Lal Bahadur Shastri - Former Prime Minister of India, Life Achievements and Childhood
Lal Bahadur Shastri's Personal Details
Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second Prime Minister of free India and was also a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | October 2, 1904 |
| Died on | January 11, 1966 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Famous | Socialists, Leaders, Political Leaders, Prime Ministers, Former Prime Minister of India |
| Ideologies | Socialists |
| Spouses | Lalita Devi |
| Childrens | Anil, Hari Krishna, Kusum, Suman, Sunil and Ashok |
| Birth Place | Ramnagar, Varanasi, United Provinces, British Raj |
| Political Ideology | Socialist |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Sharada Prasad Srivastava |
| Mother | Ramdulari Devi |
| Sun Sign | Libra |
| Born in | Ramnagar, Varanasi, United Provinces, British Raj |
| Famous as | Former Prime Minister of India |
| Died at Age | 61 |
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Lal Bahadur Shastri's photo
Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was an Indian political leader who served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India. Influenced by prominent Indian national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, he plunged into the Indian independence movement in early 1920s. Before becoming the Prime Minister of India, he served in a number of other departments like the railway ministry and the home ministry. With his policies of non alignment and socialism and influences of Nehruvian socialism in his political thinking, Shastri became one of the most loved political leaders of all times. He coined the famous slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. His death is still considered as a mystery for nobody knows under what circumstances he died. He died while he was in the process of signing the Tashkent Agreement on 10 January 1966 - the formal declaration of the end of Indo-Pak war. He is the only Indian Prime Minister to have died in office overseas. He was the first person to be posthumously awarded the India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
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Childhood & Early Life
Shastri was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. His father was a clerk in the Revenue Office of Allahbad but died when Shastri was only a year old. He was raised along with his two sisters by his mother.
He studied at the East Central Railway Inter College in Varanasi and later graduated from Kashi Vidyapeeth in 1926. Soon after, he joined the Servants of the People Society which was founded by a prominent nationalist leader of that time - Lala Lajpath Rai.
Career
Shastri became a part of Indian independence movement in 1920s and was driven by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. He joined Gandhi’s famous Salt Satyagraha in 1930, for which he was sent to the prison for two and a half years.
That did not deter him from working as the Organizing Secretary of the Parliamentary Board of U.P. in 1937. He was again sent to prison for a year for being a part of the nationalist Satyagraha movement.
He was again imprisoned in 1942 for joining Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement and instructing freedom fighters from Jawaharlal Nehru’s house. He was imprisoned this time for 4 years.
In 1947, Shastri was appointed as the Police and Transport minister of Uttar Pradesh.
He was made the General Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee in 1951. Later next year, he was elected to Rajya Sabha and was made the Minister of Railways and Transport.
Although the Railways and Transport of India flourished under him but he resigned from the post in 1952, taking responsibility for a railway accident in Tamil Nadu in which approximately 112 people died.
In 1957, he was again elected to the cabinet as the Commerce and Industry minister and within 4 years he was chosen for the prestigious post of Home Minister.
When Jawahar Lal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, died in office in 1964, the Congress Party President K. Kamaraj put Shastri’s name forward for the post of the Prime Minister. He was elected the Prime Minister of India the same year.
Under his tenure as the Prime Minister, Shastri lead the country during India-Pakistan war in 1965 and it was during this war that he coined the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kishan”. It soon began the national slogan.
After the ceasefire with Pakistan was declared in 1965, he attended a summit in Tashkent with the Pakistani President Muhammad Ayub Khan. Later next year, both the leaders signed the Tashkent Declaration.
Major Works
Shastri dealt with many basic problems during his tenure in various ministries - food shortage, unemployment and poverty. To overcome the acute food shortage, he devised a long-term strategy - "Green Revolution". Apart from the Green Revolution, he also helped in promoting the White Revolution.
Awards & Achievements
Shastri was the first person to be posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
Personal Life & Legacy
Shastri married Lalita Devi from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh in 1928. He had six children with her—Kusum, Hari Krishna, Suman, Anil, Sunil and Ashok. The family lost Ashok when he was only 37 years old.
He died in Tashkent in 1966, the day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack, but his death remains a mystery.
Trivia
The National Dairy Development Board was formed in 1965 during Shastri reign as Prime Minister.
Varanasi International Airport is named after him.
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Lal Bahadur Shastri's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | Bharat Ratna | |
Lal Bahadur Shastri biography timelines
- // 2nd Oct 1904Shastri was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. His father was a clerk in the Revenue Office of Allahbad but died when Shastri was only a year old. He was raised along with his two sisters by his mother.
- // 1920Shastri became a part of Indian independence movement in 1920s and was driven by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. He joined Gandhi’s famous Salt Satyagraha in 1930, for which he was sent to the prison for two and a half years.
- // 1926He studied at the East Central Railway Inter College in Varanasi and later graduated from Kashi Vidyapeeth in 1926. Soon after, he joined the Servants of the People Society which was founded by a prominent nationalist leader of that time - Lala Lajpath Rai.
- // 1928Shastri married Lalita Devi from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh in 1928. He had six children with her—Kusum, Hari Krishna, Suman, Anil, Sunil and Ashok. The family lost Ashok when he was only 37 years old.
- // 1937That did not deter him from working as the Organizing Secretary of the Parliamentary Board of U.P. in 1937. He was again sent to prison for a year for being a part of the nationalist Satyagraha movement.
- // 1942He was again imprisoned in 1942 for joining Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement and instructing freedom fighters from Jawaharlal Nehru’s house. He was imprisoned this time for 4 years.
- // 1947In 1947, Shastri was appointed as the Police and Transport minister of Uttar Pradesh.
- // 1951He was made the General Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee in 1951. Later next year, he was elected to Rajya Sabha and was made the Minister of Railways and Transport.
- // 1952Although the Railways and Transport of India flourished under him but he resigned from the post in 1952, taking responsibility for a railway accident in Tamil Nadu in which approximately 112 people died.
- // 1957In 1957, he was again elected to the cabinet as the Commerce and Industry minister and within 4 years he was chosen for the prestigious post of Home Minister.
- // 1964When Jawahar Lal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, died in office in 1964, the Congress Party President K. Kamaraj put Shastri’s name forward for the post of the Prime Minister. He was elected the Prime Minister of India the same year.
- // 1965Under his tenure as the Prime Minister, Shastri lead the country during India-Pakistan war in 1965 and it was during this war that he coined the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kishan”. It soon began the national slogan.
- // 1965After the ceasefire with Pakistan was declared in 1965, he attended a summit in Tashkent with the Pakistani President Muhammad Ayub Khan. Later next year, both the leaders signed the Tashkent Declaration.
- // 1965The National Dairy Development Board was formed in 1965 during Shastri reign as Prime Minister.
- // 11th Jan 1966He died in Tashkent in 1966, the day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack, but his death remains a mystery.
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Lal Bahadur Shastri's FAQ
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri birthday?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was born at 1904-10-02
When was Lal Bahadur Shastri died?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was died at 1966-01-11
Where was Lal Bahadur Shastri died?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was died in Tashkent, Soviet Union (now in Uzbekistan)
Which age was Lal Bahadur Shastri died?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was died at age 61
Where is Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth place?
Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in Ramnagar, Varanasi, United Provinces, British Raj
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri nationalities?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's nationalities is Indian
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri ideologies?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's ideologies is Socialists
Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri spouses?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's spouses is Lalita Devi
Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri childrens?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's childrens is Anil, Hari Krishna, Kusum, Suman, Sunil and Ashok
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri's political ideology?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's political ideology is Socialist
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri's religion?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's religion is Hinduism
Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri's father?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's father is Sharada Prasad Srivastava
Who is Lal Bahadur Shastri's mother?
Lal Bahadur Shastri's mother is Ramdulari Devi
What is Lal Bahadur Shastri's sun sign?
Lal Bahadur Shastri is Libra
How famous is Lal Bahadur Shastri?
Lal Bahadur Shastri is famouse as Former Prime Minister of India