Is Dr. Ambedkar truly the sole architect of the Constitution? || The draft of the Constitution had already been prepared even before the formation of the Drafting Committee, which Dr. Ambedkar chaired.
Many scholars contributed to the making of the Constitution, but apart from Ambedkar, hardly anyone else is known to the public.
Public memory of the Indian Constitution often centers on a few towering figures—most notably Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel. While their roles were undeniably central, constitution-making was a collective, deliberative effort involving nearly 300 members of the Constituent Assembly over almost three years (1946–1949). Many contributors who played substantive roles in drafting, debating, and refining the text remain relatively overlooked. Below are some such figures, their concrete contributions, and the structural reasons they faded from popular narratives.
1. B. N. Rau – The Constitutional Architect Behind the Scenes
Role and contribution
- Served as the Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly (1946–1948).
- Prepared the initial draft framework of the Constitution before the Drafting Committee was even formed.
- Conducted extensive comparative constitutional research, studying the constitutions of the UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and others.
- Corresponded with international jurists, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, on issues such as judicial review and fundamental rights.
Why overlooked
Rau was a civil servant, not a politician. He neither spoke often in the Assembly nor sought public recognition. Once the Drafting Committee (chaired by Ambedkar) took over, Rau’s foundational intellectual labor was absorbed into the collective process, making his role less visible to the public.
2. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar – Constitutional Logic and Federalism
Role and contribution
- A leading jurist and member of the Drafting Committee.
- Played a key role in shaping provisions on federal structure, center–state relations, and the judiciary.
- Often provided the legal rationale defending a strong Centre during Assembly debates, grounding arguments in constitutional theory rather than political rhetoric.
Why overlooked
Ambedkar, as chairman and principal spokesperson of the Drafting Committee, naturally became its public face. Ayyar’s interventions were technical, legalistic, and less quotable—important for durability, but less memorable in popular retellings.
3. K. M. Munshi – Cultural and Civilisational Continuity
Role and contribution
- Influential in debates on Fundamental Rights, particularly freedom of religion and cultural rights.
- Instrumental in drafting Article 44 (Uniform Civil Code) as a Directive Principle.
- Advocated for preserving India’s civilisational ethos while framing a modern constitutional order.
Why overlooked
Munshi’s legacy is often fragmented—remembered variously as a writer, freedom fighter, or educationist—rather than as a constitutional thinker. Additionally, later political controversies around issues like the Uniform Civil Code have overshadowed his nuanced constitutional arguments.
4. Dakshayani Velayudhan – Social Justice Beyond Elite Leadership
Role and contribution
- The only Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly.
- Consistently emphasized that political freedom without social and economic equality would be hollow.
- Spoke against untouchability, caste oppression, and the everyday indignities faced by marginalized communities, often grounding debates in lived experience rather than legal abstraction.
Why overlooked
She did not hold formal power within committees, nor did she belong to dominant political networks. Historical narratives have tended to privilege elite leadership and institutional authority over voices rooted in social critique and moral persuasion.
5. Hansa Mehta – Gender Equality in Constitutional Language
Role and contribution
- Championed gender-neutral rights, insisting that the Constitution speak of “citizens” rather than “men.”
- Played a role in shaping Articles 14–16 (equality before law, non-discrimination, equal opportunity).
- Later represented India at the United Nations and influenced the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Why overlooked
Her contributions are often subsumed under broader “women’s participation” narratives rather than recognized as specific constitutional interventions. Additionally, constitutional history has long underplayed gender as a central analytical lens.
6. N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar – Pragmatism and National Integration
Role and contribution
- Key figure in drafting provisions related to administration of sensitive border regions, including Article 370 (as originally framed).
- Brought administrative realism from his experience as a statesman and former prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Why overlooked
Later political debates around Article 370 have polarized public discussion, reducing his role to a footnote rather than engaging with the original constitutional reasoning and context in which those provisions were crafted.
Why These Contributors Are Often Overlooked (Structural Reasons)
- Hero-centric history: Popular narratives favor singular leaders over collective processes.
- Technical invisibility: Legal drafting, committee work, and procedural refinement attract less attention than speeches and symbolism.
- Archival distance: Constituent Assembly Debates are extensive and dense, limiting public engagement.
- Post-Independence politics: Later political agendas shape which constitutional figures are remembered or marginalized.
- Social hierarchies: Caste, gender, and class biases have influenced whose contributions are celebrated.
Concluding reflection
The Indian Constitution is not merely the product of a few iconic minds, but of sustained dialogue among jurists, administrators, social reformers, women leaders, and representatives of marginalized communities. Recovering these lesser-known contributors does not diminish Ambedkar or other central figures; rather, it deepens our understanding of the Constitution as a collective democratic achievement, shaped by diversity, disagreement, and compromise.
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