The United States, in Washington, D.C., has unveiled the tallest statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the visionary behind the Indian Constitution.
In a ceremony attended by around 500 Indian-Americans in the Maryland suburbs on October 14, the 19-foot statue, sculpted by Ram Sutar (who also created the iconic “Statue of Unity” of India’s first Home Minister, Sardar Patel), was formally inaugurated. This statue, named the “Statue of Equality,” is a replica of the world’s largest Ambedkar statue located in Hyderabad, India, which stands at a towering height of 125 feet.
The timing and date of the statue’s unveiling hold historical significance, as it marks the day in 1956 when Ambedkar himself embraced Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar had long held that the fundamental principles of Hinduism perpetuated the caste system and saw it as a more significant threat to freedom in Indian society than British colonial rule.
He believed that Buddhism was the ideal path to address the social status of India’s marginalized communities. Ambedkar regarded Buddhism as a rational and modern religion and firmly believed that embracing it was essential for improving the social status of the oppressed classes in the country.
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