Ambedkar Jayanti 2024: Remembering the Father of the Constitution of India on Bhim Jayanti

Ambedkar Jayanti 2024 Date: Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a jurist, economist, politician and social reformer of India. He himself was born into a Dalit family who grew up watching his people being discriminated and considered as untouchables. He fought against this discrimination and also inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement. Known most for the work he did for the uplift of dalits, Dr B R Ambedkar was a member of the Constituent Drafting committee and is also considered the chief architect of the Constitution of India.

Ambedkar was also the first Minister of Law and Justice of India. To honor his life and work, every year his birth anniversary is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti. Ambedkar Jayanti 2024 is being observed on 14th of April 2024. Know more details about the Ambedkar Jayanti here from this post.

Ambedkar Jayanti 2024 Overview

Date of B R Ambedkar Jayanti 2024

B R Ambedkar, also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was born on 14 April 1891 and every year this day is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti.

The date is calculated as per the Gregorian calendar and therefore remains fix every year. In the upcoming year 2024, B R Ambedkar Jayanti will fall on Thursday, 14 April.

Holiday on Ambedkar Jayanti 2024

Janardan Sadashiv Ranapisay, a follower of Ambedkar and a social activist, started the tradition of celebrating the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar as Ambedkar Jayanti. This day is observed as a public holiday in more than 25 states and union territories of India.

States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan and many more mark Ambedkar Jayanti as a public holiday. All public offices under the state government in these dates will remain close on Ambedkar Jayanti. Other than this, banks, schools and many private offices may also grant a day off on this day.

History of Dr. B R Ambedkar

Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 into a Mahar (dalit) caste, who were considered as untouchables. Being a lower caste, he grew up facing discrimination all his life. In school he was not allowed to touch the water vessel and had to bring a sack on which he could sit and study.

He was academically very brilliant and became the only untouchable enrolled at Elphinstone High School. He had also been a student at Columbia University, United States and London School of Economics.

Ambedkar was the first Minister of Law and Justice of independent India and was the chief architect of the Constitution of India.

Fight Against Discrimination- Significance of Ambedkar Jayanti

Ambedkar was totally against the discrimination on the basis of caste that was actually quite a famous practice in India then. To promote education and other basic rights for untouchables, he established the central institution Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha. He also initiated many movements to provide dalits the access to public drinking water resources and the right to enter Hindu temples. His work against discrimination was praised by many people who all became followers or supporter of B R Ambedkar. Before his death in 1956, Ambedkar got converted into a Buddhist along with his wife and around five lakhs of his supporter.

How to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti?

Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm by his followers. Not just in India, Ambedkar Jayanti is also celebrated by dalits, adivasi, labour workers, etc all around the world. Processions are carried out at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai and Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur that are joined by thousand of Ambedkar’s supporters.

People also visit local statues of Dr Ambedkar and pay their tribute to him. Other than this, President, Prime Minister and leaders of major political parties also pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the Parliament of India, New Delhi.

Tribute paid to Dr B R Ambedkar

Almost every year on Ambedkar Jayanti, the work of B R Ambedkar is honored by paying special tribute to him.

1. 1966, 1973, 1991, 2001, 2009, 2013,  2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020-  Stamps dedicated to Ambedkar were issued on his birth anniversary by Indian Post.
2. 1990- Bharat Ratna was awarded to Ambedkar posthumously and his life size portrait was unveiled in the Central Hall of Parliament. The period from 14 April 1990 to 14 April 1991 was observed as the Year of Social Justice.
3. 2015-  10 rupees and 125 rupees coins were issued by the government of India to mark the 125 birth anniversary of Ambedkar. A Google Doodle was also featured in India, Argentina, Chile, Ireland, Peru, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
4. 2016, 2017 and 2018-  Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated by the United Nations.
5. 2017- Government of Maharashtra observed his birth anniversary as Knowledge Day in the state. Also, Twitter launched Dr. Ambedkar emoji on this very day.
6. 2020- Council of the City of Burnaby, Canada started observing his birth anniversary as the Dr. B R Ambedkar Day of Equality
7. 2021-Government of British Columbia has decided to observe April 14 as Dr. B R Ambedkar Equality Day.

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