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October 25, 2004

 

A calendar of events in life of Baba Saheb

 

 

Dr Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Fourteenth Child of Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai Murbadkar, was born on 14th April 1891 in MHOW Cantonment.  Baba Saheb’s Father was then serving as a Subedhar, in the Military Head Office of War (MHOW) near Indore.  MHOW was then, in the State of Central India and Berar.  Later it became part of the Central Provinces.  Now it is in Madhya Pradesh.

 

Baba Saheb’s Grand Father – Maloji Sakpal, also served in the Military.  He came from the Konkan Region, Ambavade Village, five miles from Mandangad Town in Ratnagiri District, of Bombay Presidency, now Maharashtra.  Amongst his Children, only two – Baba Saheb’s Father Ramji and Aunt Mira – survived.

 

Baba Saheb’s Mother – Bhimabai Murbadkar was from Murbad Village, in Thana District of Bombay State.  Her Father – Lakshman Murbadkar – and Six Brothers also had served the Army, all as Subhedar Majors.  Of their fourteen children, only three sons – Balaram and Anand Rao, apart from Baba Saheb – and two daughters – Manjula and Tulsi – survived. 

 

The Army background of the Family had given Baba Saheb a high sense of Self-Respect, Determination, Dignity, Equality, Justice, Pride, as well as realisation of the importance of discipline, education, hard and good work, reading, sports, and high principles of moral values and character in life.  Baba Saheb had also inherited the Revolutionary Spirit from his Father.  Ramji Maloji Sakpal was always determined to fight against all forms of Discriminations and Injustices.  He took a leading part in protesting against Government of India’s Order in 1892, banning Recruitment of Mahars in Army.

 

Baba Saheb had his Primary Education in Dapoli, where his father moved to, after retirement from Army.  Baba Saheb later went to Satara, when his father again took up a Job, in the Military Head Quarters at Satara.  Soon after, Baba Saheb’s Mother expired, and her Samadhi (Cemetery) can be seen in Satara.

 

1.       14 Apr      1891    Born as the Fourteenth Child to –

                                     Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai Murbadkar at MHOW

2.                         1907    Passed Matriculation

3.                         1908    Married Rami, renamed as Ramabai after the Marriage

4.                                     Sayajirao Gaekwad, Maharaja of Baroda granted Ambedkar

                                     a monthly Scholarship of Rs 25/- for Graduation Studies,

                                     and Service in the State after Graduation             

5.                         1923    Set up Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (Outcastes’ Welfare Council)

                                     for spreading Education, Culture and Economic Development

                                     of Depressed Classes

6.                         1927    Nominated to Legislative Council, Bombay Presidency,

                                     on its reconstitution by the Governor of Bombay

7.       18  Feb      1927    Attended the newly constituted Bombay Legislative Council

8.       24  Feb      1927    Maiden Speech in the Bombay Legislative Council, on Budget

9.       19  March 1927     Mahad Satyagraha at Chowdar Tank in Colaba near Bombay

10.    3    April   1927    Started Bahishkrit Bharat, a fortnightly Marathi Paper

11.          Aug     1936    Founded Independent Labour Party

                                     Reflects his days in London, and Labour Party of UK

12.    17  Feb      1937    First General Elections under GOI Act 1935

                                     Contested Bombay Presidency Elections

                                     Out of 175 Seats, contested 15 Reserved and 2 General Seats

13.        Feb      1937    Elected to Bombay Legislative Assembly

                                     From Bombay West,

                                     defeating Palvankar a famous Bowler of Indian Team, and

                                     Rajbhoj and Deorykhar supported by Congress to split Votes

                                     Rajbhoj later became Secretary of Scheduled Castes Federation

14.          Feb      1937    Independent Labour Party won 15 of the 17 Seats contested

                                     Won nearly 90% of Seats Contested

15.                      1938    Death of wife Ramabai

16.    19  March 1940    Independence Day Celebrations by Depressed Classes

                                     to commemorate the Mahad Satyagraha Day

17.        July     1941    Appointed to Defence Advisory Committee,

                                     along with MC Rajah

                               as Viceroy expanded his Executive Council

18.          Apr      1942    Founded All India Scheduled Castes Federation at Nagpur

19.    2    July     1942    Appointed as Member of Viceroy’s Executive Council

20.    20  July     1942    Joined Viceroy’s Executive Council as Labour Member

21.                      1944    Founded Building Trust and Scheduled Caste Improvement Trust

22.          July      1944    Founded People’s Education Society at Bombay

23.          March 1946    Provincial Elections

                                     Sweeping Victory for Congress, except in Muslim Areas

                                     Massive Victory for Muslim League in Muslim Areas

                                     Scheduled Castes Federation, and others lost the Elections

24.    20  June     1946    Siddharth College started

25.          Oct      1946    Elected to the Constitution Assembly of India

                                     with support of Joginder Nath Mandal and Muslim League

                                    from East Bengal through by-Election

                                     Seat vacated by JN Mandal for Baba Saheb

26.    29  Apr      1947    Art 17, Constitution of India, Abolition of Untouchability passed

27.    15  Aug     1947    Partition of India

                                     Baba Saheb’s Constituency had gone with East Bengal

                                     to East Pakistan of Pakistan

28.    15  Aug     1947    Elected to Constituent Assembly from Bombay Presidency

                                     Seat vacated by Dr MR Jayakar of Congress

                                     Joined Nehru’s Cabinet,

                                     as the First Law Minister of Independent India

29.    15  Aug      1947    Appointed to the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly

30.    29  Aug      1947    Elected as Chairman, by the Drafting Committee

31.          Feb      1948    Draft Constitution of India finalised

32.    15  Apr      1948    Second Marriage in Delhi, with Dr Sharda Kabir,

                                     later known as Dr Savita Ambedkar

33.    4    Oct      1948    Draft Constitution presented to the Constituent Assembly

34.    20  Nov     1948    Constituent Assembly adopted –

                                     Art 17 Abolition of Untouchability

35.    25  Nov     1949    Historic Speech in Constituent Assembly, moving the Constitution

36.    26  Nov     1949    Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India

37.    1    Sept     1950    Foundation Stone of Milind Mahavidyalaya laid by

                                     Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of India

38.          Dec      1950    Went to Colombo as a Delegate to the World Buddhist Conference

39.    5    Feb      1951    Introduced Hindu Code Bill in Parliament

40.    15  Apr      1951    Laid the Foundation Stone of Dr Ambedkar Bhavan, Delhi

41.          July      1951    Founded – The Bharatiya Buddha Janasangh

42.    9    Sept    1951    Resigned from the Govt

43.    11  Oct      1951    Left the Cabinet

44.          Dec      1951    Contested the first Lok Sabha Elections   

45.          Jan      1952    Lost First Lok Sabha Elections to NS Kajrolkar of Congress

46.          Mar     1952    Entered Parliament as,

                                     Member of the Council/ Rajya Sabha representing Bombay

47.          Apr      1953    Lost the By-Election for Lok Sabha to Borkar of Congress

                                     Bhandara Constituency, Vidarbha Region

48.          Dec      1954    Delegate to 3rd World Buddhist Conference, Rangoon

49.          May     1955    Established Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha

                                     (The Buddhist Society of India)

50.          Aug      1955    Founded Murnbai Rajya Kanishtha Garkamgart Association

51.          Dec      1955    Installed an Image of Buddha at Dehu Road near Poona

52.          June     1956    Siddharth College of Law, Bombay opened

53.    14  Oct      1956    Embraced Buddhism at Diksha Bhoomi, Nagpur

                                     Millions embraced Buddhism

54.    14  Oct      1956    Announced –

                                     Dissolution of All India Scheduled Castes Federation, and

                                     Establishment of Republican Party of India

                                     Shows influence of Education in America,

                                     Elections, Politics and Parties there

55.    20  Nov     1956    Delegate to 4th World Buddhist Conference, Kathmandu

56.    6th Dec      1956    Maha-Parinirvan at Delhi

 

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