‘Son of soil' Gavai attributes his rise to Ambedkar, Constitution

Time of India

4 days ago

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Nagpur: CJI Bhushan Gavai on Saturday made an emotional return to Deekshabhoomi, not as a guest but as "a son of the soil", crediting his rise from a semi-slum school in Amravati to the nation's highest judicial office, transformative legacy of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution.
"If there was no Dr Ambedkar and no Constitution, I would not be in the Chief Justice's chair," he said, addressing students at the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar College diamond jubilee celebrations at Deekshabhoomi on Saturday.
Gavai said he had visited the sacred Deekshabhoomi every Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din since childhood. "This is not a ceremonial visit. It's deeply personal. I have a lifelong emotional connect with this place," he said, standing alongside CM Devendra Fadnavis, senior judges including Shree Chandrashekhar, Nitin Sambre, Anil Kilor, Anil Pansare, Prafulla Khubalkar, Abhay Mantri, and others.
Praising Ambedkar's choice of Buddhism over other religions, Gavai said, "Despite offers to embrace Islam and Christianity, Babasaheb chose Buddhism because it ensures equality for all." He cited the 1981 silver jubilee of the Buddhist movement when former Governor and his late father RS Gavai brought Dr Ambedkar's ashes to Nagpur. "I remember the massive procession in the city. My father carried the ashes on his head.
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It was a defining moment," he recalled.
The CJI also reflected on the Ambedkar college's early struggles when staff salaries were unpaid, and operations ran out of a temporary structure. "My father and Dadasaheb Kumbhare sought help from Manoharbhai Patel in Gondia, who agreed to support on the condition they'd have meals with him at his home one day," he said, praising such sacrifices that built the institution "brick by brick".
He lauded the college's evolution into a NAAC-accredited institution. "Back then, the college struggled to get students. Today, under principal Deepa Panekar, it is thriving. It's a symbol of what grit and Ambedkarite values can achieve," he said.
Highlighting women's empowerment as a true tribute to Dr Ambedkar's vision, Gavai noted that "80% of today's achievers here are girls". Among them was his own daughter Karishma, who bagged 15 gold medals in LLB and seven medals in LLM, presented by CM Fadnavis during the event.
"Ambedkar always said the progress of a society is reflected by the progress of its women. This campus is proving that," he added.
Gavai also praised young changemakers like Nikhil, a student who worked with malnourished tribal children in Melghat. "Even after I could no longer work there, doctors like Abhay Bang, Ashish Satav, and Madhukar Kolhe selflessly continued their mission. They could have earned lakhs in cities but chose to serve the poor," he said, calling them "real leaders".
He urged students to rise in their careers but never forget their roots. "Dr Ambedkar said there's a difference between a great person and an eminent one — the latter serves society. Always remember your responsibility, no matter how high you rise," he advised.
Recounting his student days, the CJI also revealed his contribution to the popular Bhim Geet composed by poet Suresh Bhat. "I helped Bhat Saheb with lyrics when he was in Mumbai and was moved to tears while reciting it. That journey — from the narrow lanes of Amravati to the Supreme Court — is thanks to Babasaheb's ideology of socio-economic equality, justice, and the Indian Constitution," he concluded.
The event was attended by Maharashtra social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat, Bhadant Nagarjun Arya Surai Sasai of Deekshabhoomi Smarak Samiti, former Nagpur University registrar Puran Meshram, and others.
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