New Hampshire Governor Christopher T Sununu has announced that April 14, the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, the chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian constitution, will be celebrated as Equality Day.
"Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Equity Day is an opportunity to remember and honor his legacy of dedication to equality, social justice, human rights, and dignity, which continues to inspire people in New Hampshire and around the world," the proclamation read.
The Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), a non-profit that has been making efforts to encourage all states to proclaim Ambedkar day lauded the move in a tweet.
Ambedkar, a Columbia University graduate championed the rights of marginalized sections throughout his life. He was honoured with a honorary degree in 1952 for being a great social reformer and a vibrant upholder of human rights, the governor’s proclamation said.
Regarded as the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’, which is the largest written constitution of any country, Ambedkar was honored with the highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’ in India.
‘Freedom of mind is the real freedom. A person whose mind is not free, though he may not be in chains, is a slave, not a free man,’ – his famous words still find relevance, the proclamation said.
