Mumbai, Aug 11 (PTI): Benchmark BSE Sensex rallied 746 points to close above the 80,000 mark on Monday following buying in oil, auto and banking shares amid fresh foreign fund inflows.

The 30-share Sensex jumped 746.29 points or 0.93 per cent to settle at 80,604.08 with 26 of its constituents ending higher. During the day, it surged 778.26 points or 0.97 per cent to 80,636.05.

The 50-share NSE Nifty jumped by 221.75 points or 0.91 per cent to 24,585.05 .

"The market saw a relief rally post a 3-month low; a positive global cue and a gradual return of FIIs supported the sentiment. Investors are positively assessing the upcoming US-Russia Summit this week, which may possibly give way to a de-escalation in geopolitical tensions.

"While a near-term caution may still prevail, the more definite assessment of the US trade and growth impact is yet to be assessed fully," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd, said.

Among Sensex firms, Tata Motors, Eternal, Trent, State Bank of India, UltraTech Cement and Larsen & Toubro were the major gainers.

However, Bharat Electronics, Bharti Airtel and Maruti were the laggards.

The BSE midcap gauge climbed 0.79 per cent and the smallcap index rose by 0.35 per cent.

The majority of the BSE sectoral indices ended higher. Realty surged the most by 1.86 per cent, followed by bankex (1.13 per cent), healthcare (1.12 per cent), auto (1.03 per cent), financial services (1 per cent), utilities (0.92 per cent), services (0.90 per cent) and power (0.85 per cent).

Consumer Durables emerged as the only laggard.

"Markets started the week on an upbeat note, gaining nearly a percent and providing a breather after the recent decline. The tone was positive from the outset and further strengthened in the latter half, supported by a noticeable recovery in heavyweights across sectors," Religare Broking SVP, Research, Ajit Mishra said.

As many as 2,237 stocks advanced while 1,930 declined and 170 remained unchanged on the BSE.

In Asian markets, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in positive territory while South Korea's Kospi ended marginally lower. Markets in Japan were closed due to a holiday.

European markets were trading mostly lower. The US markets ended higher on Friday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 1,932.81 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.45 per cent to USD 66.29 a barrel.

On Friday, the Sensex tanked 765.47 points or 0.95 per cent to settle at 79,857.79. The Nifty dropped 232.85 points or 0.95 per cent to 24,363.30.

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Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): 'Jai Bhim': These two words have come to symbolise the awakening and empowerment of the Dalit community in independent India, but not many people know how it originated.

The slogan, which also encapsulates the immense reverence in which Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is held, was first raised at the Makranpur Parishad, a conference organised at Makranpur village in Kannad teshil of today's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district in Maharashtra.

Ambedkar, the chief architect of India's Constitution, died on December 6, 1956.

Bhausaheb More, the first president of the Scheduled Castes Federation of Marathwada, organised the first Makranpur Parishad on December 30, 1938.

Dr Ambedkar spoke at the conference and asked the people not to support the princely state of Hyderabad under which much of central Maharashtra then fell, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Pravin More, Bhausaheb's son.

"When Bhausaheb stood up to speak, he said every community has its own deity and they greet each other using the name of that deity. Dr Ambedkar showed us the path of progress, and he is like God to us. So henceforth, we should say 'Jai Bhim' while meeting each other. The people responded enthusiastically. A resolution accepting 'Jai Bhim' as the community's slogan was also passed," More told PTI.

"My father came in contact with Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in his early years. Bhausaheb was aware of the atrocities the Nizam state committed on Dalits. He told Ambedkar about these atrocities, including the pressure to convert. Dr Ambedkar was strongly against these atrocities, and he decided to attend the 1938 conference," he said.

As Ambedkar was against the princely states, he was banned from giving speeches in the Hyderabad state but was allowed to travel through its territories. The Shivna river formed the border between Hyderabad and British India. Makranpur was chosen as the venue for the first conference because it was on the banks of Shivna but lay in the British territory, ACP More said.

The stage made of bricks, from where Dr Ambedkar addressed the conference, still stands. The conference is organised on December 30 every year to carry forward Ambedkar's thought, and the tradition was not discontinued even in 1972 when Maharashtra experienced one of the worst droughts in it history.

"My grandmother pledged her jewellery for the conference expenses. People from Khandesh, Vidarbha and Marathwada attended it. Despite a ban imposed by the Nizam's police, Ambedkar's followers crossed the river to attend the event," said ACP More.

"This is the 87th year of Makranpur Parishad. We have deliberately retained the venue as it helps spread Ambedkar's thought in rural areas," he added.