Mahatma Gandhi Biography

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in the small city of Porbandar in Gujarat (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948). He was a politician, social activist, Indian lawyer, and writer who became the prominent Leader of the nationwide surge movement against the British rule of India. He came to be known as the Father of The Nation. October 2, 2022, marks Gandhi Ji’s 153rd birth anniversary, celebrated worldwide as International Day of Non-Violence, and Gandhi Jayanti in India.

Gandhi Ji was a living embodiment of non-violent protests (Satyagraha) to achieve independence from the British Empire’s clutches and thereby achieve political and social progress. Gandhi Ji is considered ‘The Great Soul’ or ‘The Mahatma’ in the eyes of millions of his followers worldwide. His fame spread throughout the world during his lifetime and only increased after his demise. Mahatma Gandhi, thus, is the most renowned person on earth.

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Mahatma Gandhi Education 

When Gandhi was 9 years old he went to a local school at Rajkot and studied the basics of arithmetic, history, geography, and languages. At the age of 11, he went to a high school in Rajkot. Because of his wedding, at least about one year, his studies were disturbed and later he joined and completed his schooling.

He joined Samaldas college in Bhavnagar in 1888 at Gujarat. Later, one of his family friends Mavji Dave Joshi pursued further studies i.e. law in London. Gandhiji was not satisfied with his studies at Samaldas College and so he became excited by the London proposal and managed to convince his mother and wife that he will not touch non-veg, wine, or women.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight with you, then you win.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Off to London

In the year 1888, Mahatma Gandhi left for London to study law. Thereafter 10 days after arrival, he joined the Inner Temple, one of the four London law colleges, and studied and practiced law. In London, he also joined a Vegetarian Society and was introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends. Later, Bhagavad Gita set an impression and influenced his life.

Civil Rights Movement in South Africa

In South Africa, he had a first hand experience of racial discrimination and prejudice directed at Indians and the injustice imposed on them. Gandhi himself experienced the humiliation and disgrace while in South Africa. Initially he was thrown off a train for refusing to travel in a third class coach while holding a first class ticket.

Other similar events including being barred from many hotels in South Africa moved him and encouraged him to work for Indian people there. As a result he extended his original period of stay to protest a bill passed by the South African government to deny them the right to vote.

In 1906, the Transvaal government launched a new act forcing registration of Indian population. Enraged by the act, a mass protest meeting was held in Johannesburg on 11 September in which Gandhi called on Indian people to resist the new act through non-violent and peaceful means. His methodology of Satyagraha (devotion to truth) was adopted by thousands of his followers and during the seven-year long struggle; thousands of Indians were jailed (including Gandhi), beaten and punished for striking and refusing to register.

Though the government successfully repressed the protest through its harsh methods, the impact of this protest forced the government to initiate for a compromise with Gandhi. Gandhi’s idea of non-violence and truth developed during this period.

Indian Independence struggle and Gandhi (1916-1945)

Gandhi’s Satyagraha started from Champaran and kheda, where the condition of farmers was worsened by landlords (mostly British) by imposing taxes and leaving them in an abject poverty. T he peasants were forced to grow cash crops instead of food crops necessary for their survival, and this led to a situation of famine there.

To end that devastating famine and poverty Gandhi organized detailed survey and study, based upon which he began leading the cleaning of the villages, building of schools and hospitals, encouraging villagers to condemn and combat many social evils including pardah and untouchability. Gandhi organized protests and strikes against the landlords that resulted in to the cancellation of the revenue hikes and collection of taxes until the famine ended.

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Mahatma Gandhi In South Africa

In May 1893 he went to South Africa to work as a lawyer. There he had a first-hand experience of racial discrimination when he was thrown out of the first-class apartment of the train despite holding the first-class ticket because it was reserved for white people only and no Indian or black was allowed to travel in the first class. This incident had a serious effect on him and he decided to protest against racial discrimination. He further observed that this type of incident was quite common against his fellow Indians who were derogatorily referred to as coolies.

Freedom and Partition of India

During world war II in 1939, Gandhi opposed the inclusion of India in the war stating that India can not be a part of the war being fought for the democratic freedom, while freedom was denied to India itself. Gandhi and other Congressmen intensified their movement for a complete freedom demanding the British to ‘Quit India’. It was the most vigorous movement in the history of Indian Independence struggle in which thousands of freedom fighters were killed, imprisoned and injured and violent clashes broke in every part of India.

Gandhi and the committee of congress were arrested on 9 August 1942, and Gandhi was held in Aga Khan Palace for 2 years. During that period his wife Kasturba Gandhi died after 18 months of prison on 22 February 1944. At the end of the world war, Gandhi called off his struggle. Time had come to see an Independent India.

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Rajnath Singh Biography

Rajnath Singh was born on 10 July 1951 in Bhabhaura, Uttar Pradesh to Ram Badan Singh and Gujarati Devi in a Raikwar Rajput family.

Rajnath Singh married Savitri Singh on 5 June 1971. The couple gave birth to two sons (Pankaj Singh and Neeraj Singh) and a daughter (Anamika Singh). Singh’s son Pankaj Singh is an MLA from Noida, Uttar Pradesh from BJP. 

Shri Rajnath Singh is one of the senior-most political leaders of the country. He started his political career as a student activist with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and went on to become the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President.

He was elected to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 1988 and became Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1991.

During his tenure as Education Minister in UP, he took some landmarks decisions like introducing the Anti Copying Act and Vedic Mathematics in the syllabus and correction of various distorted portions of history textbooks.

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Rajnath Singh Education

He received his primary education from a local school in his village and obtained a Master’s degree in Physics from Gorakhpur University.

Since his childhood days, he has been a staunch supporter of RSS ideology and joined Sangh at the tender age of 13 years. Before entering politics, he worked as a lecturer of Physics at K.B. Post-Graduate College Mirzapur, UP.

Political Journey of Rajnath Singh

• Rajnath Singh formally joined Indian politics in 1974.
• He became the Bharatiya Jana Sangh for the Mirzapur unit in 1974. The Bharatiya Jan Sangh was a precursor to the present Bharatiya Janata Party.
• In 1975, he was the District President of Jan Sangh and District Coordinator of the JP Movement.
• Rajnath Singh was arrested during the Emergency and imprisoned for 18 months.
• He was elected as MLA in Uttar Pradesh State Assembly in 1977.
• He was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s State Secretary in Uttar Pradesh in 1983.
• In 1984, he was the State President of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Youth Wing.
• Rajnath Singh became National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Youth Wing in 1986.
• He was the National President of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Youth Wing in 1988.
• He was elected Member of Legislative Council for Uttar Pradesh in 1988.
• From 1991 to 1992, he served as the Education Minister of the first BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. During his tenure, he implemented the Anti Copying Act and introduced Vedic Mathematics in the syllabus. He also introduced changes in various history textbooks.
• From 1994 to 1999, Rajnath Singh became a member of the Rajya Sabha. Also, in 1994 he served as the Chief Whip of Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajya Sabha.
• Rajnath Singh became Uttar Pradesh state President of Bharatiya Janata Party on 25 March 1997. This period saw him playing an active role in strengthening and expanding the party organization and also handling a political crisis while the Bharatiya Janata Party was leading the government.
• He was made the Union Surface Transport Minister on 22 November, 1999 in the Vajpayee Government. During this tenure he initiated the dream project of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee: National Highway Development Programme (NDHP). The project included the Golden Quadrilateral and the North South East West corridor.
• On 28 October 2000, he was inducted as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and was elected twice from the Haidargarh constituency in Barabanki as Member of Legislative Assembly.
• Rajnath Singh was made the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2002.
• He was re-elected as Member of the Rajya Sabha for the second time in 2003.
• Rajnath Singh became the Union Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing on 24 May, 2003. He introduced a few path-breaking projects like Farm Income Insurance Scheme and Kisan Call Centre.
• In July 2004, Rajnath Singh was reappointed as National General Secretary of the party.
• As a General Secretary he was in charge of two states, namely, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. His exceptional organizational skills and ability ensured the party’s victory in both the states.
• On 31 December 2005, Rajnath Singh was made the President of Bharatiya Janata Party. During his tenure as President of the party, he covered almost every nook and corner of the nation. He was also a part of the Bharat Suraksha Yatra that covered several states. The issues that were taken up were threats to internal security and the increasing terrorist activities. Issues of public interest, like escalating prices of essential commodities and grievance of farmers, were emphasized.
• Rajnath Singh was elected as Member of Parliament to the 15th Lok Sabha from the constituency of Ghaziabad in the state of in Uttar Pradesh on 16 May, 2009.
• On 7 October, 2009 he became a Member of the Committee on Ethics.
• On May 26, 2014, Rajnath Singh became the Union Minister for Home Affairs of India.

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Rajnath Singh Achievements

During his tenure as state President of Bharatiya Janata Party, the party performed well, winning 58 seats in the Lok Sabha.

In the year 2000, during his term as Surface Transport Minister, he changed the name of the emission standard EURO II to Bharat State II (BS II). This is now used in all vehicles of the nation as BS-3, BS-4 and so on.

He brought down the rate of interest on agricultural loans from 14-18% to a more reasonable 8% during his term as Agriculture Minister. He introduced Farmer Commission and launched Farms Income Insurance Scheme.

As Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he tried to restructure the reservation format of government jobs so that the backward classes among the SC and OBC get more scope.

During his tenure as Bharatiya Janata Party President, he stressed on implementing loan facilities to farmers at 1% in the states that were run by the Bharatiya Janata Party Government and was successful in bringing it about.

He holds the credit for successfully installing the first Bharatiya Janata Party government in South India.

During his term as President of the party, the record of a political party allotting 33% posts to women, was acheieved by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

While serving as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), he wrote a book titled ‘Unemployment: Its Reasons and Remedies’.

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Atal Bihari Vajpayee Biography

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a former veteran Indian politician, was the 10th Prime Minister of India. His Prime Ministerial tenure includes three non-consecutive terms – the first for 15 days (from 16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996), the second for a period of 13 months (from 19 March 1998 to 26 April 1999) and the third for five years (from 13 October 1999 till 22 May 2004).

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, into a Hindu Brahmin family in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

He won elections to the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament, nine times during the course of his political career, as well as the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, twice. In several elections, he ran from four distinct states: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat. He belonged to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh party, which was founded on October 21, 1951, by Shri Syama Prasad Mookerjee. In the Balrampur Lok Sabha (parliamentary) seat of Uttar Pradesh, Vajpayee won his maiden election in 1957.

Vajpayee served as the President of the party from 1969 to 1972. Vajpayee also served as the Minister of External Affairs in 1977 when the Janata Party won the Lok Sabha elections and Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was conferred upon India’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on 27 March 2015.

For his ‘active participation’ in the country’s struggle for freedom, Atal Bihar Vajpayee was felicitated with Bangladesh’s Liberation War Honour by the Government of Bangladesh on 7 June 2015. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi received the award on his political mentor’s (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) behalf from the Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, when the former was on an official tour to the neighbouring country. He breathed his last on 16 August 2018, after a prolonged illness.

Atal Bihari Education

He completed his education at Gwalior before being accepted in 1934 to Barnagar Middle School in the Ujjain District.

He earned his undergraduate degree (B.A.) in Gwalior once more before earning his postgraduate degree (M.A.) in political science from Kanpur.

In 1039, he became a volunteer for RSS. In 1944, he was named general secretary of the Arya Samaj movement’s youth branch.

After that in 1947, he became full time worker-pracharak in RSS. He gave up studding law due to partition riots and then went to Uttar Pradesh as a vistarak (a probationary pracharak).

After that, he worked for “Rashtradharma“, the newspaper of Deendayal Upadhyaya: (a Hindi monthly), dailies Swadesh, Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly), and the Veer Arjun.

Atal Bihari Political Journey

He became active member of RSS at the age of 16 in 1942. He and his younger brother Prem arrested for 24 days during Quit India Movement.

In 1951, Vajpayee was seconded by RSS with Deendayal Upadhyaya to work for Bhartiya Janta Sangh-a Hindu right wing political party associated with RSS.

He appointed as the national secretary of the party based in Delhi. Very soon, he became a follower and aide of party leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

He elected from Balrampur. In the Lok sabha Vajpayee impressed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and he predicted that Vajpayee would become Prime Minister of India someday.

After the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya the leadership of Jana sangh passed to Vajpayee. He became the national president of Jana sangh in 1968, and ran the party along with Nanaji Deshmukh, Balraj Madhok and L.K Advani.

He arrested in 1975 during internal emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Vajpayee served as a foreign minister in Morarji Desai’s cabinet. He became first person who deliver his speech in Hindi in United Nations General Assembly.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee – as Prime Minister

In 1998 general election BJP won and Vajpayee sworn in as the prime minister.
Vajpayee government lasted 13 month until mid-1999 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) under Jayalalithaa withdrew its support.

The government lost vote of confidence in Lok Sabha by a single vote on 17th April 1999. After that, the Lok Sabha again dissolved and fresh elections were held.

The 1999 general election held after Kargil operation. BJP-led NDA won 303 seats out of 543 seats in Lok Sabha.

That was comfortable and stable majority. Again, that time Vajpayee took oath as the prime minister of India third time on 13th October 1999.

In 2003, news reports suggested sharing of leadership between Prime Minister Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K.Advani.

When Atal Bihari Vajpayee threatened retirement, party president Naidu backtracked, announcing that the party would contest the elections under the twin leadership of Vajpayee and Advani.

Positions held by Atal Bihari Vajpayee

1. In 1957, he was elected as a member of the 2nd Lok Sabha.
2. From 1957 to 1977, he was the Leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in the Parliament.
3. In 1962, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha.
4. From 1966 to 1967, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Government Assurances.
5. In 1967, he was elected as a member of the 4th Lok Sabha for the second term.
6. From 1967 to 1970, he remained the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts.
7. From 1968 to 1973, he served as the President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
8. In 1971, he was elected as a member of the 5th Lok Sabha for the third term.
9. In 1977, he was elected as a member of the 6th Lok Sabha for the fourth term.
10. From 1977 to 1979, he was the Union Cabinet Minister of External Affairs.
11. From 1977 to 1980, he was one of the founders and members of the Janata Party.
12. In 1980, he was elected as a member of the 7th Lok Sabha for the fifth term.
13. From 1980 to 1986, he was the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
14. From 1980 to 1984, in 1986 and from 1993 to 1996, he was the Leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Parliament.
15. In 1986, he became the member of the Rajya Sabha. He was made the member of the General Purposes Committee.
16. From 1988 to 1990, he remained the member of the Business Advisory Committee and the House Committee.
17. From 1990 to 1991, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Petitions.
18. In 1991, he was elected as a member of the 10th Lok Sabha for the sixth term.
19. From 1991 to 1993, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts.
20. From 1993 to 1996, he was the Chairman of the External Affairs Committee. He was also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
21. In 1996, he was elected as a member of the 11th Lok Sabha for the seventh term.
22. From 16 May 1996 to 31 May 1996, he served his first term as the Prime Minister of India.
23. From 1996 to 1997, he was the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
24. From 1997 to 1998, he was the Chairman of the External Affairs Committee.
25. In 1998, he was elected as a member of the 12th Lok Sabha for the eighth term.
26. From 1998 to 1999, he served as the Prime Minister of India for the second time. He was also the External Affairs Minister and in charge of ministries and departments that were not specifically allotted to any minister.
27. In 1999, he was elected as a member of the 13th Lok Sabha for the ninth term.
28. From 13 October 1999 to 13 May 2004, he served as the Prime Minister of India for the third time. He was also in charge of the ministries and departments that were not specifically allotted to any minister.

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Books written by Atal Bihari Vajpayee

• National Integration (1961)
• Dynamics of an Open Society(1977)
• New Dimensions of India’s Foreign Policy (1979)
• Heal the Wounds: Vajpayee’s appeal on Assam tragedy to the Parliament (1983)
• Kucha Lekha, Kucha Bhashana (1996)
• Sekyularavada: Bharatiya Parikalpana (Da. Rajendra Prasada Smaraka Vyakhyanamala) (1996)
• Bindu-Bindu Vicara (1997)
• Rajaniti ki Rapatili Rahem(1997)
• Back to Square One(1998)
• Decisive Days (1999)
• Sakti Se Santi(1999)
• Vicara-Bindu (Hindi Edition, 2000)
• Nayi Chunauti, Naya Avasara (Hindi Edition, 2002)
• India’s Perspectives on ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Region(2003)

Autobiographies

• India’s Foreign Policy: New Dimensions (1977)
• Assam Problem: Repression no Solution (1981)
• Atal Bihari Vaj Mem Tina Dasaka (1992)
• Pradhan Mantri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ke Chune Hue Bhashana (2000)
• Values, Vision & Verses of Vajpayee: India’s Man of Destiny (2001)

Books and albums on Poetry

• Meri Ikyavana Kavitaem(1995)
• Meri Ikyavana Kavitaem (Hindi Edition, 1995)
• Sreshtha Kabita(1997)
• Nayi Disha – An Album with Jagjit Singh (1995)
• Kya Khoya Kya Paya: Atal Bihari Vajapeyi, Vyaktitva Aur Kavitaem (Hindi Edition, 1999)
• Samvedna – An Album with Jagjit Singh (1995)
• Twenty-One Poems (2003)

Awards Won by Atal Bihari Vajpayee

• He received the Padma Vibhushan in 1992.
• In 1993, Kanpur University honoured him with D.Litt.
• He was bestowed with the Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award in 1994.
• He received the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1994.
• He was given the Lokmanya Tilak Award in 1994.
• He was honoured with India’s highest civilian award – the Bharat Ratna – in 2015.
• He was conferred Bangladesh’s Liberation War Honour on 7 June 2015 by the Government of Bangladesh.

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