He was born in an untouchable family during the colonial era of India, studied abroad, became a Dalit leader, and announced in 1935 his intent to convert from Hinduism to a different religion,[3] an endeavor which took him to study all the major religions of the world in depth, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, and Islam, for nearly 21 years.

He was the fourteenth child in an impoverished Maharashtra Schedule caste family, who studied abroad, returned to India in the 1920s and joined the political movement.

[3] Over the next two decades, Ambedkar studied Buddhist texts and wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma which is considered Bible of Buddhism.

[16][7] After that on every year 14 October is celebrated as Dhammachakra Pravartan Day at Dikshabhoomi, Nagpur: I will accept and follow the teachings of Buddha.

[20] Among Navayana followers, state Keown & Prebish (2013),[11] this is "often referred to as their 'bible' and its novel interpretation of the Buddhist path commonly constitutes their only source of knowledge on the subject".

[23] He is considered as the one prophesied to appear and teach the dhamma after it was forgotten; his iconography is a part of Indian Buddhist shrines and he is shown with a halo.

[26] Anne Blackburn states that Ambedkar re‑interprets core concepts of Buddhism in class conflict terms, where nirvana is not the aim and end of spiritual pursuits, but a preparation for social action against inequality: Nibbana (Skt.

nirvana) the state or process which describes enlightenment, is considered [by Ambedkar] a precursor for moral action in the world and explicitly associated with a non-monastic lifestyle.

[12][26] Martin Fuchs states that Ambedkar's effort is to be admired as an attempt to seek a "post-religious religion" which transcends distinctions and as being driven by the "reasonable principle of sociality", not in the sense of spiritual doctrines, philosophical speculations and existentialist questions.

[12][28][d] Gombrich (2012)[29] states that there is no evidence that the Buddha began or pursued social reforms; rather his aim was the salvation of those who joined his monastic order.

[29][30][31] Modernist interpreters of Buddhism, states Gombrich, keep picking up this "mistake from western authors", a view that initially came into vogue during the colonial era.

[36] According to Janet Contursi, Ambedkar re-interprets Buddhist religion and with Navayana "speaks through Gautama and politicizes the Buddha philosophy as he theologizes his own political views".

[40] According to Trevor Ling and Steven Axelrod, the intellectual and political side of Navayana Buddhist movement lost traction after the death of Ambedkar.