Ambedkar Jayanti in India Date in the current year: April 14, 2024

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891. He was born into the Mahar caste, who were treated as untouchables, but that did not prevent him from earning several degrees from Columbia University and the London School of Economics. In his early career he was a lawyer and economist.

In the late 1920s, he launched an active campaign against untouchability. He partially supported the views of Mahatma Gandhi who criticized the caste system of India. However, Ambedkar was ready to use more radical measures to eradicate it.

After India gained independence in 1947, Ambedkar was appointed the country's first Minister of Law and Justice. He was also appointed Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee. The Constitution of India drafted by Ambedkar legally abolished the practice of untouchability in India.

Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated as a public holiday in all of the Indian states, but it is not a federal holiday. On this day, solemn ceremonies are held at statues of Ambedkar in many Indian towns and cities.