Biography Chronicle: Ashok Gopal's Award-Winning Tribute to Ambedkar

Ashok Gopal's biography on B R Ambedkar, 'A Part Apart,' wins the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize for its in-depth portrayal of Ambedkar's fight against oppression and contributions to India's constitution. The work highlights Ambedkar's advocacy, political battles, and conversion to Buddhism.

Acclaimed writer Ashok Gopal was honored with the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize for his biography, 'A Part Apart: The Life and Thought of B R Ambedkar,' as announced by the New India Foundation. The winning announcement came Thursday, as the book stood out for its vivid portrayal of Ambedkar's monumental journey against systemic oppression while shaping India's constitution.

The Navayana-published work extensively explores Ambedkar's courageous stance against caste discrimination, detailing his legal and political battles, and his groundbreaking embrace of Buddhism. The seventh edition of this prestigious prize commended Gopal's biography as an exemplar of non-fiction writing, providing profound insights into modern and contemporary Indian history.

The prize jury, composed of eminent personalities including political scientist Niraja Gopal Jayal and historian Srinath Raghavan, lauded the book's meticulous research. Gopal will receive the award, comprising a cash prize of Rs 15 lakhs, a trophy, and a citation, at the Bangalore Literature Festival on December 14. Competing titles featured works by notable authors such as Neerja Choudhry and Chitralekha Zutshi.

(With inputs from agencies.)