Babasaheb Ambedkar – Declare His Birthday, April 14, as International Day of Equality
(Asian independent) Tomorrow, April 14, is the birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, one of the greatest sons of India and an international icon of the lofty ideal of ‘Equitable World Order’ one of the aims and objectives of the UN. I have been writing and urging the GOI and the society at large to declare April, 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as International
Day of Equality for the last 10 years but, unfortunately, the GOI is sitting tight on the proposal which is not understandable. Not that the GOI under the stewardship of PM Narendra Modi does not know and understand the potency of Babasaheb Ambedkar and his legacy and also its relevance in the emerging India and the world at large. It goes without explaining that Ambedkar is such a name and personality which is most revered and respected not only in India but beyond. Just to justify this, I need not go far; it is sufficient to list here the functions and programmes to which a small man like me is invited to celebrate the birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar on April 14 and relevant information on the subject – Celebrations at the Sansad
Bhawan (Parliament House) in New Delhi, Celebrations at Dr. Ambedkar International Center (DAIC) in New Delhi, Celebrations at Jawarharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, Celebrations at Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi, Celebrations at Ambedkar Bhawan Jalandhar, Celebrations at Guru Ravidass Dham in Jalandhar and a few more events. But I have agreed to do the honours at Ambedkar Bhawan in Hoshiarpur as the Chief Guest to tributes to the great leader, Babasaheb Ambedkar. The birthday of Dr. Ambedkar is being celebrated at the British Parliaament under the aegis of Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations (FABO) in London (UK) and also at the UN in New York (USA) by the Permanent Mission of India under the stewardship of,
Ambassador P. Harish. It is a matter of satisfaction to note that, following suit of many States and Provinces in the UDA and Canada, the State of Connecticut of the USA has proclaimed to observe April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality – the more the merrier.
In keeping with my untiring endeavors for the last 10 years, this time I requested and urged the GOI to kindly consider and decide to declare April 14 as International Day of Equality under the aegis of UN, through an Open Letter to the Chairman of Dr.Ambedkar Foundation (DAF), Minister Dr. Varindra Kumar and Members of DAF which is appended below. Let us hope that the GOI comes out of the lip-service phase and pay a befitting tribute to the world icon, Babasaheb Ambedkar, by declaring his birthday, April 13, as International Day of Equality –
Ik Tarze Tugafil Hai; So Woh Unko Mubrak;
Ik Arze Tammana Hai; Who Hum Karte Rahenge.
Appendix –
An open letter to the Chairman and Members of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Subject:- A Long pending proposal – April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality
Respected Chairman of DAF Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar and my Member Colleagues at the DAF,
Much water has flown in the Ganges in India and the Hudson in New York (Seat of the UN) in the USA since the proposal – April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, was made to the GOI (then EAM Sushma Swaraj) in June, 2015 to declare it as International Day of Equality under the aegis of UN in the run up to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of one of greatest sons of India in the contemporary times. It was acknowledged by the UNES Division of MEA vide their letter dated August , 2015 (May be seen at Annexure 1). The proposal was submitted in a Memorandum to PM Narendra Modi in November, 2015 by the Scheduled Caste leadership through the Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs under the leadership of Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal of Punjab.
Accordingly, for the first time, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar was celebrated and observed at the UN in New York in April, 2016. Sardar Charanjit Atwal Singh along with a delegation was deputed by the GOI to participate in the celebrations at the UN. On return from New York, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal submitted a report to PM Narendra Modi on the celebrations and informed him that he had put the proposal on International Day of Equality on the high table of the UN and requested the Hon’ble PM to kindly consider and decide to make an appropriate diplomatic demarche to UN to honour the international icon, Babasaheb Ambedkar (The report of Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal mae seen at Annexure 2). The parliamentary forum under the stewardship of
Sardar Atwal , subsequently, submitted a Memorandum on the subject to then Mahamahim Rashtrapati, Ram Nath Kovind too. Since then, we have been religiously and regularly reminding the GOI (MEA and PMO and other SC Ministers among others decision makers) but the GOI remained blissfully silent. It was consciously decided not to make the proposal political and a subject of agitation and as such no other political outfit was engaged and involved in the process except the ruling dispensation including BJP, RSS and others. We have been writing to Sarsanghchalal Mohan Bhagwat and other high ups in the RSS and Presidents of BJP, Shri J.P. Nadda and Shri Nitin Nabin and other top leaders with a view to solicit their support in the matter apart from urging the SC intelligentsia and spiritual leadership and also young students to support the proposal. But it is a matter of regret to say that the proposal is still resting in the cup-boards of MEA (UN Division) and PMO. My last blog on the subject will provide more information:
https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2025/08/international-day-of-equality-
honouring.html
On one side, it is a matter of great dissatisfaction that GOI has not responded on the subject in spite our repeated reminders and requests but on the other hand, we could, with the help and understanding of the Indian organisations abroad namely; Chetna Association of Canada, Federation of Ambedkar and Buddhist Organisations (FABO) of UK, The Ambedkar Group of Publications of USA among others, motivate and convince the local authorities in various countries and sell the idea to them. As a result of these efforts, many provinces/states and cities in UK, USA, Canada and other countries officially declared April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality over the recent years. The last such gesture was done by the State of Connecticut of the USA (Proclamation may be seen at Annexure 3). Why the GOI is sitting tight on the proposal is not known and understandable. The proposal on honouring Babasaheb Ambedkar by the UN is not only in line and persuasion of the lofty ideals of ‘Equitable World Order’ under the Millennium Goals of the world body but also fully conforms to the policy and agenda of the GOI of ‘Affirmative Action and Empowerment on side and honour one of the greatest sons of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar. The gesture of honouring the Indian icon under the aegis of UN will also be yet another feather in the turban of India’s Cultural and Soft Diplomacy like International Non-violence Day on October 2, birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and International Day of Yoga on June 21. Both these initiatives were taken by India and rightly so. It is time to consider the proposal on International Day of Equality not only to strengthen our diplomatic outreach but also to give due honour to Babasaheb Ambedkar, one of the founding fathers of modern India.
Dear Sirs, you may recall that I briefly mentioned about the proposal on International Day of Equality in the March 28, 2026 meeting of the DAF in New Delhi. But due to paucity of time, I could not speak more to explain the proposal. I thought of sharing it
with you at length through this letter. I am confident that you would excuse my indulgence. I am open to discuss and explain the matter to anyone, if required, with a view to solicit your kind understanding and support to the proposal. The proposal very well fits in the mandate of the DAF which was set up, “to carry out the programmes and activities for furthering of Dr. Ambedkar’s ideology and spread his message of social justice to masses not only in the country but also abroad.”
I am confident, Sirs, that being members of the DAF, an esteemed organization dedicated to Babasaheb Ambedkar and his legacy will consider and support the proposal and make appropriate recommendations to the GOI iuder the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi. Our Chairman, Hon’ble Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar may like to take up the subject with Hon’ble EAM and PM, as convenient, appreciably and possibly at the earliest before April 14, 2026. Hon’ble PM may consider and announce something substantive on the proposal on International Day of Equality on the forthcoming birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, a worthy son of Bharat. It will be a befitting tribute to the great icon of the humanity at large.
I submit it with my highest consideration, Sirs.
Yours truly,
(Ramesh Chander)
Dr. Virendra Kumar,
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment and
Chairman of DAF and all the Members of DAF
New Delhi
Copy to –
- Shri Sudhansh Pant, Secretary of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
- Shri Manoj Tiwari, Drecector of DAF
iii. Shri Akash Patil, Director of DAIC
- Dr. S. Jaishankar, EAM
- Shri P. K. Mishra Principal Secretary to PM
- Shri Ramdas Athawale, MOS, Social Justice and Empowerment
vii. Shri Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing Industries
viii. Shri Arjun Meghwal, MOS of Law and Parliamentary Affairs
- Shri Kishor Makwana, Chairman, National Commission for SCs
