Ambedkar Jayanti | |
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![]() Ambedkar Jayanti Procession at Chaitya Bhoomi | |
Official name | Ambedkar Jayanti [1] |
Also called | Bhim Jayanti |
Observed by | India |
Type | Secular; birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar |
Celebrations | Ambedkar Jayanti |
Observances | Community, historical celebrations |
Date | 14 April |
Frequency | Annual |
Related to | Ashok Vijaya Dashmi Constitution Day (India) |
Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar, Indian politician and social reformer. It marks Ambedkar's birthday who was born on 14 April 1891. [2] His birthday is also referred to as 'Equality Day' by some in India. [3] [4] [5]
Ambedkar Jayanti processions are carried out by his followers at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai and Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur. [6] It is a customary for senior national figures, such as the President, Prime Minister and leaders of major political parties, to pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the Parliament of India in New Delhi. It is celebrated throughout the world especially by dalits, adivasi, labour workers, women and also those who embraced Buddhism after his example. In India, large numbers of people visit local statues commemorating Ambedkar in procession with lot of fanfare. In 2020, the first online Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated in the world. [7] [8]
Ambedkar Jayanti is a public holiday in more than 25 states and union territories of India, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal etc. [9]
Babasaheb Ambedkar's first birthday was publicly celebrated on 14 April 1928 in Pune, by Janardan Sadashiv Ranapisay, [10] who was an Ambedkarite and social activist. He started the tradition of Babasaheb's birth anniversary or Ambedkar Jayanti. [11] Ambedkar passed his matriculation in 1907. Then, he pursued BA honours in economics and political science from Elphinstone college. He enrolled in Columbia University, New York for the Masters of Arts and got his PhD in economics in 1927. In 1916, he took the admission for the Bar Course at Gray's Inn along with this he also did another doctoral thesis in economics from the London School of Economics. [12] Ambedkar was master in 64 subjects and was proficient in 11 languages. [13]
Indian Post issued stamps dedicated to Ambedkar's birthday in 1966, 1973, 1991, 2001, and 2013, and featured him on other stamps in 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020. [14] [15]
On 14 April 1990, Ambedkar was bestowed with Bharat Ratna award. The same year his life size portrait was also unveiled in the Central Hall of Parliament. The period from 14 April 1990 — 14 April 1991 was observed as "Year of Social Justice" in the memory of Babasaheb. [16]
Government of India Issued 10 Rupees and 125 Rupees coins in 2015 to mark the 125 Birth Anniversary in the honor of Ambedkar. [17]
On 14 April 2015, a Google Doodle was published for Ambedkar's 124th birthday. [18] [19] [20] The doodle was featured in India, Argentina, Chile, Ireland, Peru, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. [21] [22] [23]
The United Nations celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti in 2016, 2017 and 2018. [24] [25] [26]
In 2017, As per Government of Maharashtra 14 April is observed as Knowledge Day (Dnyan Din) in the Indian state of Maharashtra in memory of Ambedkar. [27] [28]
In 2017, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, Twitter launched Ambedkar emoji as a tribute to him. [29]
On 6 April 2020, in Burnaby,Canada, it was decided to observe April 14 as "Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality". The decision was taken by the Council of the City of Burnaby, Canada. [30] [31]
In 2021, Government of British Columbia has decided to observe April 14 as "Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Equality Day" in the province of British Columbia, Canada. [32] [33]
In 2022, Canada's British Columbia province has recognised April as Dalit History Month. [34]
In 2022, The Government of British Columbia (Canada) observes 14 April as "Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Equality Day" in British Columbia, Canada. [34] [35]
In 2022, The Government of Colorado (United States) observes 14 April 2022 as "Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Equity Day" in Colorado, the United States. [36] [37] [38]
In 2022, The Government of Tamil Nadu (India) observes Ambedkar Jayanti (14 April) as "Equity Day" in Tamil Nadu state. [39] [40] [41]
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian economist, jurist, social reformer and political leader 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. He later renounced Hinduism, converted to Buddhism and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement.
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Usha Jadhav is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Marathi and Hindi language films. She is best known for her role in the 2012 Marathi film Dhag for which she won National Film Award for Best Actress at the 60th National Film Awards. In 2019, she received the IFFI Best Actor Award (Female) at the 50th International Film Festival of India for her work in Mai Ghat : Crime No 103/2015.
The Namantar Shahid Smarak is a large memorial sculpture dedicated to those who died in the Namantar Andolan. In 2013, 19 years after the movement's success, the city government of Nagpur erected the monument in memory of the valour and the sacrifice of the Dalit martyrs. The memorial was built by contractor Sunil Sharma on 2,225 m2 of land at a cost of ₹1.58 crore.
Chaitya Bhoomi, also written as Chaityabhoomi, is a Buddhist chaitya and the cremation place of B. R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and the revived Buddhism in India. It is situated besides Dadar Chowpatty (beach), Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Chaitya Bhoomi is a revered place of pilgrimage for Ambedkar's followers, who visit in millions annually on his death anniversary on 6 December.
The Statue of Equality also known as the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial is a monument under-construction dedicated to B. R. Ambedkar, the 20th-century Indian intellectual. The statue will be located at Indu Mills Compound in Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. The statue will be 137.3-metre (450 ft) in total height, including a 30.5-metre (100 ft) pedestal. The Ambedkar statue will be the third tallest statue in the world after the Statue of Unity and the Spring Temple Buddha. The statue will be completed in May 2026.
Dr. Savita Bhimrao Ambedkar, was an Indian social activist, doctor and the second wife of B.R. Ambedkar.
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The Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Stadium is a cricket stadium in Baramati, Pune district, Maharashtra, India. This stadium is available for national-international matches.
Bhim Janmabhoomi is a memorial dedicated to Bhimrao Ambedkar, located at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, India. This was birthplace of Ambedkar, who was born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow. where the local government built this grand memorial. This memorial was inaugurated on Ambedkar's 100th birth anniversary – 14 April 1991 by the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Sunder Lal Patwa. The architecture of the memorial was composed by architect E.D. Nimgade. Later, On 14 April 2008, the 117th birthday of Ambedkar, inaugurated the memorial. Nearly 4.52 acres of land is connected to the memorial.
Rajgruha is a memorial and house of the leader B. R. Ambedkar at Hindu colony of Dadar in Mumbai, India. It was named Rajgriha in reference to the ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom. The ground floor of the three-story building hosts a heritage museum, as a memorial to the Indian leader.
Dalit History Month is an annual observance as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the Dalits or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It is celebrated in April all over the world by Ambedkarites, followers of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Discussions, storytelling, history projects, special publications in media, and art works are organized during this month. The Canadian Province of British Columbia recognized April as Dalit History Month.
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Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar – Mahamanvachi Gauravgatha is a Marathi television series aired on Star Pravah. The drama is based on life of B. R. Ambedkar was released on 18 May 2019 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
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