Congratulations to Dr. Ambedkar posthumously for 100th year of receiving his PhD.

Dr. Ambedkar | Mike Ghouse for India
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2015/06/congratulations-to-dr-ambedkar.html

Thanks Shankar for sharing this beautiful news about Dr. Ambedkar, and I am pleased to write at least a few words in relation to his experience of feeling equal.

As a kid I have fought at the street corner taps for the Dalits to have equal access to Public water.  I can never forget the humility on those faces, particularly when the upper caste Hindus would wash the tap many times.... after the Dalits collected the water and it was their turn.

 My father broke all the rules in the town ( he was a Mayor once and city councilor many times) - the Dalits while working at our house would drink tea from the same glasses we did, and eat from the same plates that my mother cooked.  Many of my father’s Hindu and Muslims friends were irate with my him, and have said things about the Dalits that are embarrassing to repeat.

He stood like a rock against all criticism and he firmly believed in equality and thanks to him for imbuing those values in us.  No one is superior or inferior to any one of us, we are all created equal.  

Shankar, not sure if you have seen one of my blog on India.  Dr. Ambedkar is one my heroes and his picture is on my blog. I don’t know how many Indians know about his contribution in making India for what it is – a secular, democratic republic!

 I am pleased to post this as a tribute to honor his 100th anniversary.

Dr. Ambedkar profile - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar

Thank you
Mike Ghousehttp://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/  

# # #

In a message dated 6/3/2015 12:52:18 A.M. Central Daylight Time, sshankar@cmi.ac.in writes:

A hundred years ago, on June 2 1915, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar got his Ph.D.
from Columbia University. Born an 'untouchable', the young Ambedkar had to
sit outside the classroom in school and listen to the teacher through an
open window. Humiliated and hounded by hindu students and teachers, not
even allowed to drink water from a common tap, Babasaheb Ambedkar
nevertheless went on to study at one of the finest universities in the
world - Columbia at New York. There he studied with people of the calibre
of John Dewey. It was also at Columbia that he experienced equality for
the first time.

All this seems almost out of mythology! Yet here in Hindustan, an
institute by the name of IIT Madras, has 'de-recognised' a student study
circle named after Ambedkar devoted to studying his philosophy. Clearly
the Ambedkarite revolution has many hurdles to cross before 'equality,
liberty, fraternity' becomes a part of the culture here.


   Tumhi kara re kitihi halla /
   Mazbut Bhimacha quilla

  Tribute to Dr Ambedkar at Columbia University, New York City:
  Prof.Nicolas Dirks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqWqBUL3VTI