Grand Celebration of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s 135th Birth Anniversary Held in Mandi; 95-Year-Old Education Pioneer Dayalu Ram Kashyap Graces as Chief Guest.
Shimla:
The 135th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was celebrated with great enthusiasm and dignity at Village Madhdhar, under Gram Panchayat Dhar in the Chabhua region of Mandi district. On this occasion, the region’s first teacher, the 95-year-old respected Dayalu Ram Kashyap, graced the Function as the Chief Guest.
In his address, Chief Guest Dayalu Ram Kashyap stated that Babasaheb’s life is a unique example of struggle, knowledge, and dedication. He emphasized that Dr. Ambedkar made invaluable contributions to the overall development of the nation, particularly in establishing social justice and equality.
The program featured Flying Officer Prof. Dr. Chaman, Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Vallabh Government College, Mandi, and Flight Commander of the NCC Air Wing, as the keynote speaker. In his address, he remarked that today the entire world respects Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as a symbol of knowledge, justice, and human rights.
Highlighting the multifaceted contributions of Dr. Ambedkar, Dr. Chaman stated that his visionary ideas laid the foundation for the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India, which strengthened the Indian economy. He also played a significant role in conceptualizing multipurpose projects like the Damodar Valley Project, which contributed immensely to India’s industrial and agricultural development.
Dr. Ambedkar introduced historic labour reforms to safeguard workers’ rights, including provisions for fixed working hours, minimum wages, and social security. Through the Hindu Code Bill, he paved the way for social transformation by ensuring equal rights for women.
His leadership in drafting the Constitution of India laid the foundation of Indian democracy and remains unparalleled and historic.
In the field of journalism, Dr. Ambedkar promoted social awareness through publications such as Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat, Samata, Janata, and Prabuddha Bharat. His literary and research works—including The Buddha and His Dhamma, Who Were the Shudras?, Annihilation of Caste, and The Partition of India—continue to guide social transformation.
Dr. Ambedkar earned 32 academic degrees, including four Ph.D.s, setting an extraordinary academic record. He pursued higher education at globally renowned institutions such as the London School of Economics and Columbia University, thereby enriching global intellectual thought.
He served as the Defence Secretary in the Baroda State, a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, and as independent India’s first Law Minister, playing a pivotal role in nation-building. As Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, his contribution proved decisive in shaping India into a strong, democratic, and modern nation.
Dr. Chaman further stated that Babasaheb’s life continues to inspire us to build the nation through equality, education, and unity.
On this occasion, Flying Officer Dr. Chaman distributed medicinal plants and inspirational books among the participants, conveying the message of environmental conservation and knowledge enrichment.
During the evening session, devotional recitations of Kabir Vani, Gurbani, and Buddha Vani were presented through Shabad Kirtan by Govind Singh. An Atut Langar (community feast) was also organized by him.
During the program, retired Senior Assistant and Development Officer Gursai Ram Singh honored the Chief Guest Dayalu Ram Kashyap with a memento.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from hundreds of dignitaries and villagers, including Dr. Keshav, Science Teacher Ramesh Singh, Ayush Pharmacy Officer Sharmila Singh, Kamla Devi, Science Teacher Meena Singh, Agriculture Extension Officer Nand Lal, Agriculture Officer Ram Singh, Professor Hima Kashyap, Professor Dheeraj Kumar, Railway Officer Bhupendra Pal, Kuldeep Kumar, Teacher Kamini Kashyap, retired Army personnel Hem Singh, retired CID Officer Khajan Singh, Advocate Meena Kashyap, Advocate Dhan Dev, Kamal Kishore, Naresh Kumar, Dhan Dev Singh, Cadet Sergeant Tejaswini Singh, and many others.
