Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891-1956) is both the towering symbol of protest against age-old and contemporary forms of exploitation in India and a scholar-sage proposing fair terms of social association. An untouchable himself, he led a resolute and adroit struggle against untouchability and attempted to reformulate the terms of nationalist discourse in India. This selection draws from his major works, speeches, letters and memoranda. These writings span across forty years (1915-1956) and are organised into eleven sections: reminiscences, concepts, methodology, ideology, religion, caste, untouchability, identity, economics, nationalism, constitutionalism and law. The introduction by the editor Valerian Rodrigues provides a glimpse of his momentous life,the framework and content of his writings, and the reasons for his growing stature in India over the years. Every section and excerpts included within it are introduced and endnotes support citations and incomplete references in the excerpts. Suggestions for further readings are offered through a classification of all his writings and speeches and writings on him and his work. The chronology of events anchors the context of the writings. The work is the first of its kind on Ambedkar and is a representative collection of the whole range of issues that engaged his attention. as the most comprehensive compilation on him and his works, this volume is going to be an indispensable reference for concerned students, scholars and activists.

Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION: ESSENTIAL WRITINGS; LIFE SKETCH; THE WORKS OF AMBEDKAR; RELEVANCE OF AMBEDKAR TODAY; REMINISCENCE: ON THE WAY TO GOREGAON; CONCEPTS: RELIGION AND DHAMMA; DEMOCRACY; FRANCHISE; REPRESENTATION; REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES; UNTOUCHABILITY; CASTE AND CLASS; METHODOLOGY: ON PROVINCIAL FINANCE; ON UNTOUCHABLES; IDEOLOGY: RANADE, GANDHI AND JINNAH; CASTE, CLASS AND DEMOCRACY; GANDHISM; BUDDHA OR KARL MARX; RELIGION: KRISHNA AND HIS GITA; THE BUDDHA AND HIS PREDECESSORS; DOES THE BUDDHA HAVE A SOCIAL MESSAGE?; CONVERSION ( AWAY FROM THE HINDUS ); CASTE: CASTES IN INDIA: THEIR ORIGIN. MECHANISM AND DEVELOPMENT; ANNIHILATION OF CASTE; REPLY TO THE MAHATMA; UNTOUCHABILITY:OUTSIDE THE FOLD; FROM MILLIONS TO FRACTIONS; THE UNTOUCHABLES AND THE PAX BRITANNICA; AN ANTI-UNTOUCHABILITY AGENDA; POLITICAL SAFEGUARDS FOR DEPRESSED CLASSES; IDENTITY: WHO ARE THE SUDRAS? ORIGIN OF UNTOUCHABILITY; ECONOMICS: THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE SCOPE OF PROVINCIAL FINANCE; THE SILVER STANDARD A; ND THE; EVILS OF ITS INSTABILITY; NATIONALISM:IS THERE A CASE FOR PAKISTAN? ( A NATIONALITY CALLING FOR A HOME ); CONSTITUTIONALSIM AND LAW: BASIC FEATURES OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION; THE HINDU CODE BILL; FURTHER READING; SOURCES OF SELECTION; CHRONOLOGY; GLOSSARY; INDEX