B.R. Ambedkar’s concept of the "Annihilation of Caste" is a profound critique of the social, religious, and cultural structures that perpetuated inequality in Indian society. Ambedkar’s work, delivered as a speech in 1936 and later published as a book, is not merely a political treatise but a moral and philosophical argument against the hierarchical caste system, which he saw as the root of social injustice in India. For Ambedkar, the caste system was not simply a social stratification based on occupation or birth; it was a deeply entrenched system of social exclusion, sanctioned by religious authority, and maintained through customs, laws, and social practices that marginalized a large portion of the population, particularly the so-called “untouchables” or Dalits. By “annihilation,” Ambedkar did not mean a reform or a minor modification of caste practices; he demanded the complete dismantling of caste as a social institution, for he believed that partial reforms were insufficient to achieve genuine equality and social justice. Ambedkar emphasized that the caste system was not only a social evil but also a moral and cultural barrier that stifled human potential. The caste system, according to him, was sustained by the Hindu religious texts, especially the Manusmriti, which codified rules for social behavior, occupation, and ritual purity based on birth. These texts provided religious legitimacy to social discrimination and the rigid hierarchies that defined Indian society for centuries. Ambedkar argued that as long as society remained bound by these religious and cultural prescriptions, no real progress in social justice could occur. In his analysis, caste was not merely a division of labor but a hierarchy that determined access to education, economic resources, political power, and even the basic dignity of life. The annihilation of caste, therefore, was essential to creating a society in which individuals were judged not by birth or inherited status but by their personal merit and moral worth.