Dr. Bhimrao Ramji "B.R." Ambedkar (1891–1956), an Indian human rights leader, played a pivotal role in the writing of India's constitution. This economist, legal expert, and social reformer dedicated his life to eradicating social inequality in India.

Born into the Dalit or "untouchable" Mahar caste in Maharashtra, Ambedkar experienced firsthand the rigid caste system where traditional "unclean" jobs led to ritual impurity, which in turn restricted individuals to those very jobs. His community was forbidden from entering Hindu temples; in some regions, they couldn't even walk on the road in front of a temple. In Travancore, untouchables even had to carry a bell to announce their presence, preventing higher-caste Hindus from being "defiled" by their proximity.

Despite these barriers, Ambedkar became a powerful voice for the oppressed through education. At a time when less than one percent of his caste was literate, his pursuit of education was supported by both his family and high-caste Hindu reformers who recognized his exceptional talent. Between 1912 and 1923, he earned a BA in Bombay, an MA and PhD in economics from Columbia University, and an MA and D.Sc. in economics from London University, in addition to passing the bar from Gray's Inn in London. Upon returning to India, Ambedkar committed himself to improving the lives of untouchables.

In 1935, after a five-year campaign to gain temple entry rights failed, Ambedkar resolved to leave Hinduism if he couldn't reform it. He urged untouchables to "change your religion," advocating for conversion to a faith that did not recognize caste or untouchability. While both Christianity and Buddhism fit this criterion, Ambedkar leaned towards Buddhism, which had largely disappeared from India after Muslim invaders destroyed its temples and monasteries in the twelfth century. On October 14, 1956, after two decades of study, Ambedkar and thousands of other Dalits converted to Buddhism in a massive ceremony. In the following years, over four million Dalits embraced Buddhism, effectively stepping outside the mental framework of the caste system.

Ambedkar consistently challenged Gandhi and the Indian National Congress on issues of Dalit rights and representation throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Nevertheless, upon India's independence, Jawaharlal Nehru appointed Ambedkar as India's first Minister of Law. Crucially for the position of Dalits in independent India, the new nation's temporary assembly elected Ambedkar chairman of the committee that drafted its constitution. Under his leadership, the constitution legally abolished untouchability and included safeguards for depressed minorities. Since independence, India has implemented affirmative action programs for what are officially termed "Scheduled Castes and Tribes." In 1997, fifty years after independence, India elected its first Dalit president, an event unimaginable during Ambedkar's lifetime. Despite these advancements, Dalits still face discrimination on many fronts. Ambedkar's birthday, April 14, is celebrated annually in India and worldwide.

In his honor, the intersection of 61st Street and Broadway in Sunnyside was named "Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Way" in June 2023. This event marked the culmination of a four-year effort by the Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, a place of worship for members of the Ravidassia sect within Sikhism. As Balbir Chand Chumber, a community leader at the temple, stated, "People typecast Ambedkar as a Dalit leader, but he worked to secure the rights of all citizens of India. Today he is a global figure.”