The credit of honoring this legend goes to the following donors. FFEI is only a facilitator. · Mr Kaki Madhava Rao, IAS (Rtd), Hyderabad · Mr Naresh Penumaka, IRS, Hyderbad · Mr Milind Thamke, US · Mr Sandeep Chavan, Hyderabad · Mr Maharaj Kaul, US · Ms Mina Kumar, USA · Mr Rayadas Manthena, US Please read. Benjamin
Ambedkar Awards : Honoring a legend By Vidya Bhushan Rawat Rarely you come across such a personality whose life could inspire many yet remain invisible. Just because some body writes in the native language does not mean that things did not move in India. Baby Tai Kamble, whose 82 birthday was celebrated by a host of people together with Ambedkar Awards Ceremony conferred on her by Friends for Education International USA, an initiative of a committed Ambedkrite friend Benjamin Kaila. His commitment has given new hopes to aspiring scholars, computer scientists and engineers and would be doctors from various Dalit communities in India. Since last two years, FFEI under the stewardship of Benjamin Kaila has been honoring various new initiatives taken by the unknown Dalits. Those who have done tremendous work yet remain unrecognized and invisible. In his first contribution an award of Rs 10,000 was conferred on the Dalit women from Bundelkhand region of Uttar-Pradesh who started a weekly newspaper named as Khabar Laharia. He asked me whether I know Khabar Laharia people and I told him my opinion and thus I went to deliver this award to these brave women who have initiated a great change in Bundelkhand. And I want to inform here that it was perfectly right decision. Now, with Baby Tai Kamble, who I personally think inspire every one who believes in freedom and women's emancipation. I had the opportunity to meet Baby Tai earlier in Delhi several years back when she came to India Social Forum and addressed a gathering of Dalit women. That time when I heard her, I realized her passion, her struggle and her values. It was amazing, how in such a ripe age, she is still lively, and ready to go to any part of her state and India. Hence, when brother Benjamin and his team decided that Baby Tai Kamble should be honored for her autobiography ' The Prison we broke', it was like a long cherished dream of mine that Dalit women who are the change makers rarely got the recognition. There are many who got awards and rewards and I do not want to comment upon the merits of such people but definitely by honoring Baby Kamble, Ambedkar Awards has proved itself to be genuine torch bearer of Baba Saheb Ambedakr's movement. Baby Tai Kamble is the link between us and the struggle of Dr Ambedkar. Her experience with Ambedkar's movement is a lesson for us. When I came to Phalton to meet Baby Tai and give her the message of Ambedkar Awards and hand over the cheque to her, I had in mind the glorious struggle of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Jyoti Ba Phule and other social reformers. . It was a great honor to be with her, listen to her and see her charming personality. I saw the number of people came to attend the programme. Despite a working day, nearly 500 people turned up. I saw big hoarding of honor being bestowed upon her. There were intellectuals, activists, the women, who look Baby Tai as their liberator. On her birthday, Baby Tai started a legal Aid cell to help the women victim of domestic violence and other issues related to women. Those who work in the social movement how difficult is to work among communities. When I saw women in large number in this gathering and later to hear Baby Tai though she did not speak much, I can assure you, Ambedkar Awards has infact brought itself to glory with honoring Baby Tai. I spent some moments with Baby Tai and I would like to spend some days at her place to know her and learn from her movement some time later. I would like to inform you that her book which is wonderfully crafted and shows how the women participated in Dr Ambedkar's movement despite hurdles created by their family persons. Dalit women's struggle is double as she has to convince the people in her family to go out as well as those outside the caste. So her struggle is much more difficult. Baby Tai is perhaps the first women among the Dalit fraternity whose autobiography has come out and is translated into French, Spanish, English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu languages. I have seen all those translations. Currently it is also being translated into Kannada. I am sure all those who believe in Ambedkarite vision of a liberated society would read her book and understand her struggle. She is a true follower of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Maharastra and Tamilnadu always inspired me. May be because of the fact that I found voices of change in these two states. Dr Ambedkar and Periyar remained my icon. I loved each and every word they spoke and wrote. Hence in selecting Baby Tai Kamble, I want to thank brother Benjamin Kaila. He has honored himself by honoring Baby Tai Kamble. It is an honor for me to represent FFEI here and honor Baby Tai. The Rajas may come and go. The powerful are respected in their own country but those who change a system and those who give society a vision are respected world over. Baby Tai kamble is a veteran. She is a source of inspiration for hundreds of youngsters like me who work to change the system and are part of people's movement. I salute her. I salute her spirit. I salute her vision. We need to honor such people and pay our greatful respect to them. I saw Baby Tai's middle school which she started for orphan children who were mostly described as nomads and criminal tribes. I saw a young boy who showed me various paintings that he painted. It was amazing. The children were learning. They were getting meals in their schools. I could not see Savitri Bai Phule but I have seen Baby Tai and I can say with full sincerity that she is an inspiration and that hundreds of youngsters take inspiration and blessing from her. I wish her a long life so that she can inspire people like us. We do not have many people who follow Baba Saheb's mission. She is a true embodiment of Ambedkar's principal of humanism and liberation. She is truly an Ambedkarite and humanist who believe in the emancipation of women and Dalits without Gods. All the major newspaper carried out the award ceremony. But leave that apart, it is not important whether n newspapers or TV channel carried news item or not. What is more important whether the life inspire us or not. And I can say with full conviction that with the number of people who turned up and spoke, Baby Tai remain an inspiring figure. I hope to pen down my experience with her and on her book but at the later stage but at the moment, I want to communicate you all that brother Benjamin Kaila's and his friends decision to honor Baby Tai Kamble has really helped the cause of honor Baba Saheb and his mission and I am sure this will not only inspire people to read Baby Tai and her work but also about the work Friends for Education is doing for the Dalit students in India. Vidya Bhushan Rawat Visit my blog at www.manukhsi.blogspot.com For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to www.swachchakar.blogspot.com Contribute your article on freedom, humanism and human rights to www.manuski.com For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org
