LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 120th Birthday of Dr. Bhimrao
Ambedkar, 1891-1956

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is moved to publicly recognize the life
of those internationally recognized, prominent citizens whose lifework
and purposeful endeavors served to enrich and enhance the quality and
character of life throughout the world community; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar of India, served as a preeminent leader
whose distinguished service and caring commitment will long serve as a
standard to which others might aspire; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
120th Birthday of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, 1891-1956, to be celebrated by
the Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society Inc. on Sunday, May 8, 2011, at
the Gujarati Samaj Community Center in Fresh Meadows, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society Inc. is an organiza-
tion which was founded to unite people of all backgrounds in the fight
against discrimination of any kind, especially the insidious caste
system of India which has led to the oppression and social debilitation
of millions of people; and
WHEREAS, The Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society Inc. incorporates the
teachings of Shri Guru Ravidass, a shoemaker of the Chamar (Untouchable)
caste who was an Indian saint and mystic from the 15th Century who
preached universal brotherhood and equality of all people; and
WHEREAS, In 1907, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was one of the first people
from the Untouchable caste to be accepted into a college in India; he
went on to earn a law degree and multiple doctorates for his study and
research in law, economics and political science from Columbia Universi-
ty and the London School of Economics; and
WHEREAS, As Chairman of India's Constitution Drafting Committee, Dr.
Bhimrao Ambedkar was charged by the Assembly to write the constitution
of the newly independent nation of India; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar won great praise from his colleagues and
legal observers for drafting a constitution that provided unprecedented
constitutional guarantees; freedom of religion, women's rights, the
abolition of untouchability, and all forms of discrimination were
amongst the wide range of civil liberties recognized and granted by the
new Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Those individuals, who gave so selflessly of their skills and
dedication, are worthy and due full recognition for their valued
contributions on behalf of their Nation and its ideals; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 120th Birthday of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, 1891-1956; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Shri Guru Ravidass Welfare Society Inc., 94-04 212th
Place, Queens Village, New York 11428.