Who is widely regarded as the emancipator of the untouchables and a leading crusader for social justice in India?

Introduction / Context:
The term untouchables refers to communities that faced extreme discrimination and exclusion under the caste system in India. Many reformers worked for their uplift, but one leader combined legal expertise, political action, and social philosophy to fight systematically for their rights. This question asks the learner to identify that person, who is often described as the emancipator of the untouchables and a crusader for social justice.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on emancipation of untouchables and social justice.
• The options list several major figures in Indian social and political history.
• One of them was born in a marginalised community and led movements for its rights.
• The learner is assumed to know his role in the framing of the Constitution of India.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested is recognition of the central figure who represented oppressed castes in both social movements and formal politics. Dr B R Ambedkar, himself from a community that faced untouchability, became a leading jurist, economist, and political thinker. He dedicated his life to ending caste discrimination, organised movements for temple entry and access to public resources, and later chaired the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality and fundamental rights. These contributions justify his description as an emancipator and crusader for social justice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the key phrases emancipator of the untouchables and crusader for social justice. Step 2: Recall that Dr B R Ambedkar represented the depressed classes in negotiations with the British and with other Indian leaders. Step 3: Remember his leadership in agitations for equal rights, educational opportunities, and political representation. Step 4: Scan the options and identify B R Ambedkar among other national leaders. Step 5: Select B R Ambedkar as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification is simple because history textbooks and exam guides on Indian polity consistently highlight Ambedkar as the main leader of the scheduled castes and as the architect of constitutional safeguards for them. Biographical sketches often use phrases like champion of the untouchables or leader of the oppressed. Gandhi, Phule, and Periyar also worked against caste discrimination, yet the specific combination of emancipator title and central role in constitution making is most closely associated with Ambedkar.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mahatma Gandhi campaigned for the uplift of what he called Harijans, but he came from a different social background and his approach and titles differ in exam usage. Jyotirao Phule was an early social reformer who worked for lower caste and women education but is more often linked with the Satyashodhak Samaj and not with this exact phrase. Jawaharlal Nehru focused mainly on national politics and modernisation. Periyar E V Ramasamy led the rationalist Self Respect Movement in the south, yet again he is described with other titles, not as emancipator of the untouchables in standard all India references.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the roles of Gandhi and Ambedkar because both appear in discussions on caste. Another common pitfall is to assume that any strong critic of caste from the options must be the right choice. A better approach is to remember the unique combination of identities in Ambedkar case lawyer, economist, leader of depressed classes, and chairman of the drafting committee. Fixing this complete picture in memory helps avoid errors when related questions appear in exams.

Final Answer:
The emancipator of the untouchables and leading crusader for social justice in India is B R Ambedkar.