Monday, 17 April 2023 | Dr BKS Sanjay
GUEST COLUMN
Dr BKS Sanjay
BR Ambedkar’s 132nd birth anniversary was recently observed on April 14. I have reached where I am because of two reasons- because of Ambedkar’s mantra- “be educated” and because of the mantra in the Geeta- “action is superior to inaction”.
According to my understanding, Ambedkar’s biggest contribution in the making of modern India is that he gave such a detailed and written constitution to our country. Our constitution is based on harmony and equality and is the pivot of nation building. It has guaranteed every adult the right to vote. If this provision was not there in the constitution, most of the people of our country would have been demanding the right to vote and things like equality and justice would have been a far cry. Speaking for myself, I can definitely say that according to my geographical, economic, social and family background, I would not have reached where I have reached and probably many of you too. On Ambedkar’s birth anniversary in parliament in 2015, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in his address that it is because of our constitution that today a Dalit is the President of the country, a farmer’s son is the Vice President and a tea seller is the Prime Minister.
I believe that the way MK Gandhi gave political freedom in our country by running a non-violent movement, Ambedkar gave not only political but also social and economic freedom to all of us by running a non-violent movement through the constitution. He was able to do this only because he took education and received education not only from the highest institutions of the country but also from the world-famous Columbia University of America and London School of Economics in Britain.
I think no other national or international leader had received as much respect as he earned through his intelligence and duties. It is a matter of great pride for our country that Ambedkar was given first place in the list of contemporary100 intelligent students of the world. Some years ago his 125thbirth anniversary was celebrated for the first time at the United Nations in New York. He is such a person whose birth anniversary is celebrated every year in about 65 countries of the world. The then US President Barack Obama, while addressing the Indian parliament in 2010, referred to Ambedkar as the architect of India’s constitution and a great human rights champion of the world.
His statutes are installed not only in different parts of the country but also in many countries of the world as in the Columbia University in America and London School of Economics in Britain. Ambedkar was not only the architect of our constitution but was a true social reformer for the entire humanity. This is the reason why all the main political parties of the country honoured him in their own way, such as installing his statue in the premises of the parliament, conferring the country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, building a grand and unique government park in his name, naming dozens of universities, hundreds of institutions and places in the country, constructing Ambedkar memorial in Lucknow and Noida, creating Ambedkar Pratishthan in Delhi, declaring a public holiday on his birthday and making Ambedkar memorial in London which was inaugurated in 2015 by Prime Minister Modi.
Ambedkar was a man of many talents. If you look closely at the Indian constitution it will be clear that he has taken care of every person, class, caste, region and religion of the country. In my opinion he is not the leader of our country alone but one of the few leaders of the whole world, whose ideas have become ideal for the entire humanity today. In my understanding, whatever Ambedkar achieved in his life and even after life, he achieved only through education. The event of reaching America at the age of 22 to study at the prestigious Columbia University with the financial help from the Raja Gaikwad of Baroda acted as a catalyst in his life. He gave the slogan of “be educated”, but how to become educated in today’s system? Today money is needed to get education with money and education becoming synonymous. Those who have money have education and those who have education have money. Our governments have given the right to education but not the right to qualified teachers. I believe that education leads to employment and employment leads to empowerment. If governments want to give something to the poor, then it should be education and that too quality education, free of cost or at least at subsidised rates.
It is only through knowledge that a person takes second birth and becomes another person. Ambedkar proved this well with his knowledge. The type of knowledge one has decides what type of person he or she becomes. I would say that what is written in Manusmriti proves this fact. “Janmana Jayate Shudrah Karmana Dwij Uchyate” which means every person is a Shudra by birth and becomes a Dwij (twice born) by his actions. Ambedkar is proof of this.
Many examples of this will be found in modern India as well. Our President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Modi and all of us are also living examples of this. Our scriptures are full of such examples like Vedvyas, the author of Mahabharata, Valmiki, the author of Ramayana, and Vidura, the son of Satyakama who became different by their knowledge and their deeds. Our society should accept the universal fact that there is a need to bring change in individual, society and country and change is a universal truth. To bring any change thoughts need to be changed. It is written in our scriptures, “Vicharam Param Gyanam” which means thought is the ultimate knowledge and it is also written “Gyanam Param Balam” which means knowledge is the greatest strength but certain people are not able to digest the change that is taking place in the society. They are opposing this change in every way, by hook or by crook. This is because of politics or ideology but the root cause of all this is the social system which has been going on for a long time.
Buddhist philosophy states that our life is shaped by our mind, we become what we think. Ambedkar had said that the development of intelligence should be an important part of human existence. This goal can be achieved only through education, so we all should follow the basic mantra of Bhimrao Ambedkar and be educated because knowledge is the basis of every person’s life.
I believe that when every child will get a good education, then many Ambedkars, Murmus, Modis, Karnas, Vidurs and Satyakams will be born. In my opinion we all should be identified only by work and not by caste, creed, religion, gender or region. If this happens it will fulfill the dream of Prime Minister Modi and all the citizens in the real sense. Then our nation will become self-reliant and ultimately a Vishwaguru and a developed nation.
(The author is a Padma Shri recipient orthopaedic surgeon. Views expressed are personal)
