Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar never visited Hungary in Europe, but there he has become not only a historical personality but also a symbol of hope, struggle and change for the nomadic Roma community. Tibor Derdak, a sociologist and former member of the Hungarian Parliament, living in the city of Miskolc, about two hours away from Budapest, has worked to put these ideas on the ground.
About 20 years ago, he co-founded a school in the name of Dr. Ambedkar, which has today become a center of inspiration for the Roma community. The statue of Ambedkar installed near this school is not just a monument but a symbol of an ideology. For the Roma community, which has long faced discrimination and social exclusion in Eastern Europe, Ambedkar’s life is an inspiring story, a man who was denied admission to school, who went abroad to become a barrister, fought against caste discrimination and played an important role in drafting the Constitution of his country.
The foundation of this change was laid around 2005, when Derdak and Roma activist János Orsos attended Dhamma camps in Maharashtra. Triratna Buddhist organization had invited him. There he saw how the socially deprived classes were progressing through education and organization. This experience deeply inspired him. He realized that the same path was possible for the Roma community as well, and could be realized.
Historically, the Roma people are believed to have originated in North India about a thousand years ago. For this reason, the experience of India is not only inspiring for them, but is also linked to their identity. After returning to Hungary, Derdak started translating Ambedkar’s writings into Hungarian and spreading his ideas.
Today the Dr. Ambedkar School in Miskolc has become a pilgrimage site of sorts for Roma activists from across Europe. About 125 students from classes 9 to 12 study here. “He is a Buddhist saint,” is written in Hungarian and Hindi at the entrance of the school. Here students not only study regular curriculum but also study Ambedkar’s thoughts, his speeches and Roma history. The similarity in experiences of both societies inspires students to think.
According to Derdak, the discrimination faced by the Roma community has been of the same nature as untouchability in India. Till a few years ago, Roma children were given food in separate utensils and were considered mentally weak and were sent to separate schools. He understood that education was the only way to change this situation. The school’s results are also evident, with many students moving on to higher education, some becoming social workers, local leaders or teachers.
For example, Kuru Janos had only studied till sixth grade at the age of 16. Five years later he graduated, studied at the University of Budapest and returned as a local leader. A teenage girl became a social worker, while Melinda Erdei Nagy, raised in a Methodist family, returned to the same school as a secretary after graduating.
Especially a big change has been seen in girls’ education. Derdach often quotes Ambedkar as saying, “The progress of a society is measured by the progress of its women.” Under this thinking, in the areas where this school has reached, girls have started taking education seriously.
There were no less challenges at the political level also. The school faced financial difficulties due to government policies, but despite this the institution continued its work. Today it has become a living example. The ‘Dharmachakra’ in the Roma flag is a symbol of their historical connection with India. This flag was adopted at the World Roma Congress held near London in 1971, in which the Government of India also contributed.
Today, when the Roma community in Hungary is struggling for its identity, rights and respect, the thoughts of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar are showing them direction. This is proof that there is no limit to ideas, a social reformer of one country can become a guide of change for the deprived society of another country. The path shown by Ambedkar has today become an inspiration for the Roma community of Hungary and this is the real global success of his work.
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