The day of 14th April 2026 was observed as a national holiday in India as the country paid rich tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr B.R. Ambedkar on the occasion of the 135th Ambedkar Jayanti. Ambedkar, fondly known as ‘Babasaheb’, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and is thus also called the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’. Ambedkar was also the first law and justice minister of independent India. India became a republic on 26th January 1950. 

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Ambedkar at Prerna Sthal on the parliament premises. Alongside Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiran Rijiju, and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders also paid tribute to Babasaheb.

Modi said about Ambedkar on X, quoting, “His efforts towards nation-building are deeply motivating." His life and work continue to inspire generations to build a just and progressive society." end quote. 

On the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti, President Droupadi Murmu also extended greetings to fellow citizens and paid tribute to the architect of the Indian Constitution. She described Ambedkar as a jurist, economist, profound thinker, legal scholar and strong advocate of an egalitarian social system.

Babasaheb was born into an impoverished Dalit Mahar family in Madhya Pradesh. He fought tirelessly for the equal rights of marginalised sections of society. Later, he was revered as a ‘Dalit icon' for his contributions towards their rights. He died on 6 December 1956. In 1990, Ambedkar was conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.