Ambedkar - An Eminent Economist

An important aspect of Dr.Ambedkar’s versatile personality dose not, however, seem to have attracted enough attention especially in the light of his achievements in the field of equality and social justice and drafting of the constitution of India, that he was an eminent economist. After long years of neglect, the ideas of Ambedkar’s seem to be gaining currency. While his thoughts on Indian society and politics have garnered more attention, some of his economic ideas too deserve greater attention. Known largely as the father of the Indian Constitution and a leader of Dalits, Ambedkar began his career as an economist, making important contributions to the major economic debates of the day. This was also due to the fact that Ambedkar’s himself perhaps chose to underplay his role as a professional economist, as he was mostly preoccupied with vital issues of social justice and in the drafting of the constitution. Yet it would be grossly unfair to relegate his economic ideas to secondary status. Ambedkar’s was a well trained economist. His thinking as an economist has two dimensions. Firstly, as an economist his contributions relating to The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India and The Problem of the Rupee are professional in nature. Secondly, his writings on Land Reforms, Socialism, Fiscal System of India, Employment, Capital formation, Industrialisation and Nationalisation are reflections of a political-statesman.