The 133^rd birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar was celebrated with great enthusiasm on 16^th April 2024, at the CSIR campus jointly by CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) and CSIR Madras Complex (CMC). The function was presided over by Dr. N. Anandavalli, Director, CSIR-SERC and Coordinating Director, CMC. Shri K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, Former Vice Chancellor, Indian Maritime University, Chennai, was the Chief Guest of the function. The function was inaugurated with the lighting of Kuthuvilakku by the Chief Guest and the dignitaries.

 

Dr. K. Sathish Kumar, Chief Scientist, and Head-BKMD, CSIR-SERC, welcomed the chief guest and gave the welcome address.  Dr. Sathish Kumar remembered the immense contributions of Dr. Ambedkar to Indian society and towards the drafting of the constitution of India. He also mentioned that Dr. Ambedkar advocated equality throughout his life and worked tirelessly to bring up a caste-free nation where all the people have equal respect and social justice.

 

Dr. N. Anandavalli, in her presidential address mentioned that Dr. Ambedkar is a symbol of equality. She remembered Dr. Ambedkar as a charismatic, extraordinary and multi-talented personality who is one of the modern architects of India and that his legacy has a deep effect on modern India. She also mentioned that Dr. Ambedkar had an unquenchable hunger for learning and advocated education for all. She also mentioned that he was a visionary who stood for women's empowerment, the rights of the oppressed, and was an extraordinary social reformer.

 

Shri R.D. Sathish Kumar, Principal Technical Officer, CSIR-SERC, introduced the chief guest to the audience. The chief guest of the function, Shri Ashok Vardhan Shetty gave a passionate and inspiring speech on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his ideas. He said Babasaheb is a personality whose true greatness was not realized during his lifetime. He said that Babasaheb was the greater thinker of India, way above his contemporaries, but is a leader who is yet to get the recognition he deserves. He said that Babasaheb stood for all humans and his entire life was a history of crusade against the injustices prevalent in the society. He said that Babasaheb dared to say what was right and wrong and strongly believed that the misrecognition of communities and identities creates tyranny and inequality, which leads to systemic injustice.

 

The chief guest also spoke in detail on Babasaheb’s contribution to the meticulous drafting of the constitution of free India. Drawing parallels between the lives of Dr. Ambedkar and Thomas Paine, one of the founding fathers of USA, a French revolutionary, philosopher, and political activist, Shri Shetty said that both men were real revolutionaries who fought against social evils and are more relevant even today.

Dr. C. Kumaravelu, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-CEERI, proposed vote of thanks.

  

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