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Photos: On Ambedkar Jayanti, the Dalit leader inspires accessories

On Ambedkar’s 127th birth anniversary a look at how he has become a new style icon among the youths of Dalit. Cashing in on the demand for products featuring Ambedkar are not just e-commerce giants, Amazon and Flipkart, but a bunch of new online stores such as bahujanstore.com, bahujanunnatistore.com.

Updated on: Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM IST

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Ambedkar who was independent India’s first law minister and the principal architect of the Constitution, is now fast becoming a pop culture icon whose face, as they once said about Che Guevara, can launch a thousand T-shirts. His image features not just on tees, but on a range of accessories --rings, earrings, wristwatches, bracelets, lockets-- all of which are selling like hot cakes, thanks to a new generation of assertive Dalits who like to flaunt their identity. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

Ambedkar who was independent India’s first law minister and the principal architect of the Constitution, is now fast becoming a pop culture icon whose face, as they once said about Che Guevara, can launch a thousand T-shirts. His image features not just on tees, but on a range of accessories --rings, earrings, wristwatches, bracelets, lockets-- all of which are selling like hot cakes, thanks to a new generation of assertive Dalits who like to flaunt their identity. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Vishnu, founder and CEO (L), Bahujan Unnati Store, said March and April are the busiest months. Cashing in on the demand for products featuring Ambedkar are not just e-commerce giants, Amazon and Flipkart, but also a bunch of new online stores such as bahujanstore.com, bahujanunnatistore.com and jaibhimonlinestore.com. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

Vishnu, founder and CEO (L), Bahujan Unnati Store, said March and April are the busiest months. Cashing in on the demand for products featuring Ambedkar are not just e-commerce giants, Amazon and Flipkart, but also a bunch of new online stores such as bahujanstore.com, bahujanunnatistore.com and jaibhimonlinestore.com. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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One of Ambedkar’s merchandise, a key holder is seen at the Vishnu’s house in Hardev Puri in east Delhi which also serves as a warehouse-cum-fulfillment centre for his store. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

One of Ambedkar’s merchandise, a key holder is seen at the Vishnu’s house in Hardev Puri in east Delhi which also serves as a warehouse-cum-fulfillment centre for his store. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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His online store currently has about 250 Ambedkar products on offer which he plans to widen to 1000 in the next couple of months. The growing number of organisations that claim to be inspired by Ambedkar and his ideas --about 1 lakh, according to Vishnu’s estimate -- are fuelling the demand. “Half of them are new and run by youngsters for whom Ambedkar is also a style icon,” said Vishnu. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

His online store currently has about 250 Ambedkar products on offer which he plans to widen to 1000 in the next couple of months. The growing number of organisations that claim to be inspired by Ambedkar and his ideas --about 1 lakh, according to Vishnu’s estimate -- are fuelling the demand. “Half of them are new and run by youngsters for whom Ambedkar is also a style icon,” said Vishnu. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The business is brisk offline too. Anuj Kumar (C), 38, who runs the city’s only exclusive Dalit bookstore at Ramnagar in Shahdara, which also sells Ambedkar merchandise, said he sold about one lakh T-shirts in the past one month. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

The business is brisk offline too. Anuj Kumar (C), 38, who runs the city’s only exclusive Dalit bookstore at Ramnagar in Shahdara, which also sells Ambedkar merchandise, said he sold about one lakh T-shirts in the past one month. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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The founders of similar stores said that the business is growing at 30% to 40% a year. One of the shopkeepers, Gautam, said, “Even women buy rings, earrings and saris with Ambedkar pictures.” His shop is laden with various range of books, merchandises and accessories -- car dashboard hangers, night lights and doorbells with pictures of Ambedkar available. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

The founders of similar stores said that the business is growing at 30% to 40% a year. One of the shopkeepers, Gautam, said, “Even women buy rings, earrings and saris with Ambedkar pictures.” His shop is laden with various range of books, merchandises and accessories -- car dashboard hangers, night lights and doorbells with pictures of Ambedkar available. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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Young Dalits feel it is only fitting that Ambedkar, known for his sharp three-piece suits, is becoming a style icon because “he believed in dressing well”. Vivek Kumar, a professor of sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University said, “While Ambedkar has come to be associated with suits, the fact is he had a diverse sartorial taste. And, the blue came to be associated with him because he often said the sky is the limit for the oppressed classes.” (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 15, 2018 5:51 PM

Young Dalits feel it is only fitting that Ambedkar, known for his sharp three-piece suits, is becoming a style icon because “he believed in dressing well”. Vivek Kumar, a professor of sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University said, “While Ambedkar has come to be associated with suits, the fact is he had a diverse sartorial taste. And, the blue came to be associated with him because he often said the sky is the limit for the oppressed classes.” (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

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