London, The Indian High Commission in London paid floral tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 136th birth anniversary and reflected on Babasaheb’s philosophy of equality for all.
The solemn event held at the Ambedkar Hall of India House on Wednesday evening struck a chord with poetic performances by members of the Ambedkarite Federation and British Buddhist organisations, students and community leaders praising the profound socio-economic contributions of the key framer of the Indian Constitution.
A tribute video outlining many highlights of Ambedkar’s life and career, including his time at law school in London, laid the foundation for the commemoration.
“His message to us is that the essence of democracy is rooted in the idea that we treat people equally, treat all people equally, which is a core characteristic that a modern nation must have,” said Vikram Doraiswami, who was delivering one of his last engagements as India’s high commissioner to the UK before leaving for China to serve as India’s ambassador.
“Of course, this is a journey that is still ongoing, not just in India but across the world. We live in an era where inequality persists and violence persists across gender and social lines. But this self-evident truth that Babasaheb left us cannot be wished away or forgotten,” he said.
The senior diplomat recalled the “extraordinary” legacy of the visionary social reformer who framed the constitution shortly after independence, which made India the first country in the world to offer democracy to all its abjectly poor people.
“I think we should remember the international impact of his words and actions. If there is a tradition today of trying to bend the arc of history toward social, economic and political justice, it is because of him.
“It’s amazing that his experience of oppression led him not to back down but to truly challenge oppression in all its forms and in all its aspects. That’s the sign of a truly great soul,” he said.
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 in Mhow Cantonment (now officially known as Dr Ambedkar Nagar) in Madhya Pradesh and his birthday is celebrated every year at the Prerna Sthal in Parliament House, Delhi and by Indian missions around the world.
The event in London concluded with FABO UK members bidding farewell to the outgoing High Commissioner, who will soon take over as India’s representative in Beijing.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
