On His Birth Anniversary, Watch How Dr Ambedkar Changed Our Lives

A look at how our lives have changed because of Ambedkar.

People scatter rose petals in front of a portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar, the author of the Indian Constitution. 

(Photo: Reuters)

(This article was originally published on 13 April 2015 and is being reposted from The Quint’s archives on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti. You can read our other stories on Dr BR Ambedkar here.)

Beyond ‘greatest Dalit icon’ and ‘father of our Constitution’, there was a lot more to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Things we don’t hear political parties talking about, or read in our school books.

Here are just some of the many ways in which his work has left its mark on all our lives, even today.

1. Rights in the Workplace

Do you have a cushy nine-to-five job? Well, thank Ambedkar! Back in 1942, it was his idea for workers in India to have an 8-hour workday, instead of 12.

And that’s not all. Bhimrao also framed the laws that give government employees a dearness allowance and the the rest of us our Provident Funds.

If it wasn’t for Dr BR Ambedkar, we would all probably be working a lot longer. (Photo: reuters)

2. Currency, Banking and Free Markets

Ambedkar was also the leading authority on currency and banking in his time – the Reserve Bank of India was created in 1935 based on his recommendations. The icon was also a staunch believer in free markets, the gold standard and economic freedom.

(Photo: Reuters)

3. Generating Power

If dams were (as Nehru said) the temples of Modern India, than Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was certainly the head priest.

He was instrumental in the creation of the Hirakud Dam, the Damodar Valley River Project and the Son River Project – making sure a young country had enough bijli to fuel its dreams.

He also established the Central Technical Power Board, which manages hydro power station sites, hydroelectric surveys, analyzing problems of electricity generation and thermal power station investigation.

The Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River – the longest dam in India – was built under the chairmanship of Dr Ambedkar. (Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

4. Gender Equality

Contemporary politicians like Sakshi Maharaj, Giriraj Singh and Sharad Yadav may not be able to free their minds from gender bias, but long before their time, Ambedkar had laid the foundations for women’s empowerment in India.

He framed the laws that gave women the Right to Property, Maternity Benefits and the Women’s Labour Welfare Fund.

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj asked all Hindu women to produce four children, while decades ago Ambedkar fought for gender equality. (Photo: Reuters)

All this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Bhimrao also had a PhD from Columbia, laid the cornerstone for modern Dalit politics and drafted the Constitution – all at a time when most of his countrymen still saw him as an ‘untouchable’.

A young Ambedkar. (Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

(With inputs from Monica Sarup)

(This article was originally published on 13 April 2015 and has been reposted from The Quint’s archives to mark the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar.)