Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Mumbai University Sign MoU to Launch Diploma on ‘Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Thoughts’
On the Eve of Social Justice Day, NMCC and Mumbai University Collaborate to Launch Diploma Course at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial
The Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial, established by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), has increasingly been recognized as a “Knowledge Memorial” thanks to its consistent educational and cultural initiatives. With a vision to transform this memorial into a hub for critical scholarship and research, NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde has conceptualized a new academic initiative — a one-year postgraduate diploma course on “Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Thoughts.”
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this course was signed today, June 25, between NMMC and the University of Mumbai, ahead of Social Justice Day (June 26, marking the birth anniversary of Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj). The signing ceremony was held at the Mumbai University auditorium. The agreement was formally signed by NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde and Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni.
Present at the occasion were Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar, City Engineer Shirish Ardavad, Deputy Commissioner and Head of the Memorial Department Mrs. Sanghratna Khillare, Memorial Advisor Mrs. Sandhya Ambade, Mumbai University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ajay Bhamre, Registrar Dr. Prakash Karande, and Dr. Manisha Karne, Head of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Research Centre.
Within just three years, the Ambedkar Memorial has earned acclaim as a modern study center offering a vast collection of books and access to an e-library. Commissioner Dr. Shinde emphasized that the goal is to not only benefit researchers but also to empower the general public. Plans are underway to organize programs focused on social justice, women’s empowerment, labor rights, and child welfare. The new diploma course is seen as a vital step toward these objectives.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni noted that this diploma course marks just the beginning. In the near future, the university aims to introduce additional programs in areas such as social justice and Pali language studies. He also expressed the university’s intent to establish a research center within the memorial premises.
Registrar Dr. Prakash Karande remarked that this MoU stands out as one of the fastest-executed academic agreements in the university’s recent history.
The postgraduate diploma course on “Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Thoughts” will officially commence on July 1, 2025, at the memorial located in Airoli Sector 15, Navi Mumbai. This academic launch further enhances the prestige and relevance of the Ambedkar Memorial as a beacon of progressive thought and inclusive education.