Illustrator: Dilip Kadam 

ISBN: 81-7508-260-7 

Vol. No: 611 

Babasaheb Ambedkar was born in a Mahar family. Though the Mahars formed a leading community among the depressed classes, they were not spared by the higher caste Hindus. In his childhood, Ambedkar noticed how people of his community were contemptuously branded as ‘untouchables’, how they were ill treated, humiliated and exploited. Babasaheb refused to accept meekly, this unjust treatment, He wanted his people to be aware of their rights and fight for their honour. United under his dynamic leadership, they realised that no one could help them gain their rightful place in society except themselves. As he told them, rights are to be earned, not given.Ambedkar made the untouchables politically conscious. He also realised the importance of making the practice of any form of untouchability an offence under the law. It was just that the practice of untouchability was abolished by the constitution of India, which Ambedkar helped to frame. Babasaheb devoted the rest of his life to secure for the depressed classes what had been guaranteed by the constitution but denied by society.