1960s and after
Becoming a Bodhisattva
Dr. Ambedkar remains a symbolic presence and rallying point for Dalits, both those who have converted to Buddhism and those who have not. Statues of him are built in towns and cities all over India, and become sites of political struggle. His birthday is celebrated with huge processions, and his tomb in Bombay is a place of pilgrimage.
Milestones
1995:
Mrs.
Savita Ambedkar visits Columbia, on the occasion of the installation
of a bust of Dr. Ambedkar.
2004:
Columbia University honors Dr. Ambedkar
in the course of its 250th
birthday celebration.
Further Sources
"Ambedkar.org," news reports of Dalit activism and atrocities: [site]
Deliege, Robert, and Simon Charsley, panel convenors: "Low-caste, 'Untouchable', and Anti-Caste Movements." 16th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Edinburgh, Sept. 6-9th, 2000: [abstracts and papers]
Hancock, Virginia, "New Buddhism for New Aspirations: Navayana Buddhism of Ambedkar and His Followers," Manushi 145 (Nov.-Dec. 2004).
Joseph, Manu, "What If Ambedkar Had Converted Earlier?" [interview with Jabbar Patel], Outlook India, Aug. 23, 2004: [site]
Kishwar, Madhu, "From Manusmriti to Madhusmriti: Flagellating a Mythical Enemy," Manushi 117 (March-April 2000): [site]
Kunda, Pramilani, "Liberating Womanhood," Countercurrents, Dec. 20, 2003: [site]
Omvedt, Gail, "Ambedkar's New Buddhism," The Hindu, Feb. 25, 1999: [site]
Oommen, George, "The Emerging Dalit Theology: A Historical Appraisal": [site]
Racine, Jean-Luc, ed., "Untouchability and Beyond," a special issue of Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, 18,1 (1998): [site]
Rasool, G. Javed, "Violence Against Dalits: the Case of Tajopur" [Lucknow, 2002]: [site]
Sreedhar, M. V. "Reaching the Unreached: Enabling Dalit Girls to Get Schooling," Manushi 111 (March-April 1999): [site]
Vij, Shivam, "Why Gandhi Lost and Ambedkar Won," Countercurrents, Dec. 6, 2004: [site]