B. R. Ambedkar's 124th birthday has been marked with colourful celebrations in India with thousands of people commemorating the life of the famed social reformer.
Bhim Rao Ambedkar, an 'untouchable', or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste.
Even search giant Google marked the event, creating a special doodle to celebrate Ambedkar, known as the messiah of the Dalits.
Born into a poor family, Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination in the caste system during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. He is also credited with having sparked the Dalit Buddhist movement.
Popularly known as Babasaheb, the Indian jurist, politician and economist was born in 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy.
In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities.
B. R. Ambedkar
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A young Indian boy holds hand of his father as he arrives to participate in a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Young Indians dance during a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian women greet each other as they arrive to participate in a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indians watch a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Children wear masks of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, as they wait with their family outside the Indian Parliament, before going in to pay tribute to Ambedkar on his birth anniversary in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, April 14, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or Dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Dalit women of India's outcast community once known as untouchables, in blue saree, eat a meal at a function organized to mark the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 13, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. These dalit women worked as manual scavengers since childhood in different parts of India. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Dalit women of India's outcast community once known as untouchables, in blue saree, eat a meal with upper cast Hindu priests at a function to mark the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 13, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. These dalit women worked as manual scavengers since childhood in different parts of India. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Dalit women of India's outcast community once known as untouchables, in blue saree, offer sweets to upper cast Hindu priests at a function to mark the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 13, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. These dalit women worked as manual scavengers since childhood in different parts of India. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Dalit women of India's outcast community once known as untouchables, in blue saree, eat a meal with Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, third left, at a function organized to mark the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 13, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. These dalit women worked as manual scavengers since childhood in different parts of India. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Dalit women of India's outcast community once known as untouchables, in blue saree, offer sweets to upper cast Hindu women at a function to mark the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, India, Monday, April 13, 2015. Ambedkar, an untouchable, or dalit, and a prominent Indian freedom fighter, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, which outlawed discrimination based on caste. These dalit women worked as manual scavengers since childhood in different parts of India. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A member of the Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society garlands a statue of Indian social reformer, B R Ambedkar to mark his 124th birth anniversay in Amritsar on April 14, 2015. Born into a poor 'untouchable' family, Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination and the Indian caste system and he is also credited with having sparked the Dalit Buddhist movement. (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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Members of the Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society place flowers around a photograph of Indian social reformer, B R Ambedkar to mark his 124th birth anniversay in Amritsar on April 14, 2015. Born into a poor 'untouchable' family, Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination and the Indian caste system and he is also credited with having sparked the Dalit Buddhist movement. (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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A vendor is reflected on a framed photograph of Bhimrao Ambedkar for sale on Ambedkar's 124th birth anniversary near the historic Chaitya Bhoomi memorial in Mumbai on April 14, 2015. Ambedkar known as the messiah of the Dalits and one of the key authors of India's constitution, fought for equal rights for the low-caste during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy. In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
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A man inspects a locket with an image of Bhimrao Ambedkar for sale on Ambedkar's 124th birth anniversary near the historic Chaitya Bhoomi memorial in Mumbai on April 14, 2015. Ambedkar known as the messiah of the Dalits and one of the key authors of India's constitution, fought for equal rights for the low-caste during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy. In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
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A follower is reflected on a framed photograph of Bhimrao Ambedkar for sale on Ambedkar's 124th birth anniversary near the historic Chaitya Bhoomi memorial in Mumbai on April 14, 2015. Ambedkar known as the messiah of the Dalits and one of the key authors of India's constitution, fought for equal rights for the low-caste during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy. In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
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A man holds a key chain with an image of Bhimrao Ambedkar for sale on Ambedkar's 124th birth anniversary near the historic Chaitya Bhoomi memorial in Mumbai on April 14, 2015. Ambedkar known as the messiah of the Dalits and one of the key authors of India's constitution, fought for equal rights for the low-caste during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy. In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
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A man inspects a locket with an image of Bhimrao Ambedkar for sale on Ambedkar's 124th birth anniversary near the historic Chaitya Bhoomi memorial in Mumbai on April 14, 2015. Ambedkar known as the messiah of the Dalits and one of the key authors of India's constitution, fought for equal rights for the low-caste during and after British colonial rule, which ended in 1947. Dalits, once known as 'untouchables,' is the term used for those on the lowest rung of India's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy. In recent years things have started to change with the government taking steps to improve the livelihood of the Dalits by improving education and creating job opportunities. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal and Sulabh Founder Bindeshwar Pathak with Sulabh volunteers eat a meal during the occasion of National function on 'Untouchability No More' at Constitution club on Monday, April 13, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Function held on the eve of Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary, to symbolically liberate from untouchability thousands of women manual scavengers from Rajasthan and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Singh along with many leaders and priests ate food with them. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal and Sulabh Founder Bindeshwar Pathak with Sulabh volunteers eat a meal during the occasion of National function on 'Untouchability No More' at Constitution club on Monday, April 13, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Function held on the eve of Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary, to symbolically liberate from untouchability thousands of women manual scavengers from Rajasthan and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Singh along with many leaders and priests ate food with them. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal and Sulabh Founder Bindeshwar Pathak with Sulabh volunteers eat a meal during the occasion of National function on 'Untouchability No More' at Constitution club on Monday, April 13, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Function held on the eve of Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary, to symbolically liberate from untouchability thousands of women manual scavengers from Rajasthan and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Singh along with many leaders and priests ate food with them. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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Activists of Youth for Buddhist India participate during the 'Run For Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - the Greatest Indian' to mark his 125th birth anniversary on April 14, 2015, at Boat Club to Jantar Mantar on April 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April, 1891 - 6 December, 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination of Dalits, women and labour. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Ambedkar's original name was actually Ambavadekar. But his teacher, Mahadev Ambedkar, who was fond of him, changed his surname from 'Ambavadekar' to his own surname 'Ambedkar' in school records.