The celebration of the 30th anniversary of the renaming of Marathwada University after Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar took place with enthusiasm and fervor on Sunday.
Various organisations, including political parties, organised lectures and formal celebrations to mark the occasion. The renaming of the university after Dr BR Ambedkar was announced by the state government on January 14, 1994. Previously, on July 27, 1978, both houses of the state legislature had passed a proposal for renaming the university. However, the government withdrew the decision within almost a month due to communal clashes and tension in society.
During a program reflecting on three decades of this event, Vice Chancellor Dr Suresh Gosavi expressed, "Congratulations to everyone on the 30th anniversary of renaming our university! Named after Dr BR Ambedkar, who paved the way for First Generation Graduates, our institution features 55 departments across both locations, along with 15 study centers named after eminent figures. Let's collectively advance the wealth and legacy of enlightenment. I am confident that our university will continue to thrive in the current era of globalisation."
On Sunday, a significant number of Ambedkar followers and notable personalities from different walks of life garlanded statues of Ambedkar erected at various places on the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU) campus.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Ramdas Athawale led a rally at the ground of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar College of Arts and Commerce. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Bhartiy Dalit Panthers, and Ambedkarwadi Sangharsh Samiti paid tribute at the Shahid Sthambh, honoring the memorial of the martyrs and the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.