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Changdeo Bhavanrao Khairmode (1904-1971)
Eminent biographer of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
Submitted by developer on Wed., 2014-03-19
Changdeo Bhavanrao alias Abasaheb is prominently known as a
biographer. His monumental biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the
creator of Indian Constitution, in which he has unfolded various
aspects of his multifaceted personality, is considered to be his
major contribution in the world of Marathi literature. In addition,
he has also written many thoughtful articles too.
Changdeo Khairmode was born in the small village of Panchwad in
Khatav taluka of Satara district on 15th July 1904.He studied in New
English School in Satara. He was considered to be an intelligent
student in his school. He had a particular interest in History along
with Marathi and English. While in school, he had composed a poem of
twelve stanzas in Shardoolawikridit Wrutta (a poetry form in Marathi
which defines the structure of each line in the poem to make it
melodious) which narrated the importance of Khadi. At that time, he
was awarded the first prize for the poem by editor of ‘Kerala
Kokila’, Narayan Krishnaji Athawale.
Later, encouraged by the elder brother of Babasaheb Ambedkar,
Balaram, he took admission in the sixth standard of Elphinstone High
School , a leading High School in Mumbai at that time. Babasaheb had
just returned from England after completing his higher education. He
had launched a weekly magazine ‘Bahishkrut Bharat- India- the
Outcast’ and set up its office in Mumbai. In those days, a few
students who belonged to then prevalent untouchable castes used to
come to this office to study and also sleep at night. Khairmode was
one of them. At that time, Khairmode would help Babasaheb in his
various kinds assignments, especially in writing work. Babasaheb was
the mentor of untouchable students in those days. This was because
he was the only one from the untouchable class who was highly
educated in the entire country. Everyone respected his scholarly
personality. Khairmode got the opportunity to benefit from
Babasaheb’s mentorship in that era. His scholarly persona, way of
thinking, and strong will to work hard with dedication left a deep
impression on Khairmode. Around the same time, he decided to write
his biography. Inspired by Babasaheb, he also started writing
articles in various magazines.
He decided to write the biography of Dr Ambedkar based upon the
biography of Dr Johnson written by James Boswell, which is
considered to have made a major contribution to English literature.
Boswell had put in more than twenty years of hard work and with his
amazing memory; he had compiled and written down his speeches
serially every day. In the same manner, Khairmode also laboriously
compiled Babasaheb’s speeches published by newspapers every day,
letters written by him, selected excerpts from his books, letters
written by his colleagues and followers, reports of various
institutions etc. In the course of his conversations, Babasaheb used
to share with him a lot of information about himself and also used
to encourage him about his project of biography writing by remarking
that only he was capable of doing justice to the project. In the
intervening period, Khairmode completed his education upto B.A and
started working in the British Legislative Assembly in Mumbai. He
was the first man from the untouchable community in those days who
was had acquired a higher grade job. He had to bear the severe brunt
of the system of untouchability while working there. During this
tenure, he was all the more convinced about the importance, urgency
and struggle of Babasaheb’s work. With a single minded aim that
Babasaheb’s thoughts and his herculean work should be brought before
the society, he worked very hard and dedicated his entire life
towards the fulfilment of this dream.
He had started this project in 1923 and he completed it before his
death in 1971. ‘Dr.Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Charitra (Autobiography of
Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar)’ has been published in 15 volumes. Of
these, the first volume was published in 1952 while Babasaheb was
alive. Out of the planned 15 volumes, the first 5 were published
while Khairmode was alive. He had to face enormous hardships during
this period. While he was working on the sixth volume, Khairmode
suffered a heart attack in 1971 and passed away. After his demise,
his highly educated wife Dwarakabai, took upon her the daunting task
of editing the next volume and completed it by putting in tremendous
hard work despite the odds. The responsibility of publishing the
remaining volumes was initially taken up by Sugava Prakashan and
later by Maharashtra Rajya Sanskruti Mandal –Maharashtra State
Cultural Council, thus completing the project.
This monumental project of writing the autobiography of Dr Babasaheb
Ambedkar, consisting of more than nine thousand pages, with
documentary evidence to portray and present before the world the
political and social fight led by him to free the untouchables from
slavery and to earn them a place of self-respect in the society, was
taken up by Khairmode with tremendous passion and he proved that it
could be done. In these volumes, he has documented , narrated ,
reviewed and studiously reproduced the facts about his family, his
birth, education abroad, his return to India, his early days , the
Satyagraha at Chavdar lake in Mahad, the untouchable movement,
discussions in Hindi Round Table Conference, declaration of
politico-social rights of the untouchables, history of social
movement, Viceroy Council of Ministers, his difference of opinion
with Mahatma Gandhi, his contribution in Joint Parliamentary
Committee, his announcement of Change of his Religion, creation of
Constitution of India, his speeches on Constitution of India, Hindu
Code Bill, his resignation from Nehru’s council of Ministers and
also written about the towering personality of Babasaheb and his
monumental contribution to Indian society. These biographical
volumes are not merely a documentation or description of his
contribution or his fight but in the process, Khairmode has also
presented before the reader the thought process behind his actions;
he has also commented upon the events and at times he has been
critical too. These volumes are packed with amazing volumes of
information and the serious and inquisitive reader is bound to find
them to be immensely readable.
This mega- biography which is a creation of tremendous hard work of
Khairmode is considered to be a very valuable contribution to the
world of Marathi literature. Veteran biographer and senior author
N.R.Phatak has the following to say about this biography,” This
biography written by Khairmode is not merely an autobiography of a
man called Ambedkar but this is a monumental work which presents a
new aspect of the modern history of Maharashtra before its people.
Whoever reads it with passion is bound to appreciate the dedicated
and often painful efforts put in by Khairmode. The correspondence
appearing in these volumes would be considered as an invaluable
resource of information in the history of social equality of
Maharashtra. His biography has certainly made a valuable
contribution to the biographical writing in Marathi language.”
In addition to the biographical volumes, Khairmode has also some
more writing, albeit not too large, to his credit. He has two
volumes of social poetry ‘Patil Pratap’ (1940) and ‘Amrutnak’ (1929)
to his credit which he wrote in his early years. Later he wrote
thought provoking articles on various topics like social awareness
and education, untouchability removal, Hindu religion and society
etc in many periodicals published in Maharashtra. He also has
translated works like ‘Shoodr poorwee kon hote? Who were
untouchables originally?’(1951), ‘Hindu striyanchee unnatee ani
awanati-Rise and fall of Hindu women’ (1961) and ‘Ghatanewareel teen
bhashane’Three speeches on our Constitution’ to his credit.
Babasaheb’s biography written by Khairmode is very valuable in many
ways. This is an importance legacy in the world of Marathi
literature. For those who want to understand and learn from the life
of Babasaheb, these volumes act like a compass and a lighthouse. All
the present and future generations shall forever be grateful to him
for this invaluable contribution.
Written by
Mahendra Munjal, Unique Features
Translated by Prof. V. A. Upadhye
Ref- 1) Dr. Bhimrao
Ramji Ambedkar –Vol 1 to 15 –Changdeo Bhavanrao Khairmode- Sugava
Prakashan
2) Sankshipt Marathi Wangmay Kosh-Vol 2- Popular Prakashan