Bhatkal: The 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and the 119th birth anniversary of Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram were jointly celebrated at the Urban Bank Hall in Bhatkal under the aegis of the taluk administration, taluk panchayat, Bhatkal Town Municipal Council, Jali Pattan Panchayat, and the Department of Social Welfare.
Deputy Superintendent of Police B. Girish inaugurated the programme and highlighted that Dr. Ambedkar was a great visionary who provided India with one of the most comprehensive and progressive constitutions after Independence. He noted that through his vast education and foresight, Ambedkar shaped the nation’s future by embedding the principles of equality, liberty, and justice in the Constitution.
Referring to constitutional provisions, he said Article 14 guarantees equality, while Articles 19 to 21 safeguard individual freedom and the right to life. However, he expressed concern that caste-based discrimination still persists in some rural areas, stressing that a truly equal society can only be achieved by practicing constitutional values in daily life.
Presiding over the event, Tahsildar Nagendra Kolashetti said that celebrating the birth anniversaries of great leaders serves to revive their ideals in society. He urged youth to make effective use of various government welfare schemes and free training programmes to build their future.
Speaking on the occasion, he also recalled the contributions of Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram, stating that his role in ensuring food security, promoting social equality, and safeguarding the rights of Dalits was immense. The initiatives he introduced for the upliftment of backward communities were revolutionary, he added.
During the programme, fixed deposit certificates were distributed as incentives to inter-caste married couples.
Teacher Guddappa Harijan delivered a lecture on Dr. Ambedkar, while Government Degree College Principal Nagesh Shetty spoke on Dr. Jagjivan Ram.
On the occasion, Scheduled Caste students who secured high marks in the SSLC and II PUC examinations for the academic year 2024–25 were felicitated. Additionally, students from the taluk who achieved top ranks at the district level in Arts, Commerce, and Science streams in the II PUC examinations were honoured by the taluk administration.
Among those present were Municipal Commissioner Babasaheb Mane, Taluk Panchayat In-charge Executive Officer Rajesh Mahale, Rural Police Station CPI Venkatesh S. Murnaal, Jali Town Panchayat Chief Officer Manjappa N., Assistant Director of Social Welfare Geetha G. Hegde, Government Employees Association President M. N. Naik, and several other dignitaries.