Bhagwan Das
Chakravarti Gautam
Mr. Bhagwan Das was born in an Untouchable family at Jutog Cantonment, Simla (Himachal Pradesh) India on 23 April, 1927. He served in the Royal Indian Air Force during World War II and after demobilisation served in different capacities in various departments of the Government of India at Saharanpur, Simla and Delhi. He did M.A. in History (Punjab University) and LLM from Delhi University. He did research on the 'Indianisation of the Audit Department from 1840-1915'. He had been contributing articles and short stories to various papers and journals published in India.
His father Mr. Ram Ditta was fond of reading newspapers and a great admirer of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Inspired and encouraged by his father, Mr. Das worked with Mr. T. R. Baidwan of Simla who was the most prominent leader of the Untouchables in Simla Hills, and joined the Scheduled Castes Federation at the tender at of 16. Since then, he has been actively associated with the Ambedkarian movement and done a great deal to promote the ideas of Babasaheb Ambedkar and to unite and uplift the downtrodden not only of India but also of other countries of Asia. Mr. Das is associated with many organisations of lawyers, Buddhists, Scheduled Castes, and minorities in India. General Secretary, United Lawyers Association, Supreme Court, New Delhi, General Secretary, Bouddh Upasak Sangh, New Delhi Founder Chairman. Ambedkar Mission Society, which has branches in many parts of the world. Revived Samata Sainik Dal (Volunteers for Equality) founded by Dr. Ambedkar in 1926-27. Regional Secretary (North), Indian Buddhist Council. Founder, Society for the Protection of Non-Smokers. Edited Samata Sainik Sandesh (English) 1980-1990.
Mr. Das has been associated with the 'Peace Movement' since the end of World War II, in which he served on the Eastern Front with the R.A.F. under South East Asia Command. He is one of the founder members of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (India) and has participated in the Conferences held in Kyoto, Japan 1970, Princeton USA (1979), Seoul, Korea (1986, Nairobi, Kenya 1984), Melbourne, Australia (1989). He was appointed Director, Asian Centre for Human Rights (Asian Conference on Religion and Peace) in 1980 and has been continuing to serve in this capacity - monitoring the news of violation of human rights in Asian countries and organising camps for training of human rights workers, speaking and writing for the cause.
Mr. Das was invited to deliver a lecture on 'Discrimination' by the Peace University, Tokyo (1980) and addressed several meetings organised by the Burakumins of Japan. Gave testimony before the United Nations about the plight of Untouchables in South Asia, in the meeting of Sub-committee on Human Rights held at Geneva, Switzerland in August 1983. He visited England in 1975, 1983, 1988, 1990 and 1991 in connection with lectures and seminars. He participated in the seminar held in Hull University in 1990 as a representative of the Ambedkar Centenary Celebration Committee UK and also held a seminar on Human Rights in India at London University, School of Asian and Oriental Studies in February 1991. He was invited to deliver Ambedkar memorial Lectures in Milind Mahavidyalaya, Aurangabad (1970), Marathwada University (1983), Nagpur University, PWS College, Nagpur, Ambedkar College, Chanderpur, Amraoti University 1990. Mr. Das also visited Nepal (1980 and 1990), Pakistan (1989), Thailand (1988), Singapore (1989) and Canada (1979) to study the problems of deprived and disadvantaged members of society, women, and children. Delivered lectures in Winsconsin University (USA) 1979 and North-field College (USA) on Castes in contemporary India. He was invited to give lectures on Dr Ambedkar at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow in June, 1990.
Mr Das practises law in the Supreme Court of India. With a view to improving the professional competence of and helping upcoming advocates belonging to Untouchable and indigenous groups he founded Ambedkar Mission Lawyers Association and Legal/Aid Society in 1989. He is General Secretary of 'Professions for People', an organisation founded in Delhi to elevate professional standards.
Mr. Das was invited to preside at the Dalit and Buddhist writers conference held at Akola in 1989 and is closely associated with various organisations of Dalit writers. Mr. Das has written more than five hundred articles, papers for seminars, short stories for various newspapers and journals. His papers on 'Revival of Buddhism', 'Some problems of minorities in India', 'Reservation in Public Services' have been published in Social Action brought out by Indian Social Institute, New Delhi and Delhi University Buddhist Department. He has written many papers on Reservation and representative bureaucracy, discrimination against the Dalits in public services, minorities, etc. He was a member for the Committee for evolving new strategies for the development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes - VIII Plan' set up by the Government of India and also a member of Ambedkar Centenary Committee of the Government of India. Mr. Das has written many books in Urdu, English and Hindi on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Untouchables, scavengers and sweepers, human rights, discrimination, etc. Prominent among them are “Thus Spoke Ambedkar “(VolI to V, Ed); “Ambedkar on Gandhi and Gandhism “(Ed): “Ambedkar ek parichey ek Sandesh” (Hindi); “Main Bhangi hoon,” the story of an Indian sweeper told in the first person (this book has been translated into Kannada and Marath, Telgu and Punjabii), Valmiki aur Bhangi Jati (Hindi); Valmiki (Hindi); Dhobi (Hindi). He translated into Urdu former President of the USA Lyndon Johnson's 'My Hope for America', Dr Ambedkar's 'Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah' besides editing Bhadant Anand Kaushalyayan's” Gita ki Buddhi wadi Samiksha.”
Other books in print are Reservation and Representative Bureaucracy in India; Untouchables in the Indian Army. (Mahar, Mazhbi, Chuhra, Pariahs, Mangs, Dhanuks, Dusadhs, Chamars, Kolis, Bheels); Mandal Commission and the Future of Backward Classes; Twenty-Two Oaths of Buddhism and Conversion; Ravidassis and Balmikis of Northern India; Buddhism and Marxism; Ambedkar as a Religious Leader.
Mr. Das has toured almost the whole of India to study the problems of Hindu-Muslim riots, religious conflicts, atrocities committed on the Untouchables and tribal people, with the group 'Threat to Diversity', 'Swaraj Mukti Morcha' and as Chairman, Samata Sainik Dal.
