Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the fourteenth of Ramji and Bhimabai Sakpal Ambavedkar, was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Central India into the "untouchable" Mahar caste. His father, and grandfather Maloji, were in the British Army. The Government required all Army personnel and their families to be educated and ran schools for this purpose. Thus the Sakpal family was fortunate to receive good education which otherwise, would have been denied to them At the age of six, Bhim's mother died. The family was brought up by Ramji's sister Meerabai until Ramji married a widow named Jijabai. Ramji was a strict, pious man. He never ate meat or touched liquor. He, along with his children, would sing devotional songs composed by Namdev, Tukaram, Moropant and Mukteshwar and read stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Ramji retired from the army after 14 years of service at the rank of "Subedar-Major" of the 2nd Grenadiers. The family moved to Dapoli in Konkan and then to Satara. Bhim and elder brother, Anand, were enrolled in the contonment school, Government High School. Bhim began to taste the bitter reality of being born "untouchable" in school. He had to sit on the floor in one corner in the classroom. Teachers would not touch his notebooks. If Bhim felt thirsty, he could only drink water if someone else poured water into his mouth. Once provoked by an uncontrollable fit of thirst, Bhim drank from the public reservoir. He was found out and beaten by the higher caste Hindus. These experiences were permanently etched onto his mind. He realized that this was the plight of anyone born "untouchable." While in school, Bhim's teacher Ambedkar, entered his last name into the school records as Ambedkar. Teacher Ambedkar and Pendse, were the only ones in the entire school who were kind and affectionate to young him. They made the few fond memories Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had of his school days. Bhim was an average student. He became fond of gardening and, whenever he could, he bought saplings and with great devotion nurtured them to full growth. While studying in Satara, many of his classmates left for good jobs in Bombay. He too wanted to go to Bombay and get a job and become independent. He realized that if he ever were to be successful, he would have to concentrate more on his studies. He became interested in reading. He read not just the prescribed books in school but any book in general. His father Bhim enrolled in the Elphinstone High School in Bombay. Even there, one of his teachers constantly mocked him, saying that of what use was an educated Mahar. Bhim swallowed these insults and controlled his anger. He passed his matriculation examination in 1907. The Mahar community felicitated him on his achievement. Bhim joined the Elphinstone College for further education. After completing his Intermediate course, Bhim received a scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayaji Rao, and attained a Bachelors in Arts in 1912. The February of next year, Bhim father and mentor, Ramji died. Sayaji Rao selected Bhim to be sent to America on a scholarship for higher studies. In return, Bhim Rao would have to serve the State of Baroda for ten years. Bhim Rao reached New York in July 1913. For the first time in his life, Bhim Rao was not demeaned for being a Mahar. He put his heart into his studies and received a degree in Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia University in 1916 for his thesis "National Dividend for India: A Historical and Analytical Study." From America, Bhim Rao proceeded to London to study economics and political science. He Government of Baroda terminated his scholarship and recalled him to Baroda. Bhim Rao vowed to return to London to complete his studies. The Maharaj appointed him to the post of Military Secretary but who cared to take orders from an "untouchable" Mahar. Bhim Rao could not even get lodging and not even the Prime Minister appointed by the Maharaja could help Bhim Rao find a place to live. Bhim Rao returned to Bombay in November 1917. and took a part time job in the Sydenham College with the sole aim of going to London to complete his studies. With the help of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, a sympathizer of the cause for the upliftment of the depressed classes, Bhim Rao started a fortnightly newspaper, the Mooknayak (Leader of the Dumb) on January 31, 1920. The Maharaj also convened many meeting and conferences of the "untouchables" which Bhim Rao addressed. Impressed by Ambedkar, the Maharak declared at a meeting, "You have found your saviour in Ambedkar. I am confident he will break your shackles." In September 1920, after accumulating sufficient funds, Ambedkar returned to London to complete his studies. He became a barrister and got a Doctorate in Science. He now considered himself fully equipped to fight the evil of "untouchability." In July 1924, Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrut Hitkaraini Sabha. The aim of the Sabha was to uplift the downtrodden socially and politically and bring them to the level of the others in the Indian society. The Sabha aimed at scrapping the caste system from the Hindu religion. The Sabha started free school for the young and the old and ran reading rooms and libraries. Dr. Ambedkar took the grievances of the "untouchables" to court and gave them justice. Soon he became a father-figure to the poor and downtrodden and was respectfully called "Babasaheb." On March 19-20, 1927 a conference of the depressed classes was held at Mahad. Ten thousand delegates attended, workers and leaders attended. Babasaheb condemned the British for banning the recruitment of "untouchables" into the military. He declared, The next day, the conference decided to implement the resolution passed 4 years ago to open public places to all regardless of religion, caste or creed by drinking from the Chavdar Taley (Sweet-water Tank). They walked to the tank and drank from its water. Higher caste Hindus attacked them. They beat the delegates, pulled down the conference pulpit, threw away all the cooked food and broke all the vessels. Ambedkar told his people to stay calm and not to retaliate. Later the Hindus performed rituals to "purify" the "defiled" water. Ambedkar vowed to offer a satyagraha and re- establish his peoples right over the water tank. On December 25 of the same year, thousands responded to Ambedkar's call. Speaker after speaker spoke, passions rose and the vast gathering waited for the satyagraha to begin with intense anticipation. The satyagraha was deferred when the matter was referred to the court. At the end of conference, a copy of the Manusmruti, the age-old code of the Hindus that gave rise to the caste system, was ceremoniously burnt. In a thundering voice, Ambedkar demanded in its place a new smruti, devoid of all social stratification. This act sent shockwaves through the nation. In May 1956, on Buddha's Anniversary, Dr. Ambedkar announced that on October 14 he would embrace Buddhism. With him his wife and some three lakh followers also converted to the faith. When asked why, Dr. Ambedkar replied, "Why can't you ask this question to yourself and... your forefathers...?" On December 5, 1956, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar died peacefully in his sleep or as the Buddhists would say, he attained "nirvana."

• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the fourteenth of Ramji and Bhimabai Sakpal Ambavedkar, was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Central India into the "untouchable" Mahar caste. His father, and grandfather Maloji, were in the British Army. The Government required all Army personnel and their families to be educated and ran schools for this purpose. Thus the Sakpal family was fortunate to receive good education which otherwise, would have been denied to them
• At the age of six, Bhim's mother died. The family was brought up by Ramji's sister Meerabai until Ramji married a widow named Jijabai. Ramji was a strict, pious man. He never ate meat or touched liquor. He, along with his children, would sing devotional songs composed by Namdev, Tukaram, Moropant and Mukteshwar and read stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
  Ramji retired from the army after 14 years of service at the rank of "Subedar-Major" of the 2nd Grenadiers. The family moved to Dapoli in Konkan and then to Satara. Bhim and elder brother, Anand, were enrolled in the contonment school, Government High School.
• Bhim began to taste the bitter reality of being born "untouchable" in school. He had to sit on the floor in one corner in the classroom. Teachers would not touch his notebooks. If Bhim felt thirsty, he could only drink water if someone else poured water into his mouth. Once provoked by an uncontrollable fit of thirst, Bhim drank from the public reservoir. He was found out and beaten by the higher caste Hindus. These experiences were permanently etched onto his mind. He realized that this was the plight of anyone born "untouchable."
• While in school, Bhim's teacher Ambedkar, entered his last name into the school records as Ambedkar. Teacher Ambedkar and Pendse, were the only ones in the entire school who were kind and affectionate to young him. They made the few fond memories Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had of his school days.
• Bhim was an average student. He became fond of gardening and, whenever he could, he bought saplings and with great devotion nurtured them to full growth. While studying in Satara, many of his classmates left for good jobs in Bombay. He too wanted to go to Bombay and get a job and become independent. He realized that if he ever were to be successful, he would have to concentrate more on his studies. He became interested in reading. He read not just the prescribed books in school but any book in general. His father 
• Bhim enrolled in the Elphinstone High School in Bombay. Even there, one of his teachers constantly mocked him, saying that of what use was an educated Mahar. Bhim swallowed these insults and controlled his anger. He passed his matriculation examination in 1907. The Mahar community felicitated him on his achievement.
• Bhim joined the Elphinstone College for further education. After completing his Intermediate course, Bhim received a scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayaji Rao, and attained a Bachelors in Arts in 1912. The February of next year, Bhim father and mentor, Ramji died.
• Sayaji Rao selected Bhim to be sent to America on a scholarship for higher studies. In return, Bhim Rao would have to serve the State of Baroda for ten years. Bhim Rao reached New York in July 1913. For the first time in his life, Bhim Rao was not demeaned for being a Mahar. He put his heart into his studies and received a degree in Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia University in 1916 for his thesis "National Dividend for India: A Historical and Analytical Study."
• From America, Bhim Rao proceeded to London to study economics and political science. He Government of Baroda terminated his scholarship and recalled him to Baroda. Bhim Rao vowed to return to London to complete his studies.
• The Maharaj appointed him to the post of Military Secretary but who cared to take orders from an "untouchable" Mahar. Bhim Rao could not even get lodging and not even the Prime Minister appointed by the Maharaja could help Bhim Rao find a place to live. Bhim Rao returned to Bombay in November 1917. and took a part time job in the Sydenham College with the sole aim of going to London to complete his studies.
• With the help of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, a sympathizer of the cause for the upliftment of the depressed classes, Bhim Rao started a fortnightly newspaper, the Mooknayak (Leader of the Dumb) on January 31, 1920. The Maharaj also convened many meeting and conferences of the "untouchables" which Bhim Rao addressed. Impressed by Ambedkar, the Maharak declared at a meeting, "You have found your saviour in Ambedkar. I am confident he will break your shackles."
• In September 1920, after accumulating sufficient funds, Ambedkar returned to London to complete his studies. He became a barrister and got a Doctorate in Science. He now considered himself fully equipped to fight the evil of "untouchability."
• In July 1924, Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrut Hitkaraini Sabha. The aim of the Sabha was to uplift the downtrodden socially and politically and bring them to the level of the others in the Indian society. The Sabha aimed at scrapping the caste system from the Hindu religion. The Sabha started free school for the young and the old and ran reading rooms and libraries. Dr. Ambedkar took the grievances of the "untouchables" to court and gave them justice. Soon he became a father-figure to the poor and downtrodden and was respectfully called "Babasaheb."
• On March 19-20, 1927 a conference of the depressed classes was held at Mahad. Ten thousand delegates attended, workers and leaders attended. Babasaheb condemned the British for banning the recruitment of "untouchables" into the military. He declared,
• The next day, the conference decided to implement the resolution passed 4 years ago to open public places to all regardless of religion, caste or creed by drinking from the Chavdar Taley (Sweet-water Tank). They walked to the tank and drank from its water. Higher caste Hindus attacked them. They beat the delegates, pulled down the conference pulpit, threw away all the cooked food and broke all the vessels. Ambedkar told his people to stay calm and not to retaliate. Later the Hindus performed rituals to "purify" the "defiled" water. Ambedkar vowed to offer a satyagraha and re- establish his peoples right over the water tank.
• On December 25 of the same year, thousands responded to Ambedkar's call. Speaker after speaker spoke, passions rose and the vast gathering waited for the satyagraha to begin with intense anticipation. The satyagraha was deferred when the matter was referred to the court. At the end of conference, a copy of the Manusmruti, the age-old code of the Hindus that gave rise to the caste system, was ceremoniously burnt. In a thundering voice, Ambedkar demanded in its place a new smruti, devoid of all social stratification. This act sent shockwaves through the nation.
• In May 1956, on Buddha's Anniversary, Dr. Ambedkar announced that on October 14 he would embrace Buddhism. With him his wife and some three lakh followers also converted to the faith. When asked why, Dr. Ambedkar replied, "Why can't you ask this question to yourself and... your forefathers...?"
• On December 5, 1956, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar died peacefully in his sleep or as the Buddhists would say, he attained "nirvana."