20 Facts About Kanshi Ram

Kanshi Ram was born on 15 March 1934 into a Ramdasia Sikh family of Chamar caste in Pirthipur Bunga village, near Khawaspur, Ropar district, Punjab, British India.

Kanshi Ram referred to this in a later interview to French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot saying, 'the teachings of the Sikh gurus were more egalitarian' and that 'converted Chamars at least had some upward mobility.

Kanshi Ram joined the offices of the Explosive Research and Development Laboratory in Pune.

Kanshi Ram initially supported the Republican Party of India but became disillusioned with its co-operation with the Indian National Congress.

Kanshi Ram started his attempt of consolidating the Dalit vote and in 1984 he founded the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Kanshi Ram fought his first election in 1984 from Janjgir-Champa seat in Chhattisgarh.

Kanshi Ram believed that the separate electorates would have provided the Dalits autonomy and authority; it would have undermined the power of the upper castes who constituted a relatively smaller population.

Kanshi Ram argued that Gandhi manipulated Ambedkar into signing the pact, and implied a defeat for the Dalits.

Kanshi Ram argued that Dalits should work politically for their own ends rather than compromise by working with other parties.

Opportunist mobilization of a section of Dalits in the chamcha age thus produces, what Kanshi Ram calls, an 'alienation of the elite'.

Kanshi Ram unsuccessfully contested from East Delhi and Amethi in 1989 and came in the third position on both the seats.

In 2002, Kanshi Ram announced his intention to convert to Buddhism on 14 October 2006, the 50th anniversary of Ambedkar's conversion.

Kanshi Ram intended for 50,000,000 of his supporters to convert at the same time.

Part of the significance of this plan was that Kanshi Ram's followers include not only untouchables, but persons from a variety of castes, who could significantly broaden Buddhism's support.

Kanshi Ram suffered a heart attack in 1994, an arterial clot in his brain in 1995, and a paralytic stroke in 2003.

Kanshi Ram died in New Delhi on 9 October 2006 of a severe heart attack at the age of 72.

Kanshi Ram had been virtually bed-ridden for more than two years.

Kanshi Ram's ashes were placed in an urn and kept at Prerna Sthal, where many people paid their respects.

Kanshi Ram had a larger understanding of social change and was able to unite various underprivileged sections of our society and provide a political platform where their voices would be heard.

In 1982, Kanshi Ram wrote The Chamcha Age, a book in which he used the term chamcha for Dalit leaders who he alleged had selfish reasons to work for parties such as the Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party.