The 132nd birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was celebrated with great enthusiasm on 18 April 2023, at CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) and CSIR Madras Complex (CMC). Hon’ble Dr. Justice S. Tamilvanan, Former Judge, Madras High Court & Former President, Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission was the chief guest of the function. Dr. N.Anandavalli, Director, CSIR-SERC and Coordinating Director, CMC, presided over the function. The function was inaugurated with the lighting of Kuthuvilakku and floral tribute to Dr. Ambedkar by the dignitaries and the staff of CSIR-SERC and CMC.
Dr. M. Thirunavoukkarasu, Chief Scientist, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), welcomed the chief guest, dignitaries and the audience. In his welcome address, Dr. Thirunavoukkarasu remembered Dr. Ambedkar as a great social thinker and reformer.
Dr. Anandavalli, in her presidential address remembered Dr. Ambedkar as the symbol of equality, a charismatic and multi-faceted personality, a scholar, and a visionary who stood for women empowerment and advancement. She briefly spoke about the life, career, contributions and accomplishments of Dr. Ambedkar.
She remembered his contribution towards drafting our constitution, national economic and social development, his belief in the strength of women and pointed out that his enormous contributions have a deep effect on modern India.
Mr. C. Kumaravelu, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), introduced the chief guest to the audience. The chief guest of the function, Dr. Tamilvanan delivered the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Birth Anniversary Speech, in which he shared his thoughts on Dr. Ambedkar and his contributions to our country and society. He remembered Dr. Ambedkar as a great human being; who stood and worked for liberation of all human beings from all kinds of social sufferings and who aspired India to be a modern nation. He said that Dr. Ambedkar was a multi-faceted personality and was the first Indian to get a doctorate in Economics abroad. He mentioned that Babasaheb stood for liberating human beings, a casteless society, equality, women empowerment, empowerment of all marginalized classes of Indian society and worked extensively towards what he stood for. He also spoke about the significant contributions of Dr. Ambedkar as a chief architect of our constitution, his meticulous drafting of the constitution of India that accommodated all citizens and made every individual as the unit of the constitution, his foresightedness that safeguarded the basic structure of our constitution through Article 32 and the significance of Directive Principles that assists the judiciary in assessing and establishing law’s constitutional viability. He also spoke about Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of equality through Hindu code bill that gave several important rights to women including property rights; his contributions for worker’s rights and social safety - through labour laws, rights of working women, etc. Dr. Tamilvanan also spoke about the significance of the clarion call of Dr. Ambedkar – Educate, Agitate, Organize – which guided the way towards emancipation, freedom, justice, equality, and liberty as guaranteed by the Indian constitution.
Mr. R.D. Sathish Kumar, Principal Technical Officer, CSIR-SERC proposed vote of thanks.