere presence brought in a sense of relief for many..
- He ensured reservation for “depressed classes” in the general electorate through the Poona Pact.
- From being a member of the Bombay Legislative Council to Member of Parliament of Rajya Sabha for Bombay State, his political career spanned from 1926 to 1956.
- He presented the final draft of our Constitution to Dr. Rajendra Prasad on November 25, 1949.
- As an economist, he analyzed the reasons behind the fall in the value of the Indian Rupee through his thesis The problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Solution (1923).
- He lost his most loved ones, his mother, father, and first wife Ramabai making the struggles of his life even more painful.
- He extensively studied and finally converted to Buddhism. He also supported the mass conversion of people to Buddhism as he considered Hinduism as an “oppressive religion.” He once said that though he was born a Hindu, he won’t die as one.
Moving ahead with a “never giving-up” approach towards life; Ambedkar not only sailed through the many challenges of his life but also left a legacy behind appreciated and followed by people to date. People remember him through plays or movies specifically curated to inspire others through his life. The legend breathed his last on December 6, 1956.
The mortal being left us with some immortal principles to live a life with dignity!
To commemorate the 72nd Constitution Day this year, the MInistry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India has made special arrangements to provide a platform that enables citizens to celebrate this event virtually as well. This is your go-to point.
It’s now time to thrive together with #Liberty #Equality #Fraternity. #SamvidhanDivas
Avani Raj Arora
