Our Inspirational Pillars

Late Padmashree Dadasaheb Gaikwad

Founder President

Late Padmashree Dadasaheb Gaikwad, one of our inspirational pillars and guiding beacons, was the founder president of this illustrious college. With a dream and a vision to impart character building and quality education to all sections of a young and vibrant India, he established Dr. Ambedkar College, Nagpur (DACN) in the year 1964. Shri Dadasaheb Gaikwad’s life is a saga of selfless service and untiring efforts towards the upliftment of the downtrodden and untouchables in Indian society. Under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, he involved himself with dedication and perseverance in a numbers of path breaking movements such as the Mahad Satyagraha and the Kalaram Mandir Satyagraha. He was a pioneering leader in the establishment of Swatantra Mazoor Paksh, Scheduled Caste Federation and Indian Republican Party, as a member of the legislative Assembly, Loksabha and Rajyasabha, he spearheaded the Ambedkarite Movement with his oratorial skills and single-minded missionary zeal. He fought relentlessly for the rights of the landless and in 1964 he succeeded in attaining justice for their cause on a national level. He embraced Buddhism alongwith Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on 14 th October 1956 and spent his entire life in preaching and spreading the message of Buddhist religion.In 1963 he was appointed president of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti and worked hard to make holy Deekshabhoomi well known worldwide and gain nternational recognition. He was deservedly honoured with the Padmashree in 1968, at the hands of President Dr. Zakir Hussain.

Late H.E.Shri R S Gavai

Former President,College Management & Former Governor of Kerla & Bihar

H.E. Hon’ble Late Shri R. S. Gavai, former Governor of Kerala and Bihar was thePresident of the College Management and Param Poojya Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti for a period of around 43 years until his recent sad demise on 25 th July 2015. Under his able leadership and guidance the College reached new heights of glory, progress and achievement. During his long tenure in politics he adorned many prominent posts. Hon’ble Gavai Saheb, an agriculturist veteran Ambedkarite leader, sports enthusiast and avid wrestler, had been a member of Maharashtra Legislative Council for 3 years from 1964. He was the Deputy Chairman of the Council from 1968 to 1978 and Chairman from 1978 to 1984. He led the Gavai faction of the Republican Party of India and was elected to Lok Sabha from Amravati in 1998. He was appointed Governor of Bihar in 2006 and shifted to Kerala in 2008. He was the acting Governor of Sikkim in 2006. Gavai Saheb was a recipient of the Kushta Mitra Award, as well as the National Integration awards for peace and harmony. He was president of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Amravati. Known as Dadasaheb, by his countless admirers, Hon’ble Gavai Saheb was among the tallest of Dalit leaders and was closely associated with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Late Shri S J Fulzele

Former Secretary, College Management

Respected Shri Sadanandji Fulzele Saheb is the Secretary of the Param Poojya Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti and the College Management. He has been at the helm of affairs, ably guiding and leading the College to great heights, right from the year of the inception of this Institution. It is under his benevolent guidance and staunch support that the wheels of the college are prudently maneuvered. The College has thus seen exponential growth and has flourished in leaps and bounds under his able leadership. A prominent leader of the Ambedkarite movement, he was instrumental in creating the memorial dedicated to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at Deekshabhoomi and obtaining authority from the government for Deekshabhoomi to be brought under the Samiti(Sanad). He was appointed the Secretary of the Samiti in 1963. It was his dream of establishing a College on this hollowed land and alongwith Dadasaheb Gaikwad he left no stone unturned to collect funds for the first college building, the Samiti and University deposit. From humble beginnings of five classrooms, five lecturers and 300 students, the College has blossomed and flowered over the years and has emerged as the most trusted centre for quality education in Central India! Shri Fulzele Saheb has been a guiding beacon light, leading this institution through seas and stormy weather, imbued with a spirit of selfless sacrifice, grit and a strong sense of social commitment. He has truly realized the dream of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: “Organise, Educate and Agitate”.

Late Dr. R. Krishnakumar

Former Prinicipal

Late Dr.R.Krishnakumar was the Principal of the College for the period 2000-2005 and was later the Director of the college during which period the college witnessed a golden period of exponential growth and unprecedented all-round development under his dynamic leadership. He was a visionary who dared to dream and revolutionized education at DACN.It was with his able guidance and unstinting missionary zeal that this institution was able to carve out a rich legacy and build a tradition of success. Dr.Krishnakumar was instrumental in building up a strong infrastructure, a work culture, a synergetic environment where excelling became a habit. It is no wonder that this college was deservedly accredited by NAAC with the highest grade in the year 2004,being the college in Vidarbha to have received this singular recognition. Dr.Krishnakumar rose to hold very important and prominent posts viz.Director of BCUD,RTM Nagpur University; Officer on Special Duty twice to Hon’ble Shri.RS.Gavai,Governor of Kerala and Bihar and as Vice-Chancellor, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik. Dr.Krishnakumar’s name is now synonymous with high levels of excellence, dedication and commitment and he is an Icon in his own right.