B. R. Ambedkar, Economist, Statesman, Social Reformer
Economist, Statesman, Social Reformer

B. R. Ambedkar

Born 14 April 1891 · Madhya Pradesh — Died 6 December 1956

Chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India in 1947-1949.

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and politician who chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India based on the debates of the Constituent Assembly of India and the first draft of Sir Benegal Narsing Rau. Ambedkar served as Law and Justice minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Ambedkar was one of the few Indians in the 1920s to earn doctorates from both Columbia University and the London School of Economics, completing his D.Sc thesis on the Indian Rupee’s economic crisis in 1923.

The Story

1
In 1891, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born in the military cantonment town of Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, into a Mahar family facing harsh caste-based discrimination; even at school, he had to sit on a gunny sack and could not drink water unless poured by a higher caste attendant.
2
🎓 Between 1913 and 1927, Ambedkar earned multiple doctorates in economics from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and became a barrister at Gray's Inn, London, a rare feat for Indians in the 1920s.
3📜 In 1947–1949, Ambedkar chaired the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution, shaping it with principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, building on debates in the Constituent Assembly and the first draft by Sir Benegal Narsing Rau.
4💼 In 1947, he was appointed the first Law and Justice Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet, steering foundational legal frameworks in independent India.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1990
Bharat Ratna

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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At school in Mhow, Ambedkar was forbidden from drinking water directly and had to rely on a school peon to pour water from a height; if the peon was absent, he went thirsty, a reality he memorably described as 'No peon, No water.'

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Through the Years

3 photographs from the archives
B. R. Ambedkar portrait showing the Indian social reformer and architect of the Constitution
B. R. Ambedkar portrait showing the Indian social reformer and architect of the Constitution
B. R. Ambedkar on the podium about to address his followers during a public event
B. R. Ambedkar with his followers from Punjab in a significant group gathering

🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Mhow Cantonment
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born in the military cantonment town of Mhow, Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), into a Mahar family facing caste discrimination.
1891
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Education
Graduated from Elphinstone College
Completed his B.A. degree at Elphinstone College, University of Bombay, before pursuing higher studies abroad.
1913
📚
Education
Earned D.Sc in Economics
Received his Doctor of Science degree from the London School of Economics with a thesis on the Indian Rupee’s economic problems.
1923
📚
Education
Ph.D. from Columbia University
Awarded a Ph.D. in economics from Columbia University, where he studied under John Dewey and embraced pragmatism.
1927
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Career
Appointed Law Minister
Joined Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet as India’s first Law and Justice Minister after independence.
1947
🌟
Other
Indian Constitution Enforced
The Constitution of India, drafted under Ambedkar’s chairmanship, came into effect establishing justice and equality as state principles.
1950
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Other
Mass Conversion to Buddhism
Ambedkar publicly converted to Buddhism in Nagpur, initiating a mass movement among Dalits to reject caste discrimination.
1956
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Death
Death of B. R. Ambedkar
Ambedkar passed away in Delhi after decades of social, political, and economic activism.
1956
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Ambedkar’s D.Sc thesis in 1923 critically examined the fall of the Rupee, arguing for price stability rather than exchange rate stability, a nuanced economic insight rare among Indian economists of his time.

02 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Despite his low-caste background, Ambedkar earned a scholarship from the Gaikwad of Baroda, enabling him to study abroad at Columbia University and the London School of Economics in the early 20th century.

03 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

In 1956, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with thousands of his followers at a mass ceremony in Nagpur, initiating a large-scale Dalit Buddhist movement that sought to escape caste oppression through religious change.

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"Law and order are the medicines of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered."

— B. R. Ambedkar

🌱 What changed because of them

Ambedkar laid the constitutional foundations that abolished untouchability and embedded social justice into Indian law, influencing policies on caste equality and women’s rights. His mass conversion to Buddhism in 1956 sparked a socio-religious movement empowering millions of Dalits. Educational institutions and political movements continue to draw on his vision for a democratic and inclusive India.

💬 Social Buzz

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