Ambedkar’s Struggle for Empowerment of Downtrodden

Abstract

Dr. Ambedkar, acknowledged as a crusader for the rights of the depressed classes in India was a literary genius, an eminent educationist, a political philosopher and a competent parliamentarian. His whole life was devoted for social transformation of the Hindu society by strengthening the social life of the marginalized and the excluded. The present study attempts to explore Ambedkar’s educational vision & analyze his struggle for the upliftment of the downtrodden. He emphasized education as a key instrument of liberation from oppression from Hindu caste-patriarchy structures and was the capable of establishing a new social order. His attempts to abolish the existing caste system were not theoretical but he attacked practically to the problems of untouchability. He advocated a society based on reason, and not on prevailing atrocious traditions of caste system. He made path breaking contributions as a campaigner of human rights for the untouchables. He launched the social movement for the annihilation of caste system and reconstruction of caste-less Indian Society. He ceaselessly fought for the betterment and upliftment of the oppressed classes. Without Ambedkar’s consistent struggle and intervention to bring about some concrete measures for empowerment of the downtrodden, they would have been unable to their rightful place in nation.

Keywords: downtrodden, dalit, education, empowerment, upliftment