A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar TO OBCs

A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar TO OBCs

Dr. K. Jamanadas

An article was published recently in Marathi local magazine by Suhas Sonwane based on daily Loksatta. The following is a gist of it, translated from Marathi.

Mr. Babasaheb Gawande, the founder president of an Organization of Marathas from Bombay called "Maratha Mandir" was a close friend of Dr. Ambedkar. Mr. Gawande asked Dr. Ambedkar, who was then a Law Minister in Nehru Cabinet in 1947, for a message for the Maratha people to be published in the Souvenir of "Maratha Mandir". Ambedkar declined saying that he had no relation with the Organization or the Marathas, but on persistent insistence, a message was given and published in the souvenir on 23rd March 1947. But unfortunately that special issue is not available in the office of the Organization today. But it was made available by Shri Vijay Survade recently and was undocumented till now.

Dr. Ambedkar said:

"This principle will apply not only to Marathas but all Backward Castes. If they do not wish to be under the thumb of others they should concentrate on two things, one is politics and the other is education."

"One thing I like to impress on you is that the community can live in peace only when it has enough moral but indirect pressure over the rulers. Even if a community is numerically weak, it can keep its pressure over the rulers and create its dominance as is seen by the example of status of present day Brahmins in India. It is essential that such a pressure is maintained, as without it, the aims and policies of the state can not have proper direction, on which depends the development and progress of the state."

"At the same time, it must not be forgotten that education is also important. Not only elementary education but higher education is most essential to keep ahead in competition of communities in their progress."

"Higher education, in my opinion, means that education, which can enable you to occupy the strategically important places in State administration. Brahmins had to face a lot of opposition and obstacles, but they are overcoming these and progressing ahead."

"I can not forget, rather I am sad, that many people do not realize that the Caste system is existing in India for centuries because of inequality and a wide gulf of difference in education, and they have forgotten that it is likely to continue for some centuries to come. This gulf between the education of Brahmins and non-Brahmins will not end just by primary and secondary education. The difference in status between these can only be reduced by higher education. Some non-Brahmins must get highly educated and occupy the strategically important places, which has remained the monopoly of Brahmins since long. I think this is the duty of the State. If the Govt. can not do it, institutions like "Maratha Mandir" must undertake this task."

"I must emphasize one point here that middle class tries to compare itself with the highly educated and well placed and well to do community, whereas lower class all over the world has same fault. The middle class is not as liberal as upper one, and has no ideology as lower one, which makes it enemy of both the classes. The middle class Marathas of Maharashtra also have this fault. They have only two ways out, either to join hands with upper classes and prevent the lower classes from progress, and the other is to join hands with lower classes and both together destroy the upper class power coming against the progress of both. There was a time, they used to be with lower classes, now they seem to be with the upper class. It is for them to decide which way to go. The future of not only Indian masses but also their own future depends upon what decision the Maratha leaders take. As a matter of fact it all should be left to the skill and wisdom of the leaders of Marathas. But there seems to be a lack of such wise leadership among the Marathas."

What he said about Marathas, equally applies to all OBCs, and still holds true after half a century. Dr. Ambedkar wrote much to educate the OBCs. It is only now that OBCs are awakening gradually. It must not be forgotten that the future of this country depends on them.

 

A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar to OBCs

 

A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar to  OBCs

Dr. K. Jamanadas,

 

An article was published recently in Marathi local magazine by Suhas Sonwane based on daily Loksatta. The following is a gist of it, translated from Marathi.

Mr. Babasaheb Gawande, the founder president of an Organization of Marathas from Bombay called "Maratha Mandir" was a close friend of Dr. Ambedkar. Mr. Gawande asked Dr. Ambedkar, who was then a Law Minister in Nehru Cabinet in 1947, for a message for the Maratha people to be published in the Souvenir of "Maratha Mandir". Ambedkar declined saying that he had no relation with the Organization or the Marathas, but on persistent insistence, a message was given and published in the souvenir on 23rd March 1947. But unfortunately that special issue is not available in the office of the Organization today. But it was made available by Shri Vijay Survade recently and was undocumented till now.

Dr. Ambedkar said:

"This principle will apply not only to Marathas but all Backward Castes. If they do not wish to be under the thumb of others they should concentrate on two things, one is politics and the other is education."

"One thing I like to impress on you is that the community can live in peace only when it has enough moral but indirect pressure over the rulers. Even if a community is numerically weak, it can keep its pressure over the rulers and create its dominance as is seen by the example of status of present day Brahmins in India. It is essential that such a pressure is maintained, as without it, the aims and policies of the state can not have proper direction, on which depends the development and progress of the state."

"At the same time, it must not be forgotten that education is also important. Not only elementary education but higher education is most essential to keep ahead in competition of communities in their progress."

"Higher education, in my opinion, means that education, which can enable you to occupy the strategically important places in State administration. Brahmins had to face a lot of opposition and obstacles, but they are overcoming these and progressing ahead."

"I can not forget, rather I am sad, that many people do not realize that the Caste system is existing in India for centuries because of inequality and a wide gulf of difference in education, and they have forgotten that it is likely to continue for some centuries to come. This gulf between the education of Brahmins and non-Brahmins will not end just by primary and secondary education. The difference in status between these can only be reduced by higher education. Some non-Brahmins must get highly educated and occupy the strategically important places, which has remained the monopoly of Brahmins since long. I think this is the duty of the State. If the Govt. can not do it, institutions like "Maratha Mandir" must undertake this task."

"I must emphasize one point here that middle class tries to compare itself with the highly educated and well placed and well to do community, whereas lower class all over the world has same fault. The middle class is not as liberal as upper one, and has no ideology as lower one, which makes it enemy of both the classes. The middle class Marathas of Maharashtra also have this fault. They have only two ways out, either to join hands with upper classes and prevent the lower classes from progress, and the other is to join hands with lower classes and both together destroy the upper class power coming against the progress of both. There was a time, they used to be with lower classes, now they seem to be with the upper class. It is for them to decide which way to go. The future of not only Indian masses but also their own future depends upon what decision the Maratha leaders take. As a matter of fact it all should be left to the skill and wisdom of the leaders of Marathas. But there seems to be a lack of such wise leadership among the Marathas."

What he said about Marathas, equally applies to all OBCs, and still holds true after half a century. Dr. Ambedkar wrote much to educate the OBCs. It is only now that OBCs are awakening gradually. It must not be forgotten that the future of this country depends on them.

 

Education is hollow without Art - Siddharth Darapuri

 

Education is hollow without Art

- Siddharth Darapuri

"Cultivation of the Mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence" - said Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Well, what could be more stimulating and productive than art? The art of creating something, where the brain intercepts an idea and grows it into a manifold entity. Whether it’s writing an article, a poem, a story or making a painting, a sketch, or anything that is original and has a manifestation of 'I' in it; creativity is the highest form of human expression.

As Ernst Fischer writes in 'The Necessity of Art', "For make no mistake about it, work of an artist is a highly conscious and rational process at the end of which the work of art emerges as mastered reality - not at all a state of intoxicated inspiration". So why does art (creativity, broadly) struggle to find its place in formal education?

Speaking of India, our popular education system is leg-shackled to archaic ideas of Brahminical pedagogy tweaked to supplement the 'Market'. Artistic merit is largely earned through degrees and social position i.e., privilege. These individuals seem to create towering standards, that will fall into place, if this base of 'privilege' shifts.

The arrogance of this 'merit' forces - replication. Only replicas of these so-called acmes can work perfectly. We'll use the analogy of a photocopier to understand this; the industry is the photocopier and the workforce is the ink, electricity, service parts etc. used to keep the industry running. They are only supposed to do what they are meant to do. They are nothing but, "cogs of a machine". Individual creativity has no place here. To effect this, our ancient rote learning system is used.

Though indifference towards art is often witnessed in our culturally old-fashioned but neo-liberal Indian society, I recall an incident from my days at college that reconfirmed this. It was a ‘free-period’ and while the whole class was busy talking, playing games or surfing the internet on their mobile phones, I chose to draw. The substitute teacher came to me and asked me what was I doing. I told her that I was drawing and she immediately retorted, “Why did you join an engineering college if you wanted to draw?”. I bet Leonardo Da Vinci would turn in his grave if he heard this.

We should realise that it was creativity that gave rise to education. Someone had an idea and upon successful implementation, she/he started to teach people how to do it.

Again, creativity is becoming rare and we are only "manufacturing" service parts that could perpetuate the existing machinery. More specifically, we are manufacturing lubricants to oil a machine no one wishes to change.

Even the most sophisticated technology is fruition of an idea. That's where an artist comes in. The artist has the talent to provide you with the first blueprint; while you'll be pondering upon the practicality of the machine. You are fettered, and the artist is not. Education, as it is now, has confined you with bookish rules.

It surprises me that how much effort is put into education to separate science from art.

“The more bookish you are, the greater the technocrat you'll become”. I believe we failed as policy makers when we decided to distinguish art from science when great scholars, theorists, architects and inventors like Vinci, Raphael, Maria Merian and even Ambedkar, were passionate artists themselves. They came up with ideas "ahead of their time" as they could think and represent what they visioned on paper quickly giving them a head start.

Poetically, Nature is a dreamer and an artist. The theropods dreamt and became birds, the first microorganisms dreamt and became the theropods. The potential of creativity is greatly undermined. It is time we let humans be humans, naturally.

 

A Rendezvous with Quality Education
By Dr Shura Darapuri
Long awaited educational reforms initiated by HRD ministry have at last breathed in a fresh lease of life in the education system. But getting them implemented is the ‘ultimate trial’. The past experience has shown that most welfare measures fail the ‘acid test’. Best of the reforms find it difficult to reach and benefit those whom they are meant for and breathe their last in the files and soon get buried under more files! Right to Education Act, should not suffer the same fate.
‘Education for all’ is certainly important, but the question that comes to mind is whether presently, the education imparted at school is actually doing its job of ‘educating’ the children and training them to be good citizens of the country. HRD minister, Mr. Kapil Sibal, with his conspicuous concern for the nation, time and again emphasizes on imparting of ‘quality teaching’ in the educational institutions of the country. In that case, first and foremost, the phrase ‘quality teaching’ needs to be clearly defined. Is it, that all this while, the students have been kept away from getting ‘quality education’? How is it to be ensured? Some suggest a ‘fat pay packet’ would motivate teachers to teach well. But the next question that comes to mind is what is ‘teaching well’? Teaching the routine subjects well, without inculcating moral values in the child is quality education or training in both, which is important for the overall development of the personality, is to be regarded as the education of quality?
Teachers have a very important role to play in a country. They are like ‘the beacon of light’ for a nation. At one time, occupations providing service to mankind were regarded as ‘noble professions’, and teaching was the foremost amongst them. To teach a child was considered to be a moral obligation and a duty of a teacher. It is none other than, a teacher who knows the significance of education, in building up a nation. And a teacher is morally bound to provide education of quality, salary or no salary! It is the greatest service an individual can do for a nation, provided the sense of belonging to the nation is strong enough! Teachers have held a position of great respect in the past. But with time and reasons unknown degeneration has set in. The explanation is sought in the ‘a cause and effect’ phenomena, the general view in circulation is ‘higher the cost, higher is the standard of education.’ In other words, ‘quality education’ is available at a stone throw provided one has the means to pay the cost. Deep in the heart each and every individual aspires to buy good education at the private institutions. But be it in a private school or a government run school, the issue at stake is, whether the student is actually getting a training in ‘quality education’?
In most institutions, moral science, a subject imparting good moral values occupies a remote corner of the bag, occasionally taken out to give it a passing glance and then kept back to devote more time to the main subjects, scoring well in which matters most. No other subject imparts lessons on ‘morality’ therefore; the subject is rendered insignificant both by the teacher and the pupil, who is too ready to submit in obeisance.
That ‘humility comes with the high intellect’ is considered to be a thing of the past, now it is the rat race for high score that matters! But it is a universally accepted truth that the education is incomplete without good values. The growing incidents of violence amongst students, raises some pertinent questions with regard to the existing education system. How else does a ‘high grader’ in a reputed institution, not for a moment hesitate, to bash up a ‘newcomer’ to death with a ‘shameless’ dexterity of a criminal? How a history or a sociology student even after spending years in completing a doctorate fails to understand the issues of ‘marginalization’ or the ‘pain of the marginalized’ marring our nation and on the slightest provocation, instead of giving it a sound understanding or joining hands with the government in providing alternative solutions for bettering the situation with their expertise, remain forever ready to join the anti- reservation campaign? They too easily see ‘caste’ as ‘clearly’ as their lesser educated counterparts. But it is no fault of theirs but the fault lies in their mentors, their teachers, themselves, who failed to be good role models to their students by not practicing, what they preached or they refrained from preaching the ‘right things’! But the next question that arises in mind is, what were they actually ‘teaching’ in the classrooms?
A great amount of responsibility lies on the shoulders of a teacher. They are like ‘undeclared gods’ to their students at the primary level. Their words are being heard with utmost care, each and every action of theirs is being keenly observed and the message conveyed is being thoroughly internalized. In the company of an erring teacher, a child right from the school level learns to break rules, when, in spite of the tall claims made by the institutions of not resorting to corporal punishment, a child still finds himself being regularly traumatized by the same. Also, when in spite of the fact, that that there is one whole paper on child psychology at the BEd. level, where it is taught to be careful about a child’s emotions, they do not hesitate for a moment, to publicly humiliate the child at the slightest pretext. Their conduct exude ‘professionalism’ of high degree at a time, when their expertise could be easily used to help a seriously ill child, they ‘feign ignorance’ in handling a crisis situation due to which many children have paid a heavy price by ultimately losing their lives. The sexual molestation of the students is also on a rise and it is not easy today for parents, to put whole hearted faith in an individual claiming to be a teacher. Human sensibilities would refrain to call such individuals ‘teachers’ who have no control over their senses and so easily forget the lessons of humanity which is the foundation stone on which the citadel of education is build! If the future of our country is in the hands of such ‘teachers’ the doom of the nation is not far!
Dr Shura Darapuri
Coordinator (I/C)
CSSEIP,
Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University,
Lucknow

"Three Idiots" give society words of wisdom
Dr Shura Darapuri
It is a great satire on the education system and the attitude of society. It tells us rote learning can be very harmful. That knowledge is to ‘know’ and not just in the name of educating ourselves memorise whatever comes our way. Learning without understanding can prove to be very dangerous. Unfortunately we have been patrons of such system from time immemorial. Read more

Rote learning used to be important during the ancient times when education was being monopolized by a section of society, while rest of the masses remained illiterate. No doubt in spite of their educational exclusion, they had more knowledge than the so-called literates of the society. Even without getting the benefits of formal education, they understood their work and transmitted it generations after generations with utmost efficiency and dexterity. The cobbler, the agriculturalist, the blacksmith knew their work and carried it out very well and transmitted it also, without any compulsions of memorizing any kind of written text. Their knowledge was useful for every section of society and their service so important for the progress and development of the country.

On the other hand, so called ‘formal education’ was the monopoly of a particular section to maintain status quo. It was of help to no one but its patron alone. It was constantly meant to remind their coming generations that their caste was born to subordinate a large section of society. That the masses below them have to be denigrated to the extent that they easily give in and without any resistance believe in the superiority of the few above them and in their own inferiority. Anyone indulging in physical work has to be looked down upon and regarded as illiterate and uncivilized. But the question that comes in one’s mind is that, who is to be considered more literate and more civilized. A caste using its skills in the service of others from generations together is to be considered more civilized or a caste making rules for others, cleverly putting ones name at the top and the rest below them are strictly instructed to serve?

But generally, the serving caste without some amount of knowledge and skill couldn’t possibly move an inch, be it growing wheat for the nation, or making tools for industrial or any other purposes, or fixing a wall even. Every work requires skill and intelligence, and one needs a large heart to build houses for others and themselves stay in shambles. The servile castes have been doing this ‘godly gesture’ for ages together, no wonder Gandhiji used the word ‘Harijan’ to address them. They have exhibited remarkable amount of tolerance and willpower. Their stomach might remain hungry but not for a day they would take leave to take rest but continue to work in unison to achieve the target. Their children might be ill or injured but not for a moment they stop their work. They grow our crops, they make our tools, and they build our hospitals, but seldom are allowed to get proper treatment there. They build our schools but without any grudge, accept it as their fate of remaining unlettered and allow us to get literate.

But our studying in Convent or a great University abroad doesn’t teach us to be as sacrificing, tolerant and selfless as the so called illiterate, serving castes. The aim of the literates is to get high marks by hook and crook, to prove themselves in the rat race, through a false degree or anyhow get into a prestigious college later on by any means, give a ‘religious babu’ some amount of bribe so that he can also take his family to a trip to Vaishno Devi in the coming summer vacation of his siblings. But in the rat race of getting high marks human values ‘go down the drain’. It is evident that in the so called prestigious centres of higher education the same ‘high grader’ shows he can be a great villain for real and in ragging the junior students he puts to shame even the worst of criminals. Where from he got those lessons one fails to understand?

Convent education, public school education, high caste well preserved 'sanskars' given at home takes a backseat and the hidden “goonda” comes out. The mantra that time is, tradition has to be followed without questioning it! We were not spared we will not spare others! In the modern times there are so many other ways of entertainment but they still insist on going for sadistic pleasures! Is higher education so simple that allows students to indulge in such luxuries of wasting time? What is ultimately derived out of it, has the so called high graders, given a thought to it? It is here that is reflected that how dangerous rote learning can be. It kills inquisitiveness, reasoning, rationality and worst of all creativity. Like a dodo we fail to respond in an appropriate manner to the crisis situation, serial train accidents, children falling in borewell or students committing suicides under psychological pressures day in and day out! Our senses remain numbed to the utmost, failing to react till another mishap occurs. Everybody waits for a miracle to happen or someone else to do the job for them! Their marked indifference reflected in their attitude.

Sitting on high pedestals not for a moment they give thought to the idea what example they are setting before the society. Lalu Prasad ji was right when he said recently “we are totally devoid of civic sense.” For the same reason we still need ‘proper toilet training’ and other mannerisms while travelling in VIP trains atleast! Most importantly an attitude of concern for others has to be developed alongwith a feeling of belonging to a nation, which is like a plant that is to be nurtured unitedly. Right from nursery class we have learnt by heart patriotic songs we still might remember some lines here and there but spirit still remains lacking in our character. That's the reason on slightest pretext we are ready and more than happy to move to other country, braving ‘racism’, waiting for years together to get hold of a green card or a more permanent citizenship right. But would certainly object in our own country if a person of other state tries to get a job in our state.

We have learnt by heart ‘Saare Jahan se Accha Hindustan Hamara’, or our National Anthem but still cannot clearly understand what it is to be like living unitedly as one, in a nation and contributing to its development. If only we would have tried to understand before blindly memorizing our lessons! There is a rule that when we understand something it takes less effort to remember it! That is what is reflected in the movie 'Three Idiots' and that being knowledgeable doesn't end at achieving high marks alone, but there should be an effort on our part to know, understand and most importantly be concerned about the welfare of others and 'treat others the way we would like to be treated by others'. Three Idiots have certainly given society words of wisdom.