B. R. Ambedkar and the Making of a Postcolonial Human Rights Vision in India

Abstract; This article examines the human rights ideology of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, shaped by a unique combination of experiences with class oppression, Western education, and political activism in colonial and post-independence India. Using historical and logical methods, the study analyzes how Ambedkar, drawing on his experience of injustice as a member of the “untouchable” caste and his exposure to democratic and liberal values at Columbia University and the London School of Economics, forged a novel perspective on social justice. Ambedkar advocated for social change through constitutional democracy, legal reform, and social activism. This article contributes to human rights scholarship by highlighting two aspects of Ambedkar's legacy: his role as a modern constitutionalist who institutionalized social equality in India and as a global thinker who influenced contemporary human rights movements.