History of ABAT: Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas

Educate, Agitate and Organize

History of ABAT: Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas

   Information    November 10, 2017  |  0

The establishment of ABAT dates back to the year 2004.

Leaving one’s roots or homeland and moving to a different country can be difficult for any individual or family, especially when you do not know anyone or are unaware of the uncertainty that lies ahead of you.

However, it is situations such as these that stimulate growth of the mind. Having the curiosity to discover the unknown leads to agitation of the mind and this in turn, encourages the desire to find a community or a group of friends that share similar beliefs as yours. It is this drive that instigated the formation of ABAT.

In 2004, a small group of families ambitiously sought to build a community within the Texas area that had like-minded beliefs about Ambedkar Buddhism. As the years went by, we started to grow gradually as we became more involved with other organizations that shared similar ideologies.

In 2013, the group participated in Anand Bazaar, an event hosted by IANT (India Association of North Texas) in celebration of India’s Independence Day in Dallas, TX. The group led initiative needed an identity; one with which all members could relate to. Hence, the ABAT group was informally created. The primary purpose was to grow our community and raise awareness about Ambedkar Buddhism. The team had set up a booth at the event, educating the public by distributing flyers and free books and also encouraging individuals to join. The overall event was a successful one and the progressive growth of the group motivated its’ members to establish a legal platform, one that would enable us to continue the legacy to host future events related to Ambedkar Buddhism.

Subequently in 2014, the group strongly felt the need to establish a platform in the DFW Area and hence hosted the 1st ever, Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day (DCPD) at the Buddhist Center of Dallas.  The DCPD event was a colossal success; the event was published in the SAMRAT newspaper in Maharashtra, India and was covered by Fun Asia in Dallas, TX. With this name, our unity remained intact and the group sought to participate and raise awareness in more related events.

In 2015, ABAT took a major leap forward by transforming itself from the ABAT group to the ABAT organization. It is now registered as a non-profit organization in the state of Texas, USA.

Listed below are some of the events that ABAT has participated in:

1. Ambedkar International Mission (AIM)

  • Holds centennial Celebrations at Columbia University in July, 2013.

  • Hosts Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Houston every year.

  • Involved with Dr. Ambedkar International Mission Literary Awards.

2. Ambedkarite Association of North America (AANA)

  • Ambedkar Jayanti and Buddha Jayanti Celebration in Midwest area.

  • Virtual Buddha Vihar congregation every Sunday at 10 am EST.

  • Supports and manages Bal Vihar and libraries in India.

3. AIC (Ambedkar International Center)

  • Supported in acquisition of 13 acres land 20 miles from White House in Washington, DC to build Ambedkar International Center.

4. DFW Shri Guru Ravidas Organization

  • Attend monthly Satsang on 3rd Saturday of every month.

  • Provide support towards the goal of building Gurudwara in DFW area.

©  2024 Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas. Built using WordPress and the Mesmerize Theme