Mysore/Mysuru: Rich tributes were paid to Dr. Babu Jagjivan  Ram on his birth anniversary today at a workshop titled “Putavitta Chinna Babu Jagjivan Ram: Jeevana-Vyaktitva-Sadhanegala Yashogathe,” jointly organised by Dr. Babu Jagjivan  Ram  Studies, Research and Extension Centre and Special Cell for the Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Maharaja College, at Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram  Study Centre Auditorium in Manasagangothri this morning.

The workshop was inaugurated by Chairman of Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission M. Shivanna. Speaking on the occasion, Shivanna said that birth anniversary celebrations of great leaders should not be restricted to just one community.

Describing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram as two eyes of the downtrodden, he urged people of other communities to take part in the celebrations. Stating that their ideologies should be practised by everybody, he pointed out that apart from being the Deputy Prime Minister, Jagjivan Ram served the country in various capacities as a Union Minister handling many portfolios.

University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, in his presidential address, recalled the contributions made by Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram as the Union Minister of Defence, Agriculture and Railways. “As a Defence Minister he opened up the Ministry to all castes and religions and made  appointments to Defence Forces only on the basis of the required physical fitness, thereby creating equal opportunities to everybody. As a Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation he declared that as long as he was the Minister no one will die of hunger. H.Y. Sharada Prasad, who was a Chief Advisor to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had once said that after Indira Gandhi, only Jagjivan Ram and Y.B. Chavan have the qualifications to become the PM,” he said and hailed the contributions of Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram.

Study Centre Director Prof. Sadashiva, in his keynote address said “Books depicting the life and achievements of Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram would be given to students following which  debate, essay and quiz competitions will be held next week in this connection.” Students of various Departments of University of Mysore will participate in the events. Also, the Kannada translation work on books of other Dalit leaders of different States has already been published in 10 editions, he added.

CADA Chairman Shivalingaiah,UoM SC, ST Special Cell Deputy Registrar Dr. S. Mahadevamurthy, Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Studies Centre visiting faculty Prof. C. Ramaswamy and others were present on the occasion.