Chandu Maiske

I feel very proud to inform you all that the Bust of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is installed at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai, Bombay. The programme took place on 28th May 2001. The Bronze bust of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is installed at the main building of IIT at the hands of Prof. S.C.Lakkad, Deputy Director of IIT. The employees and Ambedkarite people were present for this function. I was also present for the installation function.

After the formal installation ceremony there was a programme at lecture theater where Deputy Director of IIT, Prof. S.C.Lakkad, various Assistant Registrars of different sections and the employees were present. Speaking on the occasion Prof. S.C.Lakkad emphasized the importance Dr. Ambedkar gave to the education and admitted that in the recent days the SC/ST people has become equally competent in comparison to the general category students. Prof.S.C.Lakkad appreciated this progress amongst the Ambedkarite masses. (I would like to mention here and appreciate that inspite of his busy schedule and meetings he continued to be present with use for more than two hours).

Since I had gone for the function from Nagpur and also been the student of Prof.S.C.Lakkad, I was also asked to speak on the occasion. Since the gentry present in the hall was from different community I made it a point to convince them that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was not only a leader of Dalits and had always thought of the welfare of all mankind. Here I quoted the ideas Dr. Ambedkar expressed regarding the division of India and giving Pakistan to Muslim, his ideas on Economics, creation of buffer state, making of constitution, his emphasis on higher education, his efforts to give equal rights of Hindu women's etc. However the gentry later expressed that they were not aware of all such contribution of Dr. Ambedkar for this country. Taking the chance, I made a request to Deputy Director that we Ex-students wish to put up two Almirahs containing literature of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at IIT library, and that should be looked after by IIT library. Deputy Director Prof.S.C.Lakkad announced that in Principle he agrees to this request. Soon he will be talking to Librarian and finalizing the process.

The Ambedkarite employees at IIT are happy with the installation of the bust and also appreciated the idea of putting the Dr. Ambedkar's literature in IIT Library.

Next day on 29th May the film on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (Directed by Jabbar Patel) was screened at Convocation Hall of IIT.