Gandhinagar: Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad issued a ‘hujoor hukam’ (order) on Sept 11, 1917, gifting Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Rs 300 as compensation for the belongings he lost when a ship carrying them was sunk during World War I. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary is being celebrated on Tuesday.An official statement said that in July 1917, a British steamer, SS Salsette, was torpedoed by Germany in the English Channel. The ship also carried Ambedkar’s PhD and his books. Ambedkar, however, was travelling to India on another ship. “The subsequent events are less known. After this event, Ambedkar resumed his job in the state of Baroda. When Maharaja Sayajirao learned about the loss of belongings, he issued a special ‘hujoor hukam’ Sep 1917, compensating for the loss,” the statement said. The order states that Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was appointed a probationer in the accountant general’s office with a monthly salary of Rs 150. Additionally, Rs 300 was approved as a gift for the loss of belongings during his return from America.In 1907, Ambedkar became the first student of the Mahar community to pass the matriculation exam and was honoured for the achievement. At the honour ceremony, Acharya Krishnaji Arjun Keluskar, in his address, mentioned that he knew Bhimrao as an intelligent, bright, and capable student and assured that he would arrange a scholarship for his higher studies from Sayajirao Gaekwad of Vadodara. Acharya Keluskar introduced Bhimrao to Sayajirao Gaekwad, who asked him several questions. Satisfied with his precise and appropriate answers, the Maharaja awarded him a monthly scholarship of Rs 25. After completing his BA from Elphinstone College in Mumbai, Dr Ambedkar began working for the Baroda State before going abroad for higher studies.
