Short answers, pulled from the story.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar announced his intent to leave Hinduism in 1935. This declaration marked the start of a long journey through world religions that lasted nearly twenty-one years.
Bhimrao R. Ambedkar established Navayana Buddhism at a conference held in Nagpur on October 14 and 15, 1956. The event took place about six weeks before his death and involved three hundred eighty thousand oppressed community members converting.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma over two decades which followers consider their bible and primary source of knowledge. The writings were published posthumously after Ambedkar's death and constitute the only source of information on the subject according to Keown and Prebish.
The 2011 Census recorded eight point four million Buddhists across India with seven point three million belonging to the Navayana tradition. Almost ninety percent of all Navayana Buddhists live within Maharashtra boundaries.
Ambedkar viewed Buddhism as a social reform movement because he sought to free his people from religious prejudice and end human suffering for his community. He rejected ideas relating to individual merit found in Theravada and Mahayana traditions while associating enlightenment with a non-monastic lifestyle.