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The Foresighted Ambedkar: Ideas That Shaped Indian Constitutional Discourse
Dr Ambedkar’s role in the cause of social emancipation has been researched and written about extensively. His part in the drafting of the Indian Constitution between 1946 and 1950 has also received considerable attention.
In The Foresighted Ambedkar, Anurag Bhaskar argues that India’s Constitution was drafted not just between 1946 and 1950 but over the course of four decades. Dr Ambedkar was the only person to have been involved at all the stages related to the drafting of the Indian constitutional document since 1919. These stages bear the imprint of his contribution and role.
This book seeks to focus on Dr Ambedkar’s influence on the Indian constitutional discourse from 1919, when he entered public life, until the actual writing of the Constitution and even beyond. Covering the different constitutional moments as and when they happened, it highlights Dr Ambedkar’s role in those moments.
A seminal work of intellectual and constitutional history, this volume demonstrates why Dr Ambedkar is rightly called the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’.
In The Foresighted Ambedkar, Anurag Bhaskar argues that India’s Constitution was drafted not just between 1946 and 1950 but over the course of four decades. Dr Ambedkar was the only person to have been involved at all the stages related to the drafting of the Indian constitutional document since 1919. These stages bear the imprint of his contribution and role.
This book seeks to focus on Dr Ambedkar’s influence on the Indian constitutional discourse from 1919, when he entered public life, until the actual writing of the Constitution and even beyond. Covering the different constitutional moments as and when they happened, it highlights Dr Ambedkar’s role in those moments.
A seminal work of intellectual and constitutional history, this volume demonstrates why Dr Ambedkar is rightly called the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published August 6, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 22, 2024
Most scholarly books appeal to a niche reader, probably engaged in academics or professionally engaged. This book is the need of the hour for every citizen to understand the principles of equality, liberty and fraternity in a polarised society. In a lucid manner, it covers the socio-political and economic environment over the century, the thoughts that went into shaping of a newly-independent nation and the reforms needed to be a progressive country.
This book helped me understand many important things: role of socialist organisations, distribution of power and wealth, creating equal opportunities, humanity over religious communities, bringing reforms to meet the need-of-the-hour, ethics and morality above all.
In a social order ridden with casteism and privileges given to a few, Dr Ambedkar stood up for the underdog, the meek and the weak. Dr Ambedkar abhorred the idea of a majoritarian state and power in the hands of a few. He highlighted the importance of opposition in a democracy. He created a skillful system of checks and balances so that the power would be fairly distributed. Above all, he cited the importance of democratic morality, spirit of constitutional ethics and the desire to make the country a progressive land.
This book helped me understand many important things: role of socialist organisations, distribution of power and wealth, creating equal opportunities, humanity over religious communities, bringing reforms to meet the need-of-the-hour, ethics and morality above all.
In a social order ridden with casteism and privileges given to a few, Dr Ambedkar stood up for the underdog, the meek and the weak. Dr Ambedkar abhorred the idea of a majoritarian state and power in the hands of a few. He highlighted the importance of opposition in a democracy. He created a skillful system of checks and balances so that the power would be fairly distributed. Above all, he cited the importance of democratic morality, spirit of constitutional ethics and the desire to make the country a progressive land.
June 1, 2024
"The Foresighted Ambedkar: Ideas That Shaped Indian Constitutional Discourse" by Anurag Bhaskar is an insightful and enlightening book that delves deep into Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s monumental role in shaping the Indian Constitution. The book offers a thorough exploration of Ambedkar's influence on the constitutional discourse in India, tracing his involvement from 1919 until the Constitution was finally drafted in 1950, and even beyond.
According to Anurag Bhaskar, Dr. Amebdkar started shaping Indian constitution not in 1946 when official drafting process began, but far earlier – more than forty years earlier precisely speaking His perspective is distinctive and it helps to shed light on how embedded deeply in the.
Constitutionally framed India were thoughts and ideas of this great man.” The author documents each step involved in its making thus showing how much influence was exerted by Ambedkar at them all.” All these facts help to comprehend why he is said to be properly referred as “Father of Indian Constitution.”
It is a book that is easily read. This book is full of jargon and legal terms, yet it somehow manages to make complex constitutional discussions simple for non-lawyers.
It will be useful to scholars and students as well as anyone with an interest in Indian history and politics. Moreover, it also reveals Ambedkar’s prescience and foresight. It demonstrates how his views on social justice, human rights and equality were before their time and influence society in India even today. His unflagging struggle against social discrimination as well as his much sought after provisions for the upliftment of marginalized communities under the Constitution are worth reading about in detail.
Author does not just write a historical narrative, it is also a reminder that Ambedkar’s notions continue to be germane in India at present. In this book, Anurag Bhaskar invites readers to think about how far social justice in India has come and what hurdles remain for India even today as envisaged by the father of Indian Constitution – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
All-in-all, “The Visionary Dr. Ambedkar” is one of those books that offer great insights into the intellectual and constitutional history of India with specific reference to the contributions made by Dr. Ambedkar. Anurag Bhaskar makes this book a must read; his well researched work provides deep insights on how ideas from Ambedker shaped the Indian Constitution and society in general.
According to Anurag Bhaskar, Dr. Amebdkar started shaping Indian constitution not in 1946 when official drafting process began, but far earlier – more than forty years earlier precisely speaking His perspective is distinctive and it helps to shed light on how embedded deeply in the.
Constitutionally framed India were thoughts and ideas of this great man.” The author documents each step involved in its making thus showing how much influence was exerted by Ambedkar at them all.” All these facts help to comprehend why he is said to be properly referred as “Father of Indian Constitution.”
It is a book that is easily read. This book is full of jargon and legal terms, yet it somehow manages to make complex constitutional discussions simple for non-lawyers.
It will be useful to scholars and students as well as anyone with an interest in Indian history and politics. Moreover, it also reveals Ambedkar’s prescience and foresight. It demonstrates how his views on social justice, human rights and equality were before their time and influence society in India even today. His unflagging struggle against social discrimination as well as his much sought after provisions for the upliftment of marginalized communities under the Constitution are worth reading about in detail.
Author does not just write a historical narrative, it is also a reminder that Ambedkar’s notions continue to be germane in India at present. In this book, Anurag Bhaskar invites readers to think about how far social justice in India has come and what hurdles remain for India even today as envisaged by the father of Indian Constitution – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
All-in-all, “The Visionary Dr. Ambedkar” is one of those books that offer great insights into the intellectual and constitutional history of India with specific reference to the contributions made by Dr. Ambedkar. Anurag Bhaskar makes this book a must read; his well researched work provides deep insights on how ideas from Ambedker shaped the Indian Constitution and society in general.
August 19, 2024
A scholarly work on the life of Ambedkar which has a lot of contemporary relevance when the politics based on religious orthodoxies seem to be on the ascendancy. The book can be read in two dimensions- as a simple introduction to the life of Ambedkar; it chronicles the major life events of Ambedkar and throws light on the inhuman effects of caste system. For a person who is unfamiliar with the life and thoughts of Ambedkar, this is a useful guide to understand them.
The larger dimension of the book is on how it provides a link between the life experiences of Ambedkar and the causes of liberty, equality and fraternity he espoused passionately, which ultimately materialised in our Constitution. Some of the deeply cherished Constitutional guarantees are in one sense born out of the life experiences of Ambedkar. He passionately advocated for these guarantees to be enshrined in the Constitution so that no one else will have to face the atrocities his generation faced. It is in providing this link that the book achieves a higher dimension. It is simple and easy to read but deep in its impact and enrichment.
The larger dimension of the book is on how it provides a link between the life experiences of Ambedkar and the causes of liberty, equality and fraternity he espoused passionately, which ultimately materialised in our Constitution. Some of the deeply cherished Constitutional guarantees are in one sense born out of the life experiences of Ambedkar. He passionately advocated for these guarantees to be enshrined in the Constitution so that no one else will have to face the atrocities his generation faced. It is in providing this link that the book achieves a higher dimension. It is simple and easy to read but deep in its impact and enrichment.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews