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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.vandemataram.com/biographies/patriots/prasadr.htm Learn about Indian Civilization, Culture, Yoga, Ayurveda,History] |
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* [http://jaibihar.com/nation-remembers-rajendra-prasad-on-125th-birth-anniversary/14960/ Nation remembers Rajendra Prasad on 125th birth anniversary] |
* [http://jaibihar.com/nation-remembers-rajendra-prasad-on-125th-birth-anniversary/14960/ Nation remembers Rajendra Prasad on 125th birth anniversary] |
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* [http://jaibihar.com/the-country-ignored-rajen-babu-nitish/12942/ India ignored Rajen Babu] |
* [http://jaibihar.com/the-country-ignored-rajen-babu-nitish/12942/ India ignored Rajen Babu] |
Revision as of 04:38, 8 March 2010
Dr. Rajendra Prasad डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद | |
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File:Dr.Rajendra.Prasad.jpg | |
1st President of India | |
In office January 26, 1950 – May 13, 1962 | |
Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
Vice President | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan |
Preceded by | Office Created |
Succeeded by | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan |
Personal details | |
Born | December 3, 1884 Jiradei, Bihar, British India |
Died | February 28, 1963 | (aged 78)
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Spouse | Rajvanshi Devi |
Dr. Rajendra Prasad (Hindi: डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद) (December 3, 1884 – February 28, 1963) was the youngest son of Mahadev Sahay in the village Ziradei, then Saran district of Bihar. Dr Prasad is the architect of Indian Republic. He is great visionary and thinker who drafted constitution of Independent India. Due to his unforgettable contributions to Indian Freedom Movement Dr Prasad was unanimously elected as the first President of the Republic of India . He always believed in Sada Jeevan Uchch Vichar.
Dr Rajendra Prasad was a brilliant student since his childhood. He never read a book twice. He topped all the examinations he appeared. Dr. Prasad was a lawyer by profession.
During independence activist he left his profession and joined Congress Party as a leader, played a prominent role in the Indian Independence Movement. He served as President of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the constitution of the Republic from 1948 to 1950. He had also served as a Cabinet Minister briefly in the first Government of Independent India.
Early Life
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, son of Mahadev Sahai, was born in Zeradei village then Saran district of Bihar on December 3, 1884. Being the youngest in a large joint family "Rajen" was greatly loved and was strongly attached to his mother and elder brother Mahendra. His father, Mahadev Sahay was a scholar of Persian and Sanskrit language while his mother Kamleshwari Devi was a religious lady. Zeradei's population was cosmopolitan in nature and the people lived together in happiness and harmony. Rajendra Prasad's earliest memories are playing kabaddi with his Hindu and Muslim friends. Rajen was married when he was barely 12 years old to Rajvanshi Devi.
Student Life
When Rajendra Prasad was five years old, his parents put him under a Maulavi learn Persian language followed by Hindi and arithmetic. After the completion of traditional elementary education, Rajendra Prasad was sent to the Chhapra District School. At the age of 12, Rajendra Prasad was married to Rajavanshi Devi. He, along with his elder brother Mahendra Prasad, then went on to study at R.K. Ghosh's Academy in Patna. Mahendra was eight years older than him.
Since childhood, Rajendra Prasad was a brilliant student. He stood first in the entrance examination to the University of Calcutta and was awarded Rs.30 per month as scholarship. In 1902, Rajendra Prasad joined the Presidency College. He was initially a student of science and his teachers included J.C.Bose and Prafulla Chandra Roy. Later he decided to switch his focus to the arts. Prasad lived with his brother in the Eden Hindu Hostel. A plaque still commemorates his stay in that room. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was instrumental in the formation of the Bihari Students' Conference in 1908. It was the first organization of its kind in the whole of India. The move produced the entire political leadership of the twenties in Bihar
In 1915, Rajendra Prasad passed with a Gold medal in Masters in Law examination with honors. He then went on to complete his Doctorate in Law.
Examinee is better than examiner
This was one of the well known line quoted by the examiner for the paper attempted by Dr Prasad. This is a unique example of its kind, in which examiner accepted that examinee is better. That answer sheet is still available with Patna University.
Career
As a teacher
Dr Rajendra Prasad served various educational institution as teacher. After completing his MA in economics Dr Prasad joined as Teacher at Bhumihar Brahman College, Mujaffarpur in July 1908 and later on became Principal of the same college later years. However later on he left the college for his legal studies. In Kolkata too he worked as Professor of Economics
As a lawyer
Rajendra Prasad used to practice his Law & studies at Bhagalpur in Bihar and eventually emerged as a popular and eminent figure of the entire region. In 1916, Rajendra Prasad joined the High Court of Bihar and Orissa. Such was his intellect and his integrity, that often when his adversary failed to cite a precedent, the judges asked Rajendra Prasad to cite a precedent against himself.
During the Independence Movement
Dr Prasad was drawn into the Indian freedom struggle soon after starting his career as a lawyer. During one of the fact-finding missions at Champaran, Mahatma Gandhi asked him to come with volunteers. Rajendra Prasad was greatly moved by the dedication, courage, and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi and he quit as a Senator of the University in 1921. He also responded to the call by the Mahatma to boycott Western education by asking his son Mrityunjaya Prasad, a brilliant student to drop out of the University and enroll himself in Bihar Vidyapeeth, an institution he had along with his colleagues founded on the traditional Indian model[1]. During his freedom struggle, he came in contact to Dr. Rahul Sankrityayan, the great Indian writer, freedom fighter, polymath and both became good friends. In many of his articles he mentioned about his meeting with Dr. Rahul Sankrityayan and narrated about their close friendship and Rahulji's love toward his nation. He wrote articles for Searchlight and the Desh and collected funds for these papers. He toured widely, explaining, lecturing and exhorting. He took an active role in helping the affected people during the 1914 floods that struck Bihar and Bengal. When the earthquake of Bihar occurred on January 15, 1934, Rajendra Prasad was in jail. During that period, he gave the entire responsibility on his behalf to his close colleague and eminent gandhian Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha.[2] He was released two days later. He set himself for the task of raising funds. The Viceroy had raised an oppositional fund however Rajendra Prasad's fund collected over 38 Lakhs (Rs. 3,800,000), three times what the Viceroy could manage. During the 1935 Quetta earthquake, when he was not allowed to leave the country, he set up relief committees in Sindh and Punjab.
He was elected as the President of Indian National Congress during the Bombay session in October 1934. He again became the President when Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose resigned in 1939.
After India became Republic in 1950, he was elected the President of India. As the first President, he was independent and unwilling to allow the Prime Minister or the party to usurp his constitutional prerogatives. However, following the tussle over the enactment of the Hindu Code Bill, he moderated his stance. He set several important precedents for later Presidents to follow.
His sister Bhagwati Devi died on the night of 25 January 1950, a day before the Republic Day of India. She doted on her dearly-loved younger brother. On 26, January 1950, 10:18 AM IST India was declared Republic. Six minutes since Republic India 26, January 1950, 10:24 AM IST Rajendra Prasad was announced to be the first President of Republic India. It was only on return from the parade that he set about the task of cremation. In 1962, after 12 years as President, he announced his decision to retire. He was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award.
Major Life Events
Further reading
- Rajendra Prasad, first President of India, by Kewalram Lalchand Panjabi. Published by Macmillan, 1960.
- Rajendra Prasad: twelve years of triumph and despair, by Rajendra Lal Handa. Published by Sterling Publishers, 1979.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Correspondence and Select Documents, by Rajendra Prasad, Valmiki Choudhary. Published by Allied Publishers, 1984. ISBN 8170230020. Excerpts (Vol. 1-Vol. 10)
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
by India Parliament. Lok Sabha. Published by Lok Sabha Secretariat, 1990.
- Rajendra Prasad and the Indian freedom struggle, 1917-1947, by Nirmal Kumar. Published by Patriot Publishers, 1991. ISBN 8170501288.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad: Political Thinkers Of Modern India, by V. Grover. Published by Deep & Deep Publications, 1993.
- First Citizens of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad to Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma: Profile and Bibliography, by A. B. Kohli. Published by Reliance Pub. House, 1995. ISBN 8185972710.
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Kamat. "Great freedom Fighters". Kamat's archive. Retrieved 2006-02-25.
External links
- Learn about Indian Civilization, Culture, Yoga, Ayurveda,History
- Nation remembers Rajendra Prasad on 125th birth anniversary
- India ignored Rajen Babu
- Tributes to first president on 124th birth anniversary
Period | Positions | Note |
---|---|---|
1912 | Became Secretary of Welcome Committee for Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Kolkata Adhiveshan. | |
1913 | Became President of Bihar Chhatra Sammelan (Munger). | |
1914-15 | Joined as Professor Kolkata College. | |
1917-18 | Visited Champaran with Mahatma Gandhi. | |
1918 | Published the famous English News paper "Searchlight". | |
1920 | Published Hindi Saptahik "Desh". | |
1921 | Established Bihar Vidyapeeth with Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Majharul Haq. | |
1922 | Became President of Welcome Committee of Gaya Congress Adhiveshan. | |
1923 | Helped the Ganga flood affected people. | |
1924 | Became President of Akhil Bhartiya Hindi Sammelan, Kokinada Adhiveshan. | |
1926 | Became Sabhapati of Bihar Prantiye Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Darbhanga. | |
1923-27 | Worked as Vice-chancellor or Bihar Vidyapeeth. | |
1927 | Visited Sri Lanka. | |
1927 | Became President of Sanyukt Prantiye Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Kangri Adhiveshan. | |
1928 | Visited England & other European Countries. Attended meetings against War and gave message of peace. | |
6th July 1930 | Arrested in Satyagrah Aandolan. | |
4th January 1932 | Arrested again in Sadakat Aashram. | |
7th January 1932 | Arrested as Dictator of Congress. | |
17th January 1934 | Released from Jail and helped Bihar Earth quake affected people. | |
13th October 1934 | Became President of Akhil Bhartiya Adhiveshan of Congress in Mumbai. | |
1935 | Became President of Qveta Earth Quake Society. | |
1936 | Became President of Akhil Bhartiya Hindi Sahitya Sammelan of Nagpur Adhiveshan | |
14th December 1937 | Received Degree of Doctor of Law from Allahabad University. | |
May 1938 | Became President of Ramgarh Congress Welcome Committee. | |
1939 | Became President of Contress after resignation submitted by Subhash Chandra Bose. | |
9th August 1942 | Arrested under Bharat Security Rules and stayed as Najarband in Patna Jail till 15th June 1945. | |
25th June to 14th July 1945 | Attended Shimla Congress. | |
2nd December 1946 | Became Minister of Food & Agriculture. | |
11th December 1946 Became President of Bhartiya Savindhan Sabha. | ||
17th November 1947 | Became Congress President after resignation submitted by Aacharya Kriplani. | |
1948 | Became President of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. | |
26th January 1950 to 12th May 1952 | Acting President of Republic of India. | |
28th February 1950 | Received Degree Vidyavachspati from Vidvat Parishad of Kashi University. | |
10th April 1951 | Received Degree Doctor of Law from Mysore University. | |
30th November 1951 | Received Degree of Doctor of Civil Law from Delhi University. | |
13th May 1952 to 12th May 1957 | Became First President of Republic of India. | |
3rd January 1954 | Received Degree of Doctor of Literature from Patna University. | |
October 1956 | Visited Nepal. | |
3rd May 1957 | Was re-elected as President of India. | |
25th September 1958 | Visited Japan. | |
6th December 1958 | Visited Malaya | |
8th December 1958 | Visited Indonesia. | |
15th March 1959 | Visited Hind-China, Combodia, South Vietnam, North Vietnam and Laos. | |
June 1959 | Visited Sri Lanka. | |
17th June 1959 | Inaugurated Vidyalankar University, Colombo, Sri Lanka. | |
25th January 1960 | Elder Sister Smt. Bhagwati Devi Died. | |
20th June 1960 | Visited Russia. | |
October 1960 | Visited Badrinath. | |
24th October 1960 | Presented Abhinandan Granth to Rajrshi Purshotam Das Tandon in Prayag. | |
19th July 1961 | Took 5 month rest due to illness. | |
20th December 1961 | Resumed Duty. | |
8th May 1962 | Last Vidai Speech in Indian Parliament. | |
10th May 1962 | Public of Delhi gave Vidai at Ram Lila Ground. | |
13th May 1962 | Retired from the post of President of India. | |
14th May 1962 | Reached and stayed at Bihar Vidyapeeth, Sadakat Ashram, Patna | |
June 1962 | Delivered Inaugural speech at the conference of International Nuclear War (against). | |
9th September 1962 | Wife Rajvanshi Devi Died. | |
October 1962 | Donated Jewellary of his wife for the National secutiry Fund against China War. | |
28th February 1963 | Mahaprayan from Rajendra Smriti Sanghrahayala, Bihar Vidyapeeth, Sadakat Ashram, Patna, Bihar8/4/93-10/5/96 |