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Study materialVarna System and Caste in Ancient India: Origins and Social StructureThe varna system — the four-fold division of society into Brahmin (priests), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaishya (traders), and Shudra (labourers) described in the Rigveda's Purusha Sukta — and the jati (sub-caste) system that evolved from it shaped Indian social organisation for millennia and became the central target of Buddhist, Bhakti, and 19th-century social reform critique. Study materialB.R. Ambedkar: Dalit Movement and Constitutional VisionB.R. Ambedkar (1891–1956) was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, a pioneering leader of Dalit rights who challenged caste discrimination through education, political mobilisation, and law, and whose conversion to Buddhism in 1956 sparked a mass movement among untouchable communities. Study materialAnti-Caste Movements in IndiaAnti-caste movements in India encompass a range of historical and contemporary efforts that challenge the caste system, advocating for social equality and reform through various intellectual, spiritual, and political means. Current affairsMahatma Ayyankali's 163rd Birth Anniversary: The Social Revolutionary Who Gave Kerala's Dalits the Right to Walk on Public RoadsAugust 28, 2026 marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Ayyankali (1863–1941), the pioneering social reformer and Dalit rights leader from Travancore (present-day Kerala) who led mass campaigns for freedom of movement on public roads, access to education for Dalit children, and labour rights for agricultural workers — transforming Kerala's caste-ridden social landscape. Current affairsIndia's 80th Independence Day 2026: Viksit Bharat@2047, Atmanirbhar Defence and the 80th Freedom Anniversary on August 15India celebrates its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, marking eight decades of freedom from British colonial rule. The Prime Minister will hoist the national flag at the Red Fort, New Delhi, delivering an address to be translated in real time into 22+ Indian languages via the AI-powered Digital India Bhashini tool — reflecting India's Viksit Bharat@2047 development vision.