History has a tendency to reduce towering figures into narrow symbols. B. R. Ambedkar has often been confined to the role of a sectional Neta, when in truth he was the principal architect of modern India’s moral and constitutional imagination. To remember him is not to ritualise his legacy, but to apply it.

Ambedkar warned us that while equality may be aspirational, it must nonetheless guide governance. The test of that principle lies not in rhetoric, but in whether the State actively dismantles structural inequality. In Andhra Pradesh, this meant reimagining public education, healthcare, and governance not as welfare, but as instruments of dignity.

Improving access

For decades, government schools stood as quiet markers of neglect. By upgrading infrastructure and introducing English as a medium of instruction, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government sought to break both material and linguistic barriers that historically limited social mobility through its flagship program, Nadu-Nedu. Access to education is not merely about enrolment; it is about ensuring that every child learns in an environment that affirms their worth, and where quality education is not confined to private schools. The same logic applies to public health. Ambedkar understood that dignity is impossible without physical security. A single medical emergency should not have the power to push a family into generational poverty. The YSRCP government provided expanding access to healthcare and strengthened State responsibility as essential steps towards ensuring that vulnerability would not define destiny.

The establishment of Grama Sachivalayas in every village, and the mapping of 50 to 60 households to a volunteer delivering various government services at the doorsteps of citizens, reflects the true essence of Grama Swaraj.

Moreover, Ambedkar’s contribution to women’s rights remains underappreciated. His resignation over the stalled Hindu Code Bill was not a political manoeuvre; it was a moral stand for gender equality. Policies framed by the YSRCP government placed financial resources directly in the hands of women through Direct Benefit Transfers in recognition of the foundational truth that social justice is incomplete without economic agency. When mothers are empowered, the benefits extend far beyond the household, reshaping the trajectory of entire communities. The 50% reservation for women in local bodies, nominated posts, and work contracts paved the way for equality and self-reliance.

Taking inspiration from Babasaheb’s words that small farmers must not be left to the mercy of moneylenders, the YSRCP government greatly strengthened the rural economy with the slogan “seed to sale.” The Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) in every village provides services such as e-crop booking, free crop insurance, farm mechanisation, assured remunerative prices, and timely input subsidies, with special focus on tenant farmers. Scheduled Tribe farmers were granted RoFR pattas, giving them access to all government benefits.

The importance of remembrance

Commemoration, too, must move beyond symbolism. Public memory requires visibility. Establishing a major memorial to Ambedkar — a 206-foot ‘Statue of Social Justice’ at the Ambedkar Smriti Vanam in Vijayawada — during the YSRCP government’s tenure was not simply about honouring a leader, it was about embedding his ideas into the physical and cultural landscape of the State. The decision to rename a district after him, however, met with violent resistance from some sections of the remnant feudal elements in society, including attacks on the homes of YSRCP party leaders and former ministers. It reflected a deeper shift: the assertion that social justice must occupy not just discourse, but geography.

Ambedkar was also a sharp critic of the social stagnation embedded in traditional village structures. He saw industrialisation and economic mobility as pathways out of entrenched hierarchies. For a State like Andhra Pradesh, which boasts a 1,053 km coastline, this insight has contemporary relevance. The YSRCP government’s efforts to develop ports, fishing harbours, fish landing centres, and logistics infrastructure were not merely an economic strategy; they were a means of expanding economic opportunity and connecting people to a wider world.

Anchored in institutions

At the same time, Ambedkar’s enduring warning about constitutional morality cannot be ignored. Governance must be anchored in institutions, not personalities; in law, not vendetta. Any drift towards the selective application of justice or the targeting of dissent weakens the very foundation he helped build. The Constitution is not just a legal document, it is a moral commitment to fairness, restraint, and accountability; one that no “Red Book” should ever replace. The Constitution must remain the only sacrosanct principle for governing a State.

Ambedkar’s life was defined by persistence in the face of resistance. Efforts to expand inclusion will always encounter those invested in preserving the status quo. Yet retreat is not an option. The responsibility of governance is to continue converting public policy into pathways of opportunity, especially for those historically left behind. Following Babasaheb in letter and spirit, the YSRCP government supported extending coverage under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order to Dalits irrespective of the religion they choose.

To reclaim Ambedkar is to recognise that social justice is not a finished project. It is an ongoing endeavour which is demanding, imperfect, and necessary. The measure of our commitment lies not in how often we invoke his name, but in how consistently we advance his vision.

Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy is a former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh