In 1950, 11 years after Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda died, B.R. Ambedkar wrote to the I then ruler of Baroda Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad, saying that he wanted to write about the life of the late ruler.
The desire remained unfulfilled, probably because of Ambedkar's failing health, but the four-page handwritten letter spoke volumes of Ambedkar's reverence for Sayajirao. "He was my patron and architect of my fortune," read the letter dated October 10, 1950. "It was he who gave me the higher education that has enabled me to reach the high status I occupy today in public life."
A pioneering force in the movement for girls' education, removal of untouchability and widow remarriage, Sayajirao gave Ambedkar *25 a month to study at Bombay's Elphinstone College. Later, for his stay at Columbia University, the ruler gave the scholar £11.5 a month. Ambedkar did his master's in arts with a specialisation in economics. He later studied at the London School of Economics, too.
"I owe a deep debt of gratitude I wish I could adequately repay. The only way I could do is to write his life," Ambedkar had written.
A firm believer in education for all, Sayajirao had opened special schools for dalits as the other communities refused to study with or even teach them. To help with this, Sayajirao brought Atmaram Amritsari, an Arya Samaj member, from Punjab, who would go on to help Ambedkar personally.
Denne historien er fra January 29, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 29, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
