- Dr. BR Ambedkar
A man who needs no introduction, Chairman of the Drafting Committee Dr. BR Ambedkar was arguably the greatest champion of socio-economic reform the country has ever seen. Ambedkar was a scholar, having received degrees from reputed universities in India and abroad. After his return to India having being called to Gray’s Inn as a Barrister, Ambedkar did not have enough money to register with the Bombay High Court. With a little help from his friends, he was able to pay the Rs 500 and begin practicing in Bombay in 1923.
As a result of his strong opinions on caste and class, Ambedkar’s law practice suffered. Despite this, he would go on to prove his worth in a number of cases involving issues regarded controversial at the time. Writer Raghunath Karve was charged with spreading vulgarity through his magazine Samajaswasthya, which frequently discussed taboo topics like birth control. Ambedkar would succesfully defend his right to spread awareness on sex-related issues.
Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer
During his practice as a lawyer, Iyer was held in high regard by judges and fellow advocates alike. Dewan Bahadur Sir Alladi Krishnaswani Lyer was one of the main members of the drafting committee of the Constitution of India – an important member of the Constituent Assembly of India. Ayyar also served as an Advocate General of Madras State from 1929 to 1944.
Alladi Krishnaswami lyer was born in 1883 in the small village of Pudur in Madras State (now the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh). He was born to Ekamra Sastry, who was a priest. He passed his matriculation examination in 1899 and entered the Madras Christian College to study History. Ayyar used his spare time to attend classes in law and passed the B.L exam and become one of the leading members of the bar. He was renowned as Dewan Bahadur in 1930.
KM Munshi
Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi also known as K.M Munshi, or by his pen name, Ghanshyam Vyas, was an brilliant Indian independence movement activist, politician, writer and educationist from Gujarat. He was a lawyer by profession, he later became an author and politician. He was a well-known name in Gujarati literature. He founded Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan an educational trust in 1938. Before the independence of India he was a part of Indian National Congress and after independence, he joined the Swatantra Party and Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
Mohammad Saadulla
Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla, was the Prime Minister of Assam (British India). He was also a Chairman of Gauhati Municipality in 1919 and minister in charge of education and agriculture for Assam from 1924 to 1934.
He got his education from the Cotton College, Guwahati and Presidency College, Calcutta. He was born on 21 May 1885 in Gawahati to an orthodox Assamese Muslim family.
The Assam Legislative Assembly elected Syed Muhammad Saadulla to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947 and later he was elected in the drafting committee as well. He was also an integral part in preparing the Constitution of the Republic of India. Saadulla was the only member from the North East to be elected into the Drafting Committee.
B. L. Mitter:
B.L Mitter worked with the Dewan of Baroda. Mitter is said to have made significant contributions to integration of the Princely States with India. He was later replaced by Madhav Rao on the drafting committee, who was the legal advisor to the Maharaja of Vadodara.
D. P. Khaitan
D.P Khaitan, also known as Debi Prasad Khaitan, was the owner of Khaitan & co – one of the oldest working law firms in India. It had 530 fee earners and consultants including 115 partners and directors. Debi found this company in 1911 with the assistance of his brothers. He was a proficient member of the drafting committee including 6 others.