B.R. Ambedkar

Among all the thinkers of that period Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is least unambiguous. He accepted the development paradigm and focused on the genesis and solution to social class inequalities in development and modernization. He lent his full support to economic and legal institutions of the West and looked for ways to make them beneficial to the vulnerable sections of society, particularly the untouchables. He established that the problems of caste, class and gender are all interrelated and for building a modern integrated society in India particular attention will have to be paid to the problems of depressed classes. Dr. Ambedkar has written extensively on caste, communal deadlock, Buddha, federal system, and Hindu epics. Annihilation of Caste and The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women summarizes his ideas about the caste and gender inequalities. To him, superimposition of endogamy on exogamy is the root cause of emergence of the institution of caste in India and the rise of caste system is linked with the downfall of Hindu women. He showed that at one time women occupied high position in statecraft and intellectual circles and there is ample evidence for it from Vedic literature. Buddha gave almost the same status to women. “It was Manu, the Law Giver of the Hindus,” who is responsible for their fall.