Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (born April 14, 1891, Mhow, India—died December 6, 1956, New Delhi) was an Indian political leader who played a pivotal role in drafting the Constitution of India. As a social reformer, he championed the rights of the Dalits (Scheduled Castes; formerly called untouchables) and was instrumental in the constitutional abolition of the discriminatory practice of “untouchability.” For his role in drafting India’s supreme legal document, Ambedkar is popularly referred to as the “Father of the Indian Constitution.” He served as the first law minister of the government of India (1947–51). In his later life he rejected Hinduism and converted to Buddhism.