Gandhi, the Indian independence icon, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the champion of the "Depressed Classes" (Untouchables), put aside their differences to forge the Poona Pact. This historic agreement reserved seats in Indian provincial legislatures for the marginalized, giving them a voice and a chance to break free from centuries of oppression. Ambedkar's perseverance and Gandhi's moral authority combined to bring hope to millions of Indians who had been relegated to the fringes of society.