Quote of the Day: 5 BR Ambedkar Quotes that Define a Progressive Society

Quote of the Day by BR Ambedkar: Facing systemic discrimination in his childhood is what informed Dr. BR Ambedkar's trajectory leading him to emerge as one of India's foremost social reformers, not to mention, the primary architect of the Indian Constitution. His speeches, writings and activism were his tools to champion the cause of Indian society's marginalised sections. He stood against injustice in all its forms which is what makes his ideas deeply relevant, even today.Dr. BR Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. Despite being a witness to and subject of caste-based discrimination right since his childhood, he relentlessly pursued his higher education, earning degrees across prestigious institutions like Columbia

University and London School of Economics. He eventually emerged as a leading jurist, economist and social reformer in the country. As the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India, he played a vital role in shaping the Constitution of India. His life's work led him to be dubbed 'the father of the Indian Constitution'. Dadasheb, as he was lovingly known, passed away on December 6, 1956. It has been seven decades since his passing, but his perspective on society and its reformation continue to ring louder with each passing day.

Equity not Equality

"I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved."It is almost impossible for any society to persist while being stagnant. Evolution and progress is the law of nature. When we apply this principle to humans however, the impact of it, seems jarringly lopsided - not just in favour of men, but often times decidedly rigged against women. Despite the heights women have achieved over the decades since Dr. Ambedkar expressed this sentiment, there is still much ground to cover when it comes to bridging the gap between male privilege and female disadvantage. This quote from Dr. Ambedkar simply highlights that the true measure of progress in a society should not be measured by the most favoured, but the least rewarded.

Also Read: Quote of the Day: 5 Rabindranath Tagore Quotes That Show Why Nature Is the Best Teacher

Progress is Only Real When Whole

"Unity is meaningless without the accompaniment of women. Education is fruitless without educated women, and agitation is incomplete without the strength of women."This quote from Dr. Ambedkar takes the same sentiment from the previous quote ahead and pointedly highlights how while facets like unity, education and resistance may progress in the right direction - it all stands meaningless and ineffective if women aren't directly involved in both the effort and the spoils.

Fight for What's Yours

"Lost rights are never regained by appeals to the conscience of the usurpers, but by relentless struggle..."This quote of Dr. Ambedkar speaks specifically to the marginalised sections of society. It professes how while dialogue and deliberation light the way ahead, nothing that was taken away can truly be effectively regained without struggling for it. After all, nothing worth winning, or in this case, winning back, ever came easy.

Marriage Should Necessarily Be Allyship

"The relationship between husband and wife should be one of closest friends."You don't need to understand the secondary status of women in society to get married. But this quote of Dr. Ambedkar's insists you should. The basis of marriage mustn't be the typical power dynamic that keeps covertly raising its head - it should be a sense of best-friendship which in its most authentic form, essentially highlights each other's best interests. Because at the end of the day, an equal marriage, necessarily means allyship.

Not Caring Isn't an Option

"Indifferentism is the worst kind of disease that can affect people."There is only one thing worse than finding yourself on either extreme of the ideological spectrum - it's being unaffected. Not being affected or jolted into discussion and solution-finding by the state of the society you live in, even if the ramifications don't necessarily impact you, is compared to a "disease" by Dr. Ambedkar here. And given the current political climate, not 'caring', is simply not an option. There is nothing really wrong with having privilege. But there is something grossly wrong with being in with a status quo that derides other's freedom of expression and way of living. The quote essentially highlights how the only way a society can move forward in the correct direction, is together.