Mahaparinirvana Diwas- 6 December

Why in the news?

• 6 December 2024, the 69th death anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ram Ambedkar will be celebrated as Mahaparinirvana Diwas.

Mahaparinirvana Diwas:

• Every year, 6 December is celebrated as Mahaparinirvana Diwas to commemorate the death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhimrao Ram Ambedkar.
• It is celebrated by Dr. Ambedkar Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Mahaparinirvana Diwas is celebrated as a tribute to the transformative legacy of Dr. BR Ambedkar.

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar:

• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in a Dalit (Hindu Mahar) family on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, a small town in the then Central Province (Madhya Pradesh).
• He received doctorate degrees in economics from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and also did research work in law, economics and political science.
• Ambedkar was a prominent social reformer, jurist, economist, writer, scholar and thinker.
• He started a fortnightly newspaper called Mooknayak (The Leader of the Mutes) in 1920.
  • Its purpose was to put forward Ambedkar's views on matters such as Swaraj, education of untouchables and the evils of untouchability.
• In the year 1924, he founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, also known as Bahishkrit Kalyan Sangh, with the aim of spreading education and awareness among Dalits.
•  In the year 1930, he started the Kalaram Mandir Satyagraha in Nasik, which was a temple entry movement for untouchables.
• In 1932, Ambedkar signed the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi.
  • This agreement provided for reserved seats for the Dalit class instead of a separate electorate in the regional legislative assemblies and the Central Council of States.
• In 1936, Ambedkar founded the Independent Labor Party.
• In 1947, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar became the first Law Minister of independent India.
• In 1947, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution to create the new Constitution of independent India.
• Books - Annihilation of Castes, Pakistan and the Partition of India / Thoughts on Pakistan, Who Were the Shudras?, The Cabinet Mission and the Untouchables, States and Minorities, Waiting for Visa (autobiography) etc. 
• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar died on 6 December 1956.
• In the year 1990, he was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna (India's highest civilian honour).