KSEEB Solutions for Class 10 English Prose Chapter 4 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 10 English Prose Chapter 4 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Check your understanding:

Question 1.
Ambedkar spent most of his life
a) purchasing books
b) attending conferences
c) reading books
d) importing books.
Answer:
(c) reading books.

Question 2.
Pick out the word in the first paragraph which means ‘a quality that makes a person or thing different from another’.
Answer:
Trait.

Question 3.
How did the fourteenth amendment to the American Constitution benefit Black Americans?
Answer:
The fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the USA gave freedom to the Black Americans.

Question 4.
What did Mahatma Phule work for?
Answer:
Mahatma Phule worked for a classless society and women’s uplift.

Question 5.
Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat and Samata were
a) voice mails
b) newspapers
c) political parties.
Answer:
(b) Newspapers.

Question 6.
Gandhiji termed the depressed classes as
Answer:
Harijans.

Check your understanding:

Question 1.
‘Draft’ is a banking term. How is the word used in the context of the lesson?
Answer:
Drafting is used as an adjective here because it is used in the term Drafting Committee. Drafting here means ‘to create and write’.

Question 2.
Dr. Ambedkar was not in the Congress party. Yet he was made the chairman of the drafting committee. Why?
Answer:
The farsighted and objective leadership of the Indian National Congress could understand that only Ambedkar could do justice to the drafting of the Constitution as chairman of the Drafting Committee.

Question 3.
‘He raised it brick by brick’. In this context, what was raised?
Answer:
The Fundamental Rights in the Constitution of India.

Question 4.
Who were the other notable members of the drafting committee?
Answer:
Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K.M. Munshi, and N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar were the other notable members of the drafting committee.

Question 5.
Ambedkar had a ‘rare gift’. What was it?
Answer:
Dr. Ambedkar had the rare gift of unraveling the most complicated legal concepts in a simple language which even laymen could understand.

Question 6.
The Constitution is a fundamental document to both the ruler and the ruled. How?
Answer:
The Constitution creates the organs of the state and gives it power. But the Constitution also ensures that the state does not misuse its power, by limiting its authority. Thus the Constitution is for both the ruler and the ruled.

Check your understanding:

Question 1.
Nehru chose Ambedkar as a law minister for three reasons. What are they?
OR
Why did Jawaharlal Nehru choose Dr. Ambedkar to be the first Law Minister of India?
Answer:
The three reasons that made Nehru choose Ambedkar as Law Minister were: Ambedkar’s skills in the field of law and legislation, Ambedkar’s vision of social justice which was to be infused into the new Indian polity and a tribute to the success of Ambedkar’s campaigns against social injustice.

Question 2.
Are you aware of the facilities provided by the Social Welfare Department? Mention any two.
Answer:
The social welfare Department provides the following facilities.
Under Employment and Training scheme

1.  Navachethana is a scheme for imparting training of unemployed SC youths from 1996 – 97 onwards.
2. Incentive scholarships to I to IV students and high school going girls.

Question 3.
After independence, members of the scheduled castes have found doors opened to them. How?
Answer:
After independence, the scheduled castes are free of the legal bars for self-expression or self-advancement.

Question 4.
All people should be given equal opportunities to prove themselves. How are the members of the scheduled castes proving themselves?
Answer:
The scheduled castes have proved their ability by getting enrolled in institutes of higher learning. They have their place in public services and politics both at the Centre and in the States. They have served as judges, ambassadors and governors and proved their credibility.

Question 5.
Babasaheb Ambedkar considers public agitation in free India as unconstitutional. Why?
Answer:
Public agitation in a democracy based on free and fair election is misdirected and volatile resulting in loss of lives and public property.

Question 6.
Social discrimination still exists in India. Discuss.
Answer:
Unfortunately, even after independence and constitutional equality, social discrimination still exists in India. This is evident in the acts of violence meted out to the people belonging to the SCs/STs in rural areas. Even now marriages between the so-called higher castes and SCs/STs are vehemently opposed. There have been honour killing of girls on this count. In addition, there are violent demonstrations against the reservation policy which is an attempt to give an extra fillip to the SCs/STs, who suffered centuries of ill-treatment and need decades to come out of the psychological impact.

Check your understanding:

Question 1.
What were the opinions of the Buddha and Avvai regarding the caste divisions?
Answer:
If the Buddha showed that the only division that should exist among the people should be the one that separates the noble and the wholesome from the ignoble and the unwholesome, Avvai argued that the charitable are superior to the misers!

Question 2.
Caste system in India is in a strong position because of (Fill in the blank)
Answer:
the virtue of its power structure.

Question 3.
Why did the British magnify the caste distinctions?
Answer:
The British magnified the caste system as they knew that it gave them the advantage of exercising the ‘Divide and Rule’ policy.

Question 4.
The word‘hegemony’ means
a) distinction
b) control
c) strength.
Answer:
(b) control.

Question 5.
‘They brought about a veritable revolution in social thought’.
a) Who are They’?
b) What revolution is referred to here?
c) How did they bring about the revolution?
Answer:
a) Gandhiji and Ambedkar.
b) They brought about the revolution of repudiating caste and proclaiming the oneness of the Hindu community.
c) They brought about the revolution by reminding the higher cartes, their duty towards the depressed class, and the depressed class of their rights.

Question 6.
Why did Nehru describe Dr. Ambedkar as ‘a symbol of revolt’?
Answer:
Nehru described Dr. Ambedker as ‘a symbol of revolt’ because he raised a voice against the discrimination against scheduled caste which had suffered for so long time in the part.

Think about the text:

Question 1.
Ambedkar had a great thirst for books. Explain.
OR
“Dr. Ambedkar was a voracious reader”. Give some examples to support this statement.
OR
How can you say that Ambedkar had a great thirst for books throughout his life?
Answer:
Ambedkar was very fond of reading books from his childhood. Throughout his life, he read books. Wherever he went he bought books. He had an insatiable thirst for books. He bought 2000 books from Newyork and 32 boxes of books from London. This shows that he was a voracious reader.

Question 2.
How did the fourteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Mahatma Phule influence Ambedkar?
Answer:
While he was in the USA, the 14th amendment of the constitution of the USA gave freedom to the Black Americans. It drew his attention. The situation for the depressed classes in India had also faced the same problem. At that time Mahatma Phule worked for a classless society and Women’s upliftment. Ambedkar had influence from both the incidents. So he had decided to use his time and talent to improve the conditions of depressed classes.

Question 3.
There were great luminaries on the Drafting Committee. Dr. Ambedkar is remembered as the pilot. Give reasons.
Answer:
Ambedkar framed the Fundamental Rights, keeping the Indian situation as well as what he had seen in other nations in mind. His expertise and experience were at the forefront when he framed the Constitution as its Chairman. Though other luminaries like Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K.M. Munshi and N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar contributed their might, undoubtedly Ambedkar was the mastermind behind the Constitution and is considered its pilot. The Constitutional Adviser, B.N. Rau, helped Ambedkar when it came to the task of explaining the complicated legal concepts to non-legal people in layman’s language.

Question 4.
Write a short note on Dr. Ambedkar’s idea /perception of the three pillars of State.
Answer:
Ambedkar knew the importance of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary in the framework of the nation. However, he also knew that their power should not exceed the fundamental rights of the citizens. There should be no scope for tyranny. The importance of citizens should never be overlooked.

Question 5.
What are the significant observations of Dr. Ambedkar on the Constitution?
Answer:
Ambedkar’s observations on the Constitution are that the Constitution is a fundamental document; this fundamental document, on the one hand, records the power of the three organs of the State – the executive, the judiciary and the legislature and, on the other hand, it upholds the rights of the citizen.

Question 6.
Nehru chose Dr. Ambedkar as the law minister. What might have prompted Nehru to do so?
Answer:
In recognition of Ambedkar’s legal expertise and vision of social justice, Nehru chose Ambedkar as the first Law Minister of independent India. Nehru was impressed by the fact that in the case of Ambedkar, it was not merely a theory of social justice but also the fact that Ambedkar was an activist fighting for social justice.

Question 7.
What made Dr. Ambedkar describe the methods of Civil Disobedience, Non-cooperation and Satyagraha as the ‘Grammar of Anarchy’?
OR
“Dr. B.R. Ambedkar describes the methods of Civil Disobedience, Non-cooperation and Satyagraha as the Grammar of anarchy What, according to him, would be the result of this?
Answer:
Ambedkar opposed the idea of Civil Disobedience. Such means of protest were fine when Indians had to voice their opposition to the foreign rule. But, in a democratic India, such methods only led to loss of property and human lives and hence Ambedkar decried the practice as the ‘Grammar of Anarchy’.

Question 8.
How did Dr. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi try to wipe out caste discrimination from India?
Answer:
Both Gandhiji and Dr. Ambedkar refused the caste system and declared the oneness of the Hindu Community Gandhiji reminding the higher castes of their duty towards depressed classes. And Dr. Ambedkar reminding the inherent rights to equality with the powerful castes. Gandhiji stressed the duties and Dr. Ambekar stressed the rights both brought about a true revolution in the social thought of the people.

Question 9.
Discuss with your friends and complete the web-chart given below:

Answer:
Pioneer of reforms, Initiator of thought-provoking newspapers, Founder of progressive institutions, Keen debater, Architect of the Indian Constitution, First Law Minister, Visionary of social justice, Great Indian, Repudiator of caste, Votary of oneness, Dreamer of Samata.

Enrich your vocabulary:

Task 1: Read the following paragraph and replace the underlined words with the appropriate words given in brackets:

Children have special qualities. They can think and imagine in creative ways and are able to understand new things much better than their elders. But, just by new ideas, nothing happens. Their ideas must have inborn strengths and stand the test of time. They should not become self-satisfied with their first steps of success.
(complacent, conceive, trait, perceive, inherent)

Use the words given in brackets in sentences of your own.
Answer:
Children have special traits. They can conceive in creative ways and are able to perceive new things much better than their elders. But, just by new ideas, nothing happens. Their ideas must have inherent strengths and stand the test of time. They should not become complacent with their first steps of success.

Use in sentences:

1. Complacent: The success of our past achievements should not leave us complacent.
2. Conceive: I conceived of the plan while I was having dinner.
3. Trait: That’s an important trait for a leader.
4. Perceive: There are wavelengths of light that the human eye cannot perceive.
5. Inherent: There are inherent flaws in the present system of taxation in the country.

Learn grammar through communication:

Task 1: Here are some sentences. Combine them using the linkers given in brackets. One is done for you.
e.g. It rained heavily. We reached home in time, (though)
Though it rained heavily, we reached home in time.

1. There is a shortage of water. Some people are wasting it unthinkingly, (although)
2. There was heavy traffic. We were delayed, (since)
3. The students played for an hour. They attended to their studies later on. (and then)
4. We expected a difficult question paper. The questions asked in the examination were easy, (but)
5. The flight was delayed. The weather was cloudy, (as)
6. The student scored less marks. He had not studied properly, (because)

Answer:

1. Although there is a shortage of water, some people are wasting it unthinkingly.
2. Since there was heavy traffic, we were delayed.
3. The students played for an hour, and then attended to their studies later on.
4. We expected a difficult question paper, but the questions asked in the examination were easy.
5. The flight was delayed as the weather was cloudy.
6. The student scored less marks because he had not studied properly.

Make reference:

Task 1: Refer a dictionary and split the following words into their syllables.

1. probability
2. determination
3. accept
4. canteen
5. again
6. conscience
7. idea
8. reflection

Answer:

1. prob-a-bil-i-ty
2. de-ter-mi-na-tion
3. ac-cept
4. can-teen
5. a-gain
6. con-science
7. i-de-a
8. re-flec-tion.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Additional Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions in a word or a sentence each:

Question 1.
Which was the one trait that marked Dr. Ambedkar not only during his student days but also throughout his life?
Answer:
The trait of reading voraciously was the one trait that marked Dr. Ambedkar not only during his student days but also throughout his life.

Question 2.
Where did the Second Round Table Conference take place?
Answer:
The Second Round Table Conference took place in London.

Question 3.
What was the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that influenced Ambedkar?
Answer:
The fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the USA, giving freedom to the Black Americans, influenced Ambedkar.

Question 4.
By whom was Ambedkar greatly influenced?
Answer:
Ambedkar was greatly influenced by Mahatma Phule.

Question 5.
What did Mahatma Phule advocate?
Answer:
Mahatma Phule advocated a classless society and women’s uplift.

Question 6.
Name the newspapers started by Ambedkar.
Answer:
Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat and Samata were the newspapers started by Ambedkar.

Question 7.
Which were the institutions set up by Ambedkar?
Answer:
Hitakarini Sabha and the Independent Labour Party of India were the institutions set up by Ambedkar.

Question 8.
By what name did Gandhiji refer to the depressed classes?
Answer:
Gandhiji referred to the depressed classes as Harijans.

Question 9.
Who was appointed as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly?
Answer:
Ambedkar was appointed as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.

Question 10.
Name the members of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
Answer:
Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K.M. Munshi and N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar were the members of the drafting committee.

Question 11.
Who was the Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly?
Answer:
B.N. Rau was the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly.

Question 12.
Who was the first law minister of independent India?
Answer:
Ambedkar was the first law minister of independent India.

Question 13.
Who is hailed as the modern Manu?
Answer:
Ambedkar is hailed as the modern Manu.

Question 14.
Which methods did Ambedkar consider as the ‘grammar of anarchy’?
Answer:
Ambedkar considered the methods of civil disobedience, non-cooperation and satyagraha in free India the “grammar of anarchy.”

Question 15.
What is the consequence of the right to rebellion against a government in a democracy?
Answer:
The consequence of the right to rebellion against a government in a democracy is the loss of lives and public property.

Question 16.
Who had questioned the caste divisions about 2500 years ago?
Answer:
The Buddha had questioned the caste divisions about 2500 years ago.

Question 17.
Under which policy did the British rulers try to divide the people on the basis of caste?
Answer:
Under the ‘Divide and Rule’ policy, the British rulers tried to divide the people on the basis of caste.

.

Question 18.
Name the two great Indians who proclaimed the oneness of the Hindu community.
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Question 19.
In which year did Ambedkar pass away?
Answer:
Ambedkar passed away in 1956.

Question 20.
Who described Ambedkar as ‘a symbol of revolt’?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru described Ambedkar as ‘a symbol of revolt.’

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each:

Question 1.
What progress has been made in providing equality of opportunities to the scheduled castes?
Answer:
In independent India many attempts have been made to provide equal opportunities to the scheduled castes. Scheduled castes are free of the legal bars for self-expiession or self¬advancement. There are special schemes that have made it possible for the scheduled castes to be educated and thereby occupy high offices of state, both at the Centre and ill the States.

Question 2.
Which are the only two castes in the world, according to Avvai?
Answer:
Awai advocates a casteless society. According to him, a distinction should be made only between the charitable and the misers. The charitable who contribute to society are superior to the rest.

Question 3.
What was the difference in the methods of Ambedkar and Gandhiji in repudiating caste and proclaiming the oneness of the Hindu community?
Answer:
Gandhiji and Ambedkar had different agendas. But together they complemented each other. If Gandhiji appealed to the privileged sections of society to honour their duty towards the depressed classes, Ambedkar encouraged the underprivileged to fight for their rights. Together they could bring about a revolutionary change in society.

Question 4.
What tribute did Nehru pay at the passing away of Ambedkar?
Answer:
When Ambedkar passed away, Nehru paid him a glorious tribute by describing him as ‘a symbol of revolt.’ Nehru also recognised Ambedkar as the champion of the oppressed and the depressed. Nehru admired Ambedkar for his persistence and perseverance in awakening people’s conscience about the depressed lot.

Answer the following questions in 6-8 sentences each:

Question 1.
What progress has been achieved in the upliftment of the scheduled castes since independence?
Answer:
Since independence, much progress has been made in providing equality of opportunities to the scheduled castes. Doors, which had been closed for centuries, are being opened for members of the scheduled castes. No legal bars exist today for self-expression or self-advancement. They are enrolling themselves in institutes of higher learning and entering public services. They have come to occupy high offices of State, both at the Centre and in the States. Judges, ambassadors and governors have been drawn from their ranks.

Question 2.
Why did Dr. Ambedkar stress on constitutional methods to achieve social objectives?
Answer:
According to Dr. Ambedkar, though the methods of civil disobedience, non-cooperation and satyagraha were good against an alien power, they resulted in anarchy if used in a democracy. He felt such methods were not necessary in a democracy based on free and fair elections. Such agitations, he said, would invariably result in loss of lives and property. Hence he stressed the importance of constitutional methods to achieve social objectives.

Question 3.
How did Gandhiji and Ambedkar bring about a revolution in social thought?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar repudiated the caste systefn and proclaimed the oneness of the Hindu community. Gandhiji reminded the higher castes of their duty towards the depressed classes while Dr. Ambedkar reminded the lower castes of their inherent rights to equality with the higher and more powerful castes. Gandhiji stressed the duties while Dr. Ambedkar stressed the rights. Together, they brought about a veritable revolution in social thought.

Question 4.
Why did Nehru describe Dr. Ambedkar as a ‘symbol of revolt’?
Answer:
Not only through his perseverance and persistence, but also through virulence of his opposition, Dr. Ambedkar kept the people’s mind awake and did not allow them to be complacent about matters that could not be forgotten. He helped in rousing up those groups in our country that had suffered for long in the past. Hence Nehru calls such a prominent champion of the oppressed and depressed classes of India, a ‘symbol of revolt’.

Question 5.
How has the Constitution helped the depressed classes in India?
Answer:
Ambedkar was inspired by the fourteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution and by Mahatma Phule and strove to uplift the Depressed Classes in India through the constitutional rights. Our Constitution offers equality of opportunities to the people of India and that’s, why Scheduled Castes find doors, which had been closed to them for centuries, being opened. Our Constitution gives freedom to all when it comes to the question of self-expression and self-advancement.

Question 6.
Why did Nehru choose Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the first law minister of India?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru chose Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the first Law Minister of independent India. This was a recognition of Ambedkar’s skill in the field of law and legislation. It was also a tribute to his vision of social justice, a vision which was sought to be infused into the new Indian polity. But, above all, this was a tribute to his successful campaigns against social injustice.

Question 7.
What are the significant observations of Ambedkar on the Constitution?
Answer:
Being a visionary, Ambedkar had a clear understanding of how the Constitution of a country should function. He knew that the Constitution is a fundamental document that explains the extent of power a State could enjoy through its three organs – the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. He knew that the citizens would be bound by the power of the executive and the power of the legislature. But he also knew that the State itself was bound by the Constitution in not misusing its authority over its citizens.

Question 8.
What was Dr. Ambedkar’s work as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee?
Answer:
As Chairman of the Drafting Committee Ambedkar’s work was challenging indeed. He kept the needs of our society and people in mind even as he learnt from the experience of other nations. Thus he carefully evolved the Fundamental Rights of the citizens of India. After drafting the Constitution, he had to place it before the Assembly and explain the meaning and scope of different provisions. He could do justice to the task as he had the rare gift of simplifying concepts and making them clear to all. Thus Ambedkar was the best choice as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions given below them:

Question 1.
“While in the U.S.A., he was drawn to the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution”.
a) Who is the ‘he’ referred to?
b) Why was the Constitution amended?
c) Why was the person drawn towards it?
Answer:
a) Ambedkar.
b) The Constitution was amended to give freedom to Black Americans.
c) The person was drawn towards it because he saw a parallel situation in India where the Depressed Classes had no equality.

Question 2.
“Drawing from the examples and experience of other nations and the distinctive needs of our own society, he raised, brick by brick, the magnificent edifice which now stands”.
a) To which society does ‘our own society’ refer to?
b) Who is the ‘he’?
c) Which is the magnificent edifice that stands now?
Answer:
a) Indian society.
b) Ambedkar.
c) The Fundamental Rights in the Constitution of India.

Question 3.
One stressed the duties, the other stressed the rights. Together they brought about a veritable revolution in social thought.
a) Who is the ‘one’ referred to here?
b) Who is the ‘other’?
c) What revolution did they bring about?
Answer:
a) Gandhiji.
b) Ambedkar.
c) They brought about a revolution in social thought which until then did not consider the depressed class equal to the higher caste.

Question 4.
Who could have dreamt that one born to a Mahar family would one day become not only a law minister but a law maker ____?
a) Who is referred to as ‘law minister’ here?
b) Who chose him to be the law minister?
c) Why is he recognised as the lawmaker?
Answer:
a) Dr. B.R: Ambedkar.
b) Jawaharlal Nehru.
c) He is recognized as the lawmaker because he drafted the Constitution of India.

Question 5.
“His flair for legislative work became evident to the whole nation
a) Whose flair became evident?
b) When did it become evident?
c) Pick out the word from the given statement which means ‘a natural ability to do something well\
Answer:
a) Dr. Ambedkar’s.
b) When he contributed to the debates in the Bombay Legislative Assembly.
c) Flair.

Question 6.
“They brought about a veritable revolution in social thought
a) Who does ‘they’ refer to?
b) What revolution is referred to here?
c) How did they bring about the revolution?
Answer:
a) Gandhiji and Ambedkar.
b) They brought about the revolution of repudiating caste and proclaiming the oneness of the Hindu community.
c) They brought about the revolution by reminding the higher caste people of their duty towards the depressed class, and the depressed class of their rights.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
One trait that marked Ambedkar throughout his life was that he was
A) a great debater
B) a voracious reader
C) far-sighted
D) a symbol of revolt
Answer:
B) a voracious reader

Question 2.
B. R. Ambedkar was greatly influenced by
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Mahatma Gandhiji
C) Mahatma Phule
D) Awai
Answer:
C) Mahatma Phule

Question 3.
What role did Ambedkar play in the framing of the Indian Constitution?
A) He was appointed the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
B) He was made the first Law Minister of independent India.
C) He was elected member of the Bombay Legislative Assembly.
D) He attended the Second Round Table Conference held in London.
Answer:
A) He was appointed the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

Question 4.
Which of the following newspapers was not started by Ambedkar?
A) Mooknayak
B) Samata
C) Bahishkrit Bharat
D) Mahratta
Answer:
D) Mahratta

Question 5.
Gandhiji referred to the depressed classes as
A) dalits
B) harijans
C) backward classes
D) scheduled castes
Answer:
B) harijans

Question 6.
The Constitutional Adviser to Ambedkar was
A) Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
B) KM. Munshi
C) N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar
D) B.N. Rau
Answer:
D) B.N. Rau

Question 7.
The first law minister of independent India was
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Ambedkar
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Answer:
B) Ambedkar

Question 8.
How was Ambedkar’s skill in the field of law and legislation as also his vision of social justice recognised?
A) He was sent to London to attend the Second Round Table Conference.
B) He was appointed the first law minister of independent India.
C) He was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
D) He was hailed as the modern Manu.
Answer:
B) He was appointed the first law minister of independent India.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Summary in English

This lesson is an extract from the message that Sri. R. Venkataraman, former President of India, wrote for the book ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – The Man and his Message – A Commemorative Volume’.

Ambedkar was a voracious reader. What is remarkable is that he bought books by sacrificing other needs. The author cites two instances to show what an avid reader Ambedkar was – in New York if he bought 2000 books, in London where he went for the Second Round Table Conference he bought books which had to be sent to India in 32 boxes!

There were different influences that made Ambedkar fight for an egalitarian society. The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the USA, giving freedom to the black Americans, Mahatma’s movement for the welfare of the Harijans, Phule’s attempts at a classless society had an impact on Ambedkar and he started his crusade for the uplift of the downtrodden through his newspapers – ‘Mooknayak’, ‘Bahishkrit Bharat’, ‘Samata’ and his institutions – Hitakarini Sabha and Independent Labour Party.
Ambedkar impressed all as the elected member of the Bombay Legislative Assembly. He made effective contributions to the debates in the Assembly on a variety of subjects.

The Indian National Congress chose Ambedkar as the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, though Ambedkar was not in the Congress. This afforded Dr. Ambedkar the opportunity to give the most notable and permanent shape to his social philosophy.

Ambedkar took painstaking efforts in framing the Fundamental Rights, which he did keeping in mind the Indian situation as well as what he had seen in other nations. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K.M. Munshi and N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar – the other members – contributed their might and the Constitutional Adviser, B.N. Rau, helped Ambedkar in explaining to others the complicated legal concepts in a layman’s language.

While framing the Constitution, Ambedkar recognised the mutuality among the legislature, the executive and the judiciary without overlooking the importance of citizens.

In recognition of Ambedkar’s legal expertise and vision of social justice, Nehru chose Ambedkar as the first Law Minister of independent India. The author writes that it was a great feat for a man born to a Mahar family to be considered, the modern Manu.

It is because of the efforts of visionaries like Ambedkar, people belonging to the scheduled castes enjoy equal opportunity in different fields of higher learning and public services.

However, the writer laments the fact that there are instances of discrimination against the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes even now, and if we have to consider the work of Ambedkar fully done, this should stop.

The author voices his opinion that in a free, democratic India if there are instances of civil disobedience in the form of strikes, it would be, as Ambedkar remarked in the past, ‘grammar of anarchy’. This does not augur well for the country as it involves loss of public property and even lives.
Despite many philosophers and thinkers like the Buddha and the Tamil poetess Awai questioning the divisive forces in society, caste system has remained deep-seated in India.

Summarising the contributions of Gandhi and Ambedkar in breaking down the caste barriers even as the British had divided Indians, the author says that if the Mahatma impressed upon the higher caste the idea that they had to be noble towards the lower caste, Babasaheb spurred these so called lower caste people to fight for their rights. Thus, between the two of them, the circle was complete in bringing about a revolution.

Paying tribute to Ambedkar on his death, Nehru referred to him as the ‘symbol of revolt’. Nehru was of the opinion that despite differences of opinion among political leaders about Ambedkar’s ideology, what all had to reckon with was Ambedkar’s persistence and perseverance in making people fight for their rights.
The author ends with the hope that soon Ambedkar’s dream of an egalitarian society would be a reality in India.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Summary in Kannada

Glossary:

• voracious: very eager for knowledge
• insatiable: that which cannot be satisfied
• amelioration: making something better
• conceive: think
• edifice: (here) system
• devolve: be transferred or passed to somebody
• indefatigable: never giving up
• perception: ability to see, hear, understand
• untramelled: not restricted
• tyranny: cruel, unjust, oppressive rule
• oppression: bad rule, cruelty, injustice
• statute: law
• acquitted: let free
• eliminated: removed
• entrenched: deeply rooted
• hegemony: controlled by one country or organisation
• epic reforms: heroic reforms
• vantage point: advantageous position
• volatile: liable to change rapidly
• wholesome: good for one’s health or well being
• virulence: being harmful, deadly
• complacent: too satisfied with oneself