Ram Pal Rahi’s legacy lives on in Britain’s Ambedkarite Buddhist movement

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* 

The death of Mr. Ram Pal Rahi, president of the Federation of Ambedkarite Buddhist Organisations (FABO) UK and the Ambedkar Mission Society, Bedford, on May 8, 2026, has shocked his Ambedkarite Buddhist friends and admirers in India, Europe, and the UK. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, and two sons. Bedford is considered the “source” of the Ambedkarite movement in the United Kingdom, and Mr. Ram Pal Rahi continuously worked to strengthen the legacy of veteran Ambedkarite leader late Chanan Chahal, whose anti-caste work in the UK was widely respected.

Mr. Ram Pal Rahi was a self-made man who worked extremely hard to establish himself in Bedford, though his life journey was far from simple. He was born on January 25, 1954, in Guru Ravidass Nagar, Nawanshahr (now Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar), Punjab, where his maternal uncles lived, while his parental village was in the Phagwara district. His father served in the Indian Army, which broadened his understanding of India as he received his education in different places where his father was posted during military service. He was comfortable speaking and understanding Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, and English. He graduated from Phagwara and later went to Vienna, Austria, for higher studies. However, due to severe financial constraints, he could not continue there and decided to try his luck in London.

I had the opportunity not only to speak with him several times but also to stay at his house in Bedford. He hosted me warmly, drove me around the city, and shared many stories from his life. Speaking with him was always a joy. He often narrated his personal struggles and was deeply proud of his achievements. One object that held a special place in his home and office was a replica of London’s iconic red public telephone booth. He had immense affection for it and once explained its significance to me, revealing both his resilience and determination.

Curious about his attachment to the telephone booth replica, I asked him about it. Taking a deep breath, he narrated how, after leaving Vienna, he arrived in London on a snowy winter night in December with no address, no place to stay, and very little money. The cold was unbearable, and he could not afford a hotel room. Exhausted and desperate, he found himself standing near a public telephone booth, possibly trying to contact someone. Eventually, he decided to spend the night inside the booth for shelter. He later told me that the public telephone booth had “saved” his life, as remaining outside in the freezing weather would have been extremely dangerous. His journey in the UK remained an inspiration to many because, despite immense hardship, he stayed focused on his work and eventually succeeded.

After arriving in England in 1975 and taking up all kinds of jobs, he eventually made Bedford his permanent home. He never considered any work inferior. Like many migrants from marginalized communities in India, he could not expect financial support from home and therefore took up difficult and menial jobs to strengthen his financial condition. He worked at Vauxhall Motors in Luton as a production operator and also worked evenings as a security guard and taxi driver. Later, he began teaching driving at different motor driving schools. Once, while driving me around Bedford in his Mercedes, he shared his success story with great pride. He owned several properties in Bedford, all earned through years of hard work. He would often say that no work was small and that dignity lay in honest labour. Even at an age when he no longer needed to work for financial reasons, he continued taking driving instruction classes, earning well while maintaining a flexible lifestyle.

He also took me to the supermarket run by his wife and proudly spoke about her unwavering support throughout his journey. The business had been established in 1985. While he helped many individuals, especially newcomers from Punjab, earning money was never his sole aim in life. From 1976 onward, he became actively associated with Ambedkarite and Buddhist organisations in Bedford and other parts of the UK, particularly alongside veteran Ambedkarite leader Chanan Chahal. In 1986, both of them embraced Buddhism along with their families. Although conversion to Buddhism among Ambedkarites in the UK was not unusual, the event received significant attention in the British national media. Thereafter, he regularly participated in Ambedkar Jayanti and Buddha Purnima celebrations, among other social and cultural events.

During the 1990s, the Ambedkarite movement expanded across various parts of the world, including Europe, America, and Asia. Intellectuals, activists, and political leaders associated with the movement organised important conferences and meetings in countries such as Malaysia, France, Japan, Canada, and Italy. Mr. Ram Pal Rahi travelled extensively across India and abroad, including Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, and Japan, to participate in Ambedkarite and Buddhist events.

Bedford-based Ambedkarite activist and friend Arun Kumar recalled: “After the untimely demise of Chanan Chahal in 2009, Ram Pal pledged himself to carrying forward Chanan’s legacy and promoting Babasaheb’s mission. As president of the Punjab Buddhist Society UK, Rahi played a key role in completing the Takshashila Buddha Vihara in Ludhiana. It was inaugurated by Ram Vilas Paswan, who remained closely connected with Ambedkarite movements worldwide.”

I also had the opportunity to visit the Takshashila Buddha Vihara and found it deeply inspiring. The entrance gate resembles that of the Sanchi Stupa, while the iconic statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar near the main entrance creates a powerful Ambedkarite atmosphere. It was an honour not only to visit his house in Bedford but also to see the institution he helped build in Punjab. Mr. Ram Pal Rahi was associated with several Ambedkarite organisations and consistently encouraged and supported people, including through financial assistance to those in need. He also contributed to various charitable and welfare activities in Punjab and elsewhere.

Mr. Ram Pal Rahi remained deeply committed to the Ambedkarite Buddhist movement throughout his life and served in many capacities. At the time of his death, he was serving as president of FABO UK as well as the Ambedkar Mission Society, Bedford.

I had the opportunity to travel around Bedford with him and participate in several panel discussions organised by local channels. Thanks to our friends Devinder Chander in Birmingham and Arun Kumar in Bedford, I learned a great deal from the inspiring life of Shri Ram Pal Rahi. His death is a major loss to the Ambedkarite and Buddhist movement in England. Yet one hopes that his friends and followers will continue his legacy and further expand the movement’s reach and vision. Our condolences to the family of late Ram Pal Rahi.

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*Human rights defender