Unveiling of a Portrait of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar by Ali Malek QC, and the Dedication of the Ambedkar Room at Grays Inn – opposite one named for Rose Heilbron – Lord Alton paid tribute to Santosh Dass who had been the driving force behind the project and he told Sujat Ambedkar – Dr.Ambedkar’s great grandson- that Sujat was standing on the shoulders of a great man in whose footsteps he should follow in helping India to finally cast out caste in the 21st century.

At the Unveiling of a Portrait and Dedication of a room at Grays Inn – opposite one dedicated to Rose Heilbron- to Dr.B.R. Ambedkar, Lord Alton of Liverpool said:

It is remarkable, and highly instructive, just how frequently Dr.B.R. Ambedkar is still referred to during debates in both Houses of Parliament – not least when we have deliberated the rank discrimination still experienced by Dalits and Adivasis, or issues such as modern slavery and human trafficking, and the plight of persecuted minorities.

The story of Dr. Ambedkar’s life represents a route out of enforced misery into to emancipation, justice, and equality.

The life of this extraordinary man continues to offer hope and encouragement to millions of downtrodden people, living on the periphery of society because of caste or stigmatisation.

Gray’s Inn’s decision to dedicate a new portrait and room to his memory is a wonderful way of introducing him to generations yet to come and we should also take other opportunities – such as an annual conference, marking Dr.Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, perhaps hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dalits – to explore the many facets of this wonderful man’s heroic life.