One of the people whose personality and patriotism have made India a modern, powerful country is Dr° Rajendra Prasad. Dr° Rajendra Prasad took various steps to transform India into a strong nation despite various challenges in the aftermath of his election as the first President of independent India.
Biography of Rajendra Prasad
| Name | Dr° Rajendra Prasad |
| Date of Birth | 3 December 1884 |
| Place of Birth | Jiradai Village, Saran District, Bihar |
| Father’s Name | 1/ Bharat Ratna Award (1962) 2/ L .L.D title of Allahabad University 3/ Doctorate from Patna, Kashi, and Agra Universities. |
| Mother’s Name | Kamleswari Devi |
| Education | 1/ Presidency College, Kolkata. 2/ Ripon College (now Surendra Nath Law College), Kolkata. |
| Award | 1/ Bharat Ratna Award (1962) 2/ L .L.D title of Allahabad University 3/ Doctorate from Patna, Kashi and Agra Universities. |
| Died | February 28, 1963 |
Early Life
Rajendra Prasad was born on December 3, 1884, to a Kayastha family in Jiradai village of Saran district of Bihar. His father’s name was Munchi Mahadeu Sahay and his mother’s name was Kamleswari Devi. Rajendra Prasad’s father Munchi Mahadeu Sahay occupied both Sanskrit and Persian while his mother Kamleswari Devi was a devout soul woman. Growing up in an educational environment, Rajendra Prasad introduced his talent from a very young age.
Rajendra Prasad who started his primary education at home under the supervision of a cleric started his formal education at a school in Chapra district at the age of 9. He later studied at T. K Ghosh’s Academy in Patna passed the entrance examination of Calcutta University in 1902 and joined the Science Department at Presidency College, Kolkata. Rajendra Prasad graduated first class in 1905 after passing the FA exam in 1904. Importantly, after graduating, he decided to study in the Arts Stream and post-graduated in economics in the first division from Calcutta University in 1907.
Also Read: Biography of Sarojini Naidu
Achievements
Rajendra Prasad, who lived with his brother in Eden Hindu Hostel while studying at Calcutta University, was an active member of the Dawn Society at that time. But importantly, Rajendra Prasad, who has a lot of duty and responsibility towards the family as well as studies, did not join Servants of India society to discharge/perform his responsibilities smoothly. At that time Rajendra Prasad’s mother breathed her last and he faced various challenges including his 19-year-old sister having to return home for premature validity.
Rajendra Prasad, who is responsible for the family as well as the society, played an important role in setting up the ‘Bihari Students’ Conference at Patna College in 1906. Importantly, this ‘Bihari Students’ Conference is contributing to the creation of leaders like Narayan Sinha and Krishna Singh, who have played an active role in the Champaran movement, a non-cooperation movement. It may be recalled that this student conference was able to give remarkable political leadership to Bihar.
He started his professional career as a teacher after completing his formal education. Rajendra Prasad, who served as a professor at Langat Singh College in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, temporarily quit his teaching profession to pursue legal education at Ripon College (now Surendra Nath Law College) in Kolkata but also served as a professor of economics at City College in Kolkata in 1909 in parallel with pursuing law education.
In 1915, he received a master’s degree from Calcutta University with a gold medal from the law department. He subsequently served as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Bihar and Odisha after completing his doctorate in law from Allahabad University in 1916 and also practiced law in Bhagalpur in Bihar known as Silk City. Dr° Rajendra Prasad was also elected as the first member of the Senate and Syndicate of Patna University.
Dr° Rajendra Prasad, who is the right man of the society, also played an important role in the freedom movement launched by India against the British. He took over as a Member of the Congress at the annual session of the National Congress held in Kolkata in 1911. Importantly, Rajendra Prasad, who was strongly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals, honesty, and dedication, and was hailed as the father of the nation, jumped into the freedom struggle by retiring from a prestigious/honorable profession of lawyer and university duties. It may be recalled that Rajendra Prasad, who believed in Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, responded to Gandhi’s movement to abandon foreign goods at that time and dropped his son Mrityunjay Prasad from Western educational institutions and enrolled him in the traditional Indian educational institution Bihar Vidyapeeth.
Determined to restore India’s lost independence, Rajendra Prasad, at that time, traveled to different parts of the country to express his commitment to the freedom movement through speeches, writings, and speeches in front of the general public. It may be recalled that during floods in Bihar and Bengal in 1914, he played an important role in helping the flood-affected people during the period.
Rajendra Prasad was first elected as congress president at the Bombay session of the National Congress in 1934. Later he served as Congress president after Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from the Congress in 1939. Importantly, the National Congress passed the Quit India Resolution in Bombay on August 8, 1942, in the wake of which the British arrested a large number of leaders who played an active role in the freedom movement. It may be recalled that he was also arrested by the British from Patna. Prasad was released on June 15, 1945, after spending a long time, or nearly three years in captivity, to launch a rebellion against the British.
Dr° Rajendra Prasad served as minister of food and agriculture after India gained independence in 1947, the Interim Kalin government led by Jawaharlal Nehru was formed. It may be recalled that Rajendra Prasad also served as the President of the Constituent Assembly in 1946. Importantly, he was able to guide the Congress on a proper path by serving as Congress president for the third time when J B Kripalani of the National Congress resigned on November 17, 1947.
Rajendra Prasad, who played an active role in the freedom movement, and possessed a huge talent and a powerful personality, was elected as the first President of the Republic of India on January 26, 1950. As president of the largest democratic republic like India, he played a key role in building diplomatic relations with foreign countries. He was subsequently re-elected president for two consecutive terms in 1952 and 1957. Rajendra Prasad, who has been holding the post of President for a long time, is the only Indian. He introduced a new trend in Indian politics by upholding the status of the Constitution. He emphasized on the overall development of education in India. Rajendra Prasad, who served as president for nearly 12 years, retired from office in 1962 and returned to Patna.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, known among millions of people in the country as Rajendra Babu, was honored by the Government of India in 1962 with the title of Bharat Ratna, the best civil honor for his dedication and service to the land of extreme sacrifice.
Conclusion
Popular as a freedom fighter, politician, and lawyer, Dr° Prasad also gained popularity as a writer and journalist. He played an important role in publishing Hindi newspapers called Searchlight and Desh. Apart from this, Dr° Rajendra Prasad’s autobiography was published in 1946. Other books published by him are India Divide (1946), Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences (1949), Satyagraha in Champaran, Universe and Life etc.
Dr° Prasad, who contributed to social life, died on February 28, 1963.
Dr° Rajendra Prasad’s political integrity, values, strong personality, and ideals will always be alive among the new generation. Rajendra Prasad’s intellectual approach, hard work, and humble behavior hailed as a lawyer, politician, a man of great personality who has contributed to the field of literature, is still popular among everyone today and even now his thoughts are relevant.
FAQ
1. Who is India’s first president?
Ans: Dr° Rajendra Prasad is the India’s first president.
2. When and where was Rajendra Prasad born?
Ans: He was born on December 3, 1884, to a Kayastha family in Jiradai village of Saran district of Bihar.
3. When did Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first president of India?
Ans: He was elected as the first President of the Republic of India on January 26, 1950.
4 When did Rajendra Prasad was elected as a Congress president?
Ans: He was elected as congress president at the Bombay session of the National Congress in 1934.
5. When did the autobiography of Rajendra Prasad was published?
Ans: Dr° Rajendra Prasad’s autobiography was published in 1946.
6. Name some of the books published by Rajendra Prasad.
Ans: Some of the books published by him are- India Divide (1946), Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences (1949), Satyagraha in Champaran, Universe and Life, etc.
7. When did Rajendra Prasad die?
Ans: He died on February 28, 1963.
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