Iconoclast: A Reflective Biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
By Anand Teltumbde
Viking/ Penguin, 700 pages, Rs 1,499

Biography writing is blooming in India. After a spate of biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, there have been several notable biographies of BR Ambedkar in recent years. Leading scholars have explored the life of Babasaheb in a variety of ways. It seems that his relevance, as the messiah of the Dalits and also as the brain behind the Constitution, has only been increasing in this period.

The latest among the Amebdkar biographies is the much-awaited ‘Iconoclast’ by Dr Anand Teltumbde, a distinguished public intellectual and leading authority on the Dalit movement. The hefty volume includes a rich collection of photographs. Indeed, it was a compilation of these photos, collected and published by the author in 1998 on a CD-ROM, that led to the writing of this book. That collection and Teltumbde’s writings on Dalit issues led more than one publisher to suggest an Ambedkar biography to him.  

Eventually, it came to be written in rather difficult circumstances. “This book was written during the peak of the crisis in my life. I wasn’t even sure whether I would complete it. If I had been arrested on 28 August 2018 when the police raided my house on the GIM campus, along with five other persons, there was no question of completing it,” he writes in the preface. He was not arrested though police could have easily figured out his whereabouts. “However, I got entangled in the legal process that gave me some twenty months of freedom save for a brief brush with police custody of thirteen hours in February 2019. It is this period, fraught with anxieties, that I used for writing this book along with securing the future of my students. The first draft was nearly complete when the lockdown was announced.”

The book divides the eventful life of Dr. Ambedkar in seven-plus-one phases. The First Phase (1891–1918) deals with his childhood, ‘A Legend Is Born: From Bhiva to Bhimrao’. The Second Phase (1919–1927) is about ‘Making of the Legend: From Bhimrao to Babasaheb’. The Third Phase (1928–1934) sees his influence expanding across India, the Fourth Phase (1935–1940) is about his ‘Tryst with Class Politics: Streaks of Caste’ and the Fifth Phase (1941–1946) has the ‘Rebel Becoming a Statesman’. The Sixth Phase (1947–1951) sees him overseeing the constitution-drafting process. In the last phase (1952–1956), he takes refuge in the Buddha. Then comes the posthumous Phase: “The Legend Lives On: Iconization of the Iconoclast”.

***

Several debates that took place during the freedom movement went on to delineate the ideas of India, and the Gandhi-Ambedkar debate is certainly among the most important ones. Their face-off and Gandhi’s historic fast that resulted in the Poona pact of 1932 continue to define a critical fault line of Indian politics. It will continue to remain so in the foreseeable time. Several Gandhi scholars have investigated that dramatic episode in great detail. ‘Iconoclast’ could have devoted more space to it than the few paragraphs it has. It does analyse its aftermath at length, but it begins by citing two scholars giving their summary evaluation.

The unique dynamics of Gandhi-Ambedkar relationship are best captured in this description of a meeting that took place at the Indian Merchants’ Chamber Hall in Mumbai on September 25, a day after the pact was signed between the representatives of caste Hindus and the Depressed Classes in Pune. Teltumbde writes:

“ Ambedkar was greeted with cheers when he rose to speak in the meeting. He referred to Gandhi with reverence as the ‘greatest man in India’ and largely credited the pact to his sagacity. ‘I must confess,’ he said, ‘that I was immensely surprised, when I met him, that there was so much in common between him and me.’

“ Ambedkar’s reaction to the Poona Pact has been contradictory, to say the least. Immediately after the signing of the Pact, he expressed happiness perhaps for having granted the Dalits more than double the number of reserved seats and thanked Gandhi and others for it. He said, ‘I am very grateful to Mahatmaji for having extricated me from what might have been a very difficult situation’ and rather wondered, ‘Why did not Mahatmaji take this attitude at the Round Table Conference?"

***

In ‘Iconoclast’, Teltumbde, challenges the oft-repeated narratives, strips away the layers of myth and hyperbole and attempts to reveal the man behind the legend. With meticulous research and intellectual honesty, he delves into the life of Ambedkar, situating him within the dynamic context of his time. He explores the complexities of Babasaheb’s persona, offering a nuanced portrait that challenges conventional perceptions. This biography paints a vivid picture of Ambedkar as a visionary and as a human, and above all as an iconoclast driven by a relentless pursuit of social justice and equality. From his tireless advocacy for the Dalit community to his visionary ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, Ambedkar’s legacy reverberates through the ages, inspiring generations to strive for a more just society.

With incisive analysis and a deep understanding of Ambedkar’s philosophy, Teltumbde extends the narrative beyond the confines of history, examining Ambedkar’s enduring impact on contemporary India. Iconoclast is a masterful tribute to a towering figure in modern history, offering profound insights into the epic struggle for social emancipation and the quest for a truly inclusive society.