Kanshi Ram

Kanshi Ram (15 March 1934 – 9 October 2006) also known as Bahujan Nayak Saheb Kanshi Ram was an Indian politician and social reformer who worked for the upliftment and political mobilisation of the Dalits, the untouchable groups at the bottom of the caste system in India. Towards this end, Kanshi Ram founded Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS 4), the All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees' Federation (BAMCEF) in 1971 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 1984. He succeeded leadership of the BSP to his protégé Mayawati who has served four terms as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Early life

Kanshi Ram was born to Bishan Kaur and Hari Singh in the Ravidassia (dalit) Sikh community of the Scheduled Caste group, which is the largest group in Punjab, India, at Pirthipur Bunga village, Khawaspur in Rupnagar district of Punjab. Kanshi Ram's father, who was to some extent literate, made sure that all his children were educated. Kanshi Ram had two brothers and four sisters, out of them all, he was the eldest and most highly educated with a BSc degree. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Science (B.Sc) from the Government College at Ropar affiliated to The Panjab University. After completing his graduation, Kanshi Ram joined the Department of Defence Production and took up the position of scientific assistant. This was in Pune in 1958.