A Blue Plaque marks the London house at 10 King Henry’s Road, which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar rented as a student in 1921-22 and which is now a memorial and museum. The house is one of the sites in the UK which commemorates the life of Dr. Ambedkar. Other sites include the Equality Sculpture in Maryland, USA. This article narrates the history of the house, the planning battle to close it, and the struggle to commemorate Dr. Ambedkar across the globe.
What is Ambedkar House London?
The House is a 4 storey town house located at 10 King Henry’s Road, London (Deccan Herald, 2021). Dr. Ambedkar resided there as a student in 1921-22 (Deccan Herald). It is managed by the Indian High Commission and is owned by the Government of Maharashtra (Hindustan Times, 2015).
Our post on Dr. Ambedkar’s student years at Columbia University and the London School of Economics (LSE) gives details of his student activities and interests.
Ambedkar’s stay at the house
By 1921, Ambedkar was studying at the LSE and training at Gray’s Inn to be a barrister (LSE, “Educate. Agitate. Organise.”). He lived at 10 King Henry’s Road, which was a modest lodging house where he shared a room with an Indian and a housekeeper (Scroll). He would get up early to walk through Regents Park to the libraries of central London, the British Museum, and the LSE (Scroll). His doctoral thesis on India’s currency was written during this time, as our guide to the Problem of the Rupee explains.
Ambedkar once said “Democracy is essentially an attitude of reverence towards our fellow men” (Scroll).
How the house became a memorial
The house was sold in 2014 through an estate agent (National Herald, “MEA requests Maharashtra govt”). On 26 August 2015, the Government of Maharashtra completed the purchase (Sansad, “Ambedkar House in London”). The final price was £3.1 million (Hindustan Times; Scroll). The Government of Maharashtra wants to set up a memorial at the site and is holding consultations (National Herald, “MEA requests Maharashtra govt”).
It had a heritage marker. In 1991, English Heritage, as part of the centenary celebrations organised by the FABO UK, placed a blue plaque there, acknowledging him as an ‘Indian Crusader for Social Justice’ who ‘lived here 1921-22’ (Sansad). The memorial was dedicated on November 14, 2015 by PM Narendra Modi (Velivada, ‘India Might Lose Ambedkar Memorial’). One report says the house was converted into a museum and opened to the public in 2020 (National Herald). Other reports have differing opinions on the museum opening. Please see the log.
The planning fight
In 2016, Camden Council enforced a change of use from a residential home to a museum (LSE, Iceni Projects). A public inquiry was scheduled in 2019 for the Government of Maharashtra (Iceni Projects). The Council defended the case by stating the house should remain a residential property (Deccan Herald). The Indian High Commission also defended the case (Deccan Herald).
In March 2020, Robert Jenrick, the UK Communities Secretary, granted retrospective planning permission for the museum (Scroll, ‘UK government accepts India’s appeal’). He stated, ‘Ambedkar was one of the founding fathers of modern India and an important figure to many British Indians’ (iGlobal News, Robert Jenrick quoted). Camden Council said it was disappointed by the decision, but would accept it considering the evidence of Ambedkar presented at the inquiry (Scroll). The permission had conditions (iGlobal News).
The Centre asked the state government of Maharashtra in 2023 to hand over the management of the National House to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) (National Herald). The outcome of the request is still not known, and as of the last reliable information, the management of the house is still not clear.
The statues of Ambedkar in London
Apart from the bust of Ambedkar in LSE, I could not find any of his public statue in London. LSE has an online exhibition that covers his time at the school and the Ambedkar house (LSE). We have a post on the meaning of Dalit that explains the community that is behind the construction of these memorials.
Statue of Equality Maryland
According to its organizers, the biggest statue of Ambedkar outside India is in Accokeek, Maryland. The 19 feet statue, the ‘Statue of Equality’ was unveiled on October 14, 2023. The organizers have said that it would house the International Center of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (The Indian Eye, October 2023). More than 500 people attended the unveiling (The Quint).
The same sculptor Ram Sutar, made the Statue of Unity in Gujarat and the 125-foot Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad. The 70-foot Maryland statue is a copy of the Hyderabad monument, which was inaugurated on April 14, 2023 (The Wire; Wikipedia “Statue of B. R. Ambedkar, Hyderabad”). The president of the Ambedkar International Center, Ram Kumar, told Yahoo News (Oct 2023), that the statue embodies the shared democratic values of India and the US. During the unveiling, participants chanted “Jai Bhim”, which we explain in our Jai Bhim post.
October 14 is also the anniversary of Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism in 1956, which we cover in our post about Navayana Buddhism.
International Ambedkar statues
Other than in London and Maryland, I could not find information on other international Ambedkar statues, and therefore this article does not cover them. The Maryland statue is said to be part of a larger Ambedkar Memorial which is still under construction at the Center (The Indian Eye).
Importance of the memorials
Monuments help a diaspora community create a focal point and a memorial in a foreign land. These monuments help citizens and leaders recognize the achievements of previously excluded persons. The London example shows that even a small museum requires a lawyer and local person as a partner. The skills that Ambedkarites possess have been very useful in this endeavor. The Program will continue to equip the community with essential skills for history documentation.
Conclusion
Ambedkar House London is the house at 10 King Henry’s Road where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar stayed in 1921-22. The Government of Maharashtra purchased this house in 2015 for £3.1 million. The UK Government finally gave planning permission in the year 2020, after a long legal battle with the Camden Council. The London School of Economics (LSE) in London also has a bust of Dr. Ambedkar. A 19-foot Statue of Equality (unveiled in October 2023) in Maryland has been described by its organizers as the largest Ambedkar statue outside India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ambedkar House in London?
At 10 King Henry’s Road, near Primrose Hill, in the Camden area of north London. Ambedkar lived there in 1921–22 while studying at the LSE.
Is Ambedkar House London open to the public?
It is run as a memorial and museum. One report says it opened to the public as a museum in 2020. Please check the current opening arrangements before you visit.
Why did Camden Council try to close Ambedkar House?
The Council said the change from a home to a museum breached planning rules. The UK government granted retrospective planning permission in March 2020 after a public inquiry, and the Council accepted the decision.
Where is the Statue of Equality in Maryland?
At the Ambedkar International Center in Accokeek, Maryland, about 21 miles from the White House. The 19-foot statue was unveiled on October 14, 2023.
Is there an Ambedkar statue in London?
There is a bust of Ambedkar at the LSE, donated by FABO UK. I could not confirm a large public statue.
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SOURCES
- Scroll, “The reopened Ambedkar House in London”
- Scroll, “UK government accepts India’s appeal against closure of Ambedkar House,” March 2020
- Deccan Herald, “UK opens inquiry into closure threat to Ambedkar House”
- Hindustan Times, “India buys Ambedkar house,” August 27, 2015
- Sansad, “Ambedkar House in London” (press release, 2015)
- National Herald, “MEA requests Maharashtra govt consent”
- Velivada, “India Might Lose Ambedkar Memorial,” 2019
- Iceni Projects, “Ambedkar House, Camden”
- iGlobal News, “Ambedkar House in London all set as museum and memorial”
- LSE, “‘Educate. Agitate. Organise.’: Ambedkar and LSE”
- The Quint, “‘Statue of Equality’: 19-foot Ambedkar Statue Unveiled in USA’s Maryland”
- The Wire, “Tallest Statue of Ambedkar Outside India To Be Unveiled in the US on October 14”
- The Indian Eye, October 10, 2023
- Yahoo News, “Maryland unveils tallest statue of BR Ambedkar outside of India”
- Wikipedia, “Statue of B. R. Ambedkar, Hyderabad”
