November 7 will be observed as Student’s Day in Maharashtra to mark, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s entry into school education. He first enrolled the Pratapsingh High School in the Maharashtra’s Satara district 117 years back on November 7, 1900.
Dr BR Ambedkar, popularly known as “Baba Saheb”, was the principal architect of the Constitution of India and a founding father of the Republic of India.
Born in a Dalit family during the colonial era of India, he grew up seeing the atrocities meted out to the Dalits, who were treated as untouchables and were ostracised. He later campaigned against the social discrimination against the Dalits and became the force behind the Dalit Buddhist Movement in India. Nearly half a million Dalits joined him in this movement and got converted to Navayana Buddhism or Neo-Buddhism, a re-interpretation of Buddhism by Dr Ambedkar. His book, The Buddha and His Dhamma is the holy book of Navayana.
During his lifetime, he wore many hats – of a jurist, economist, politician, social reformer and a true patriot. He was also Independent India’s first law minister.
To remember the day when Dr Ambedkar formally got enrolled in school, the Maharashtra government has directed its schools and junior colleges in the state to observe November 7 as Students’ Day.
The Government Resolution (GR) has directed all the schools and junior colleges to organise essay writing, elocution competitions, poetry reading and other such events to mark the occasion.
