Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary declared as national holiday

The Centre on Wednesday declared April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar as a national holiday. According to an official statement by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), April 14 has been declared a close holiday for all central government offices including industrial establishment throughout India.

"It has been decided to declare Tuesday, April 14, as a closed holiday on account of the birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar, for all Central Government offices including industrial establishment throughout India," read a statement.

India will celebrate Ambedkar's 129th birth anniversary on April 14, 2020. He was an icon of India and chief architect of the Constitution and waged a life-long struggle for a modern India free of caste and other prejudices.

Dr Ambedkar was born on in 1891 in Mhow (now in Madhya Pradesh). The town is now known as Dr Ambedkar Nagar. Dr Ambedkar was the 14th and the last child of his parents. 

He has the highest number of statues in the world. His first statue was built in Kolhapur city in 1950. He is the only Indian whose statue is attached with Karl Marx in the London Museum. Dr Ambedkar's birth anniversary is celebrated in different parts of the world.

Dr Ambedkar passed away on December 6, 1956, in New Delhi. He was was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1990.