Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar is quite possibly the most widely celebrated figure in the history of the
Dalit rights movement in India. Yet very few people know of the greatest source of inspiration in Bhimrao Ambedkar's life - his wife Ramabai Ambedkar.
Born on 7th February 1898 to a family
in unostentatious circumstances, Ramabai Ambedkar was her husband's most staunch ally. The Ambedkar couple was frequently visited by testing times, the first of which came when Dr.
Ambedkar went to London in 1920 to pursue his doctoral degree. This was a period when the Indian subcontinent was reeling in abject poverty under the yoke of the British empire.

Although
Dr. Ambedkar had left some money with Ramabai to meet the household expenses, there were many days when the family had to sleep on an empty stomach. Yet, despite the hardships, Ramabai was determined that Dr. Ambedkar should finish his education outside India. She
understood that it was essential for him to earn his doctorate from erudite universities abroad to be of service to the people of India and help in the uprooting of a system that had subjected them to the vilest atrocities and discrimination for centuries.
Ramabai stands as a symbol of resilience, courage and perseverance.

However, the one thing that stands out most in the account of
Ramabai is her sheer selflessness and strength of character. She sacrificed her personal and familial life to the crusade for social justice and emancipation of the downtrodden. She was a constant source of support and motivation for Dr. Ambedkar and fought right alongside him against social atrocities.

Thus, while we commemorate the life and work of Dr. Bhimrao
Ambedkar, it is essential that, in doing so, we pay homage to the figure of Ramabai Ambedkar, without whom his story would be incomplete.