India, April 12 -- Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar's turn to Buddhism in 1956 is often described as a moment of rupture, a sudden departure from the socio-religious status quo. However, this was a dual-moment of radical rupture and recovery. While it drew upon indigenous traditions, it was a definitive break from the socioreligious status quo, formalised by the 22 Vows, which demanded the total renunciation of Hindu theological foundations.

For Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar, the question was never simply about rejecting a past, but about identifying within India's own civilizational resources a framework capable of sustaining dignity, equality, and social harmony in a modern democratic society. Gautama, the Buddha is seen as the first dissenter again...