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KARUNA 05
Introduction
- Buddhist social activist Bodhidharma presents a garland of flowers to a statue of Dr Ambedkar. “Whatever we have become" He says “Whatever we have achieved, it is all thanks to his inspiration.”
The great Indian social reformer, Dr Ambedkar campaigned throughout his life for the rights of India’s so-called “untouchable” people.
He devised the Indian constitution which enshrined ideals of equality and social justice at the heart of the newly Independent nation. Towards the end of his life he converted to Buddhism as a way of putting himself and his millions of supporters, who he referred to as “broken people” beyond the effects of caste discrimination.
The work described in this report has grown out that peaceful revolution. All the communities we work with have been deprived of basic human rights as a result of caste discrimination or religious persecution.
Dr Ambedkar once said. “Our fight is for the reclamation of the human personality.” At Karuna we believe that by helping people secure their basic rights- their right to education, to peace, to proper healthcare, to decent job opportunities, to freedom of cultural and religious expression- we are helping to create a better, more humane world; not just for the communities we work with-but for all of us.
Dr William Stones, Chairman
Contents
Credits
72 Holloway Road
London
N7 8JG
0207 700 3434
Text
Jonathan Clark
Photos
Pratap Rughani
Design
Ian Waddell
Print
Aldgate Press
The Trustees of the Karuna Trust
Dr William Stones
Chariman
David Zukas
Dominic Houlder
Caroline Ralston
Ulla Brown
The Trustees are all members of the Western Buddhist Order
charity no 327461