Mahaparinirvan Diwas

In News: Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar’s 67th Mahaparinirvan Diwas or death anniversary was celebrated.

About BR Ambedkar:

• Dr Ambedkar was a jurist, economist, politician and a social reformer who campaigned against social discrimination of downtrodden, women and labourers.
• He was born in 1891 in Mhow Army Cantonment, Madhya Pradesh
• Known as The Father of the Indian Constitution
• He was conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1990.

Education:

• He completed his matriculation in from Elphinstone High School.

• He completed his Post Graduation in Economics.
• He completed another doctorate from the London School of Economics – thesis “The problem of the rupee: Its origin and its solution”.
• He completed his Ph.D. degree in Economics from the University of Columbia.

Contributions:

• In 1919, in his testimony before the Southborough Committee in preparation of the Government of India Act Ambedkar opined that there should be a separate electoral system for the Untouchables and other marginalized communities.
• In 1920, Ambedkar launched a newspaper called “Mooknayaka” (leader of the silent) with the assistance of Shahaji II, the Maharaja of Kolhapur
• In 1923, he set up the Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association)
• Ambedkar launched full-fledged movements for Dalit rights by 1927 and demanded public drinking water sources open to all and right for all castes to enter temples.
• In 1932, Ambedkar signed the Poona Pact.
• He participated in all three round table conferences in London and demanded separate electorate for untouchables.
• In 1936, Founded the Independent Labor Party and his party contested the 1937 elections to the Central Legislative Assembly.
• In 1942, founded Scheduled Castes Federation.
• In 1947 Dr. Ambedkar was appointed as the chairman of the constitution drafting committee.
• In 1950, founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha.
• In 1956 Ambedkar organized a public ceremony to convert around five lakh of his supporters to Buddhism.
• By December 2nd, 1956 he completed his final manuscript, “The Buddha or Karl Marx”
• On 6 December 1956, he died at his home in Delhi.

Books and periodicals:

• Bahishkrit Bharat(1927)
• Samatha(1929)
• Janata(1930)
• Mook Nayak (weekly)
• Annihilation of caste
• Philosophy of Hinduism
• Riddles in Hinduism
• What Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables
• Who were the Shudras?
• The problem of rupee: its origin or solution (thesis)
• States and Minorities: What are Their Rights and how to Secure Them in the Constitution of Free India
• The Buddha and His Dhamma
• Buddha Or Karl Marx
• Ancient Indian Commerce: Commercial Relations of India in the Middle East (thesis)
• The Partition of India
• Federation Versus Freedom
• Thoughts on Pakistan
• Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah
• Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development

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Source: newsonair

Previous Year Question

Q1) Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar? (2012)S

1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India
2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation
3. The Independent Labour Party

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1. 1 and 2 only
   2. 2 and 3 only
   3. 1 and 3 only
   4. 1, 2 and 3