Ambedkar Spread Light Amidst Darkness: Assam Governor Lakshman Acharya

Jamia Millia Islamia paid rich tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on his 135th birth anniversary by organizing a grand event at the FTK-IT Auditorium. The theme of the event was “The Contribution of Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in

Nation Building.”

The Chief Guest of the ceremony was the Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, while Prof. Harbansh Dixit, Advisor to the Raj Bhavan Secretariat, Government of Assam, attended as the Guest of Honour. The keynote address was delivered by eminent sociologist from JNU, Prof. Vivek Kumar, and the event was presided over by Jamia Vice Chancellor Prof. Mazhar Asif. Registrar Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi was also present on the dais.

The ceremony began with the Jamia Tarana and the national anthem. Floral tributes were offered to Dr. Ambedkar, followed by a traditional welcome to the dignitaries.

In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor Prof. Asif remarked that Jamia is not just an educational institution but an idea and a mission, deeply rooted in refined culture and tradition. He emphasized that the university aligns itself with the principles of Dr. Ambedkar and is committed to the upliftment of marginalized sections of society.

Keynote speaker Prof. Vivek Kumar raised two significant questions: (1) How should Dr. Ambedkar be studied within the university system, and how is he different from the political narratives surrounding him? (2) Why is he often confined to the roles of a Dalit messiah or the architect of the Constitution? He highlighted that Ambedkar's thoughts reflect a historical, comparative, and international perspective that remains deeply relevant today.

Prof. Dixit spoke on the comprehensiveness of the Indian Constitution, stating that it is not merely a legal document but the foundation of social consciousness and democratic protection. He urged students to uphold the values of democracy and social justice.

In his address, Chief Guest Shri Lakshman Acharya stated that Dr. Ambedkar’s life symbolizes how strong ideas and determination can bring transformation even amidst adversity. “Dr. Ambedkar spread light in times of darkness, and his ideas continue to guide us today,” he said.

At the conclusion of the programme, the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar presented copies of the original Indian Constitution to the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, and Keynote Speaker.

Delivering the vote of thanks, Registrar Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi said that it was a proud moment for the university to host such a historic and inspiring event. He highlighted Dr. Ambedkar’s social, political, and economic contributions and urged students to embrace his ideals.

He also appreciated the efforts of the organising committee members—Dr. Kapil Dev, Dr. Rajveer Singh, Dr. Arunesha Kumar Singh, Prof. Ravins, Dr. Amit Kumar Verma, and Dr. Dori Lal—along with the NCC, security, sanitation, horticulture, technical, and administrative teams for their valuable contributions.

The ceremony was attended by university officials, deans, heads of departments, centre directors, faculty members, the foreign students’ advisor, librarian, security advisor, and a large number of students.