Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian social reformer. He was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the Indian Constitution based on a draft prepared by Sir B. N. Rau. Later, he renounced Hinduism, embraced Buddhism, and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement.
After graduating from Elphinstone College, University of Bombay, Ambedkar studied economics at Columbia University and the London School of Economics, and earned doctoral degrees from both institutions in 1923 and 1927 respectively. He was one of the few Indian students to earn a doctorate from these institutions in the 1920s. In his early career, he was an economist, professor, and lawyer. His later life was dedicated to political activities; he participated in partition talks, published newspapers, advocated for the political rights and social emancipation of Dalits, and contributed to the establishment of the Indian state. In 1956, he converted to Buddhism.
Early Life and Education
Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891, in the town and military cantonment of Mhow (now officially Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Madhya Pradesh). He was the 14th and youngest child of Ramji Sakpal, an army officer of the rank of Subedar, and Bhimabai Sakpal, daughter of Laxman Murbadkar. His family was a Marathi family from Ambawe (Mandalgad taluka) in the Ratnagiri district of present-day Maharashtra. Ambedkar's ancestors served in the British East India Company's army for several generations, and his father was employed in the British Indian Army at the Mhow cantonment.
Ambedkar was born into the Mahar (Dalit) caste, who were considered untouchable and faced socio-economic discrimination. Although he attended school, Ambedkar and other untouchable children were segregated and received little attention or help from teachers. They were not allowed to sit in class. When they needed water, a person of a higher caste would pour water into their hands from a height, as they were not allowed to touch the water or the vessel. This task was usually performed by the school peon for Ambedkar, and if the peon was absent, he had to go without water; he later described this situation in his writings as "no peon, no water." He had to sit on a sack, which he would then have to carry home.
Ramji Sakpal retired in 1894, and two years later the family moved to Satara. Shortly after this move, Ambedkar's mother passed away. His aunt took care of the children, and they lived in difficult circumstances. Of Ambedkar's three sons—Balram, Anandrao, and Bhimrao—and two daughters—Manjula and Tulsi—only Ambedkar passed his exams and was able to attend high school. His original surname was Sakpal, but his father registered him at school under the name Ambawadekar, which meant that he was from the village of Ambav in the Ratnagiri district. His Marathi Brahmin teacher, Krishnaji Keshav Ambedkar, later changed his surname in the school records from "Ambawadekar" to "Ambedkar."
Education
In 1897, Ambedkar's family moved to Bombay. There, Ambedkar became the only Dalit student to be admitted to Elphinstone High School. In 1906, when he was about 15 years old, he was married to nine-year-old Ramabai, an arranged marriage according to the customs of the time.
In 1907, he passed his matriculation examination, and the following year he enrolled at Elphinstone College, affiliated with the University of Bombay. He claimed to be the first member of his Mahar community to do so. When he passed the fourth-grade English examination, his community celebrated, considering it a "great achievement," though he himself remarked that "it was nothing special compared to the educational level of other communities." To celebrate his success, the community organized a public function, and on that occasion, he was presented with a biography of Buddha, written by Dada Keluskar, a family friend and author.
By 1912, he had earned a degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Bombay and was preparing to take a job with the Baroda state government. His wife had recently joined him and they had begun their married life, when he had to return to Bombay suddenly to see his ailing father, who died on February 2, 1913.
In 1913, at the age of 22, Ambedkar was awarded a Baroda State Scholarship of £11.50 (sterling) per month for three years under a scheme initiated by Sayajirao Gaekwad III (the Gaekwad of Baroda). The scheme aimed to provide opportunities for postgraduate education at Columbia University in New York City. Immediately upon arriving there, he began living with a Parsi named Naval Bhatena in Livingston Hall, who later became his lifelong friend. He earned his Master's degree in June 1915, majoring in Economics and Sociology, History, Philosophy, and Anthropology. He submitted a thesis titled "Ancient Indian Trade." Ambedkar was influenced by John Dewey and his work on democracy. In 1916, he completed his second master's thesis, "The National Dividend of India—A Historical and Analytical Study," and received his second MA degree. On May 9, he presented a paper titled "Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development" at a seminar conducted by anthropologist Alexander Goldenweiser. Ambedkar earned his PhD in Economics from Columbia University in 1927.
In October 1916, he enrolled in the Bar course at Gray's Inn and also enrolled at the London School of Economics, where he began working on his doctoral thesis. In June 1917, he returned to India as his scholarship from Baroda had ended. The ship carrying his books was destroyed by a German submarine. He was permitted to return to London within four years to submit his thesis. He soon returned and completed his doctoral degree in 1921. His thesis was on "The Rupee Problem: Its Origin and Its Solution." In 1923, he completed his D.Sc. degree in Economics.
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