Ambedkar Jayanti

Birth anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar, festival and holiday

Ambedkar Jayanti

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]

The Citizens paid tributes to Ambedkar on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary, at Parliament House, in New Delhi on April 14, 2016.

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 Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal etc.[9]

## Background[edit]

B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956)

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]

## Tributes[edit]

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]

## See also[edit]

* Students' Day (Maharashtra)
* Buddha's Birthday
* Constitution Day (India)

## References[edit]

1. ^ "सार्वजनिक सुट्ट्या-महाराष्ट्र शासनाचे अधिकृत संकेतस्थळ, भारत". Retrieved 3 March 2019.
2. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti 2021:Humble Request to Dr B. R. Ambedkar's Followers". S A NEWS. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
3. ^ कुमार, अरविन्द (14 April 2020). "असमानता दूर करने के लिए भीमराव आंबेडकर ने क्या उपाय दिए थे". ThePrint Hindi. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
4. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti 2020: आज है अंबेडकर जयंती, जानिए बाबा साहेब से जुड़ी ये 7 बातें". NDTVIndia. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
5. ^ हिंदी, क्विंट (13 April 2020). "B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti 2020: पढ़ें अंबेडकर साहब के ये अनमोल विचार". TheQuint (in Hindi). Retrieved 6 April 2021.
6. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti - Bhim Jayanti - 14 April". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
7. ^ Chatterjee, Mohua (13 April 2020). "Dalits go digital to celebrate 129th Ambedkar Jayanti amid lockdown". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
8. ^ Shastree, Uttara (1996). Religious Converts in India: Socio-political Study of Neo-Buddhists. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-629-3. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
9. ^ "Dr Ambedkar Jayanti in India in 2021 | by Office Holidays". www.officeholidays.com. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
10. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti – The birth anniversary of the father of the Indian Constitution". Business Insider. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
11. ^ "बाबासाहेबांची जयंती कधी आणि कोणी सुरू केली?". Loksatta (in Marathi). 14 April 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
12. ^ "Education of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar". SA News Channel. 14 April 2020. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
13. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti 2020: Interesting facts & inspiring quotes by Dr B R Ambedkar". Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020.
14. ^ Ambedkar on stamps. colnect.com
15. ^ B. R. Ambedkar on stamps. commons.wikimedia.org
16. ^ "Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb". 5 May 2006. Archived from the original on 5 May 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
17. ^ "PM Narendra Modi releases Rs 10, Rs 125 commemorative coins honouring Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar". 6 December 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
18. ^ "B.R. Ambedkar, a hero of India's independence movement, honoured by Google Doodle". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
19. ^ "Google Doodle". Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
20. ^ Gibbs, Jonathan (14 April 2015). "B. R. Ambedkar's 124th Birthday: Indian social reformer and politician honoured with a Google Doodle". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
21. ^ "B R Ambedkar 124th birth anniversary: Google doodle changes in 7 countries as tribute". The Indian Express. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015.
22. ^ "Google's BR Ambedkar birth anniversary doodle on 7 other countries apart from India". dna. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015.
23. ^ Nelson, Dean (14 April 2015). "B.R. Ambedkar, a hero of India's independence movement, honoured by Google Doodle". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016.
24. ^ "Ambedkar Jayanti celebrated for the first time outside India as UN organises special event - Firstpost". firstpost.com. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
25. ^ "UN celebrates Ambedkar's legacy 'fighting inequality, inspiring inclusion'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
26. ^ "संयुक्त राष्ट्र में मनाई गई डॉ. बाबासाहेब भीमराव आंबेडकर जयंती - News State". newsstate.com. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
27. ^ Staff Reporter (14 April 2017). "Ambedkar Jayanti to be celebrated as Knowledge Day in State". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 March 2019 - via www.thehindu.com.
28. ^ government resolution of maharashtra dated 13-04-2017
29. ^ KVN, Rohit (14 April 2017). "#JaiBhim: Twitter launches Dr BR Ambedkar emoji to commemorate 126th birth anniversary". www.ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
30. ^ "Burnaby proclaims April 15 as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality | Indo-Canadian Voice". 7 April 2020.
31. ^ Maharashtra, Max (11 April 2020). "डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर यांचा जन्मदिवस कॅनडात 'समता दिन' म्हणून घोषित". www.maxmaharashtra.com (in Marathi). Retrieved 6 April 2021.
32. ^ "Canada Province of British Columbia - A Proclamation - "Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Equality Day"".
33. ^ "डॉ. बाबासाहेबांचा कॅनडात सन्मान, 14 एप्रिल 'समता दिन' म्हणून साजरा होणार". Lokmat (in Marathi). 3 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
34. ^ a b "Canada's British Columbia Declares April As Dalit History Month In Historic Move". IndiaTimes. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
35. ^ Mall, Rattan (April 2022). "B.C. declares April 14, 2022, as 'Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Equality Day' | Indo-Canadian Voice". Retrieved 6 April 2022.
36. ^ "State of Colorado Proclamation - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Equity Day" (PDF). 14 April 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2023.
37. ^ "Colorado to celebrate Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14".
38. ^ "Colorado to celebrate Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14".
39. ^ "Tamil Nadu to celebrate Dr Ambedkar's birthday as Equality Day: CM Stalin". 13 April 2022.
40. ^ "Ambedkar's birth anniversary to be observed as Day of Equality". The Hindu. 13 April 2022.
41. ^ "TN declares Ambedkar birth anniversary as 'Equality Day'". Theprint. 13 April 2022.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ambedkar Jayanti.

* 125th Dr. Ambedkar Birthday Celebrations Around the World

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