Popularly known as Babasaheb, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is a celebrated Indian leader, politician, jurist, social reformer, and economist. He rose to prominence in the 20th century. He is well- known as a statesman who campaigned against the social discrimination towards the Dalits or ‘the untouchables’ in India. Dr. Ambedkar played an imperative role in the framework of the Indian constitution which earned him the title of the Father of the Indian Constitution. He was also posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna –India’s highest civilian award –for his immeasurable contributions to society and the country. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous Dr. Ambedkar quotes that define his legacy and vision.
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Quotes
1. “Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence.”
We often seek the purpose of life in materialistic things like money, house, car, etc. Dr. Ambedkar, however, stresses the importance of the human mind and its cultivation as the aim of one should set in his/her life.
2. “A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society.”
Regardless of the success, fame, and money you receive in life, you should always be down to earth and tend to serve others.
3. “Life should be great rather than long.”
What you did in your life is way more important than how long you lived. So you should make the most of the opportunities you have and live life to its fullest.
4. “As long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom that is provided by the law is of no avail to you.”
Freedom cannot be achieved through papers and law. Hence, alongside the other several forms of liberty, social liberty is also a vital part to attain freedom.
5. “I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.”
Women are an integral part of society. The growth or progress of a community thus depends majorly on the growth of women in that particular area.
6. “I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality, and fraternity.”
We all should break the walls of religion and come together as humans, upholding values that are essential to be a good human being.
7. “Learn to live in this world with self-respect.”
Self-respect is undoubtedly one of the most important assets you should carry to live a successful life.
8. “Freedom of mind is the proof of one’s existence.”
When you set your mind free from expectations, impressions, and speculations, you tend to live more freely and joyfully.
9. “Men are mortal. So are ideas. An idea needs propagation as much as a plant needs watering. Otherwise both will wither and die.”
You should always look for new ideas and ways to experiment rather than getting stagnant with one. Idea generation is the way forward.
10. “If you believe in living a respectable life, you believe in self-help which is the best help.”
You must never depend on others to help you through your crises. Rather than seeking help, doing it yourself is what earns you respect.
11. “Democracy is not a form of government, but a form of social organization.”
We often think of democracy as a type of government. However, democracy is meant to amend the social condition and can bring about revolutionary changes in the economic and social lives of people.
12. “The relationship between husband and wife should be one of closest friends.”
If the base of any relationship is pure friendship, high chances are that it becomes invincible.
13. “Religion is for man and not man for religion.”
You should always prioritize people ahead of religion as they are the ones that are meant for you.
14. “Equality may be a fiction but nonetheless one must accept it as a governing principle.”
Achieving total equality is next to impossible for any community. However, if equality is seen and respected as a principle, communities can get closer to achieving it sooner.
15. “A bitter thing cannot be made sweet. The taste of anything cannot be changed. But poison cannot be changed to nectar.”
Some things are bound to stay the same. So rather than expecting and waiting for them to change, you should move on.
16. “Indifferentism is the worst kind of disease that can affect people.”
There are so many people around us that are not bothered by anything what so ever. This ignorance is sometimes worse than a disease.
17. “Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle. Goats are used for sacrificial offerings and not lions.”
A constant and relentless effort is probably the best way to fight for your rights.
18. “They cannot make history who forget history.”
Knowing what has happened before is necessary to move forward so that you can rectify mistakes from the past and move ahead with better plans.
19. “It is not enough to be electors only. It is necessary to be law-makers, otherwise, those who can be law-makers will be the masters of those who can only be electors.”
Your responsibility as citizens does not end only with voting, you should know if the elected person is doing his/her work accordingly or not.
20. “If I find the constitution being misused, I shall be the first to burn it.”
The purpose of the constitution was to abide by the citizens to guidelines and bring peace and equality to society. If the constitution caused chaos then Babasaheb himself would stand against it. We should also always be the first to stand up against any violation of rules and intolerance.
Also read: 25 Famous Mahatma Gandhi Quotes of All Time
