October 2 marks the birth anniversary of greats who played a pivotal role in India’s Independence struggle. While Gandhi had the day named after him, it does not overshadow the achievements and the patriotic spirit of the revolutionary Prime
Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was renowned for his accountability and integrity during his political tenure. As such, with this article, we honor the legacy of a brilliant Prime Minister and a bureaucratic genius.
Humble Beginnings
Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai, a small railway town near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. His early life was marked by hardship; his father, a school teacher, passed away when Shastri was just a year and a half old. His mother, still in her twenties, moved with her three children to her father’s house, where they settled down.
Despite the poverty that surrounded him, Shastri had a relatively happy childhood. His schooling in the small town was unremarkable, but he showed resilience and determination from a young age.
To attend high school, he moved to Varanasi to live with his uncle. Known affectionately as “Nanhe” or “little one,” he often walked miles to school without shoes, even in the scorching summer heat.
Foray into the Independence Struggle
Shastri’s interest in India’s struggle for independence grew as he matured. At the age of eleven, he was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s criticism of Indian princes who supported British rule. This early exposure to nationalist ideas set the stage for his future involvement in the freedom movement.
At sixteen, Shastri heeded Gandhi’s call to join the Non-Cooperation Movement, abandoning his studies despite his family’s objections. He later joined the Kashi Vidya Peeth in Varanasi, an institution established in defiance of British rule, where he earned the title “Shastri,” a bachelor’s degree that became synonymous with his name.
In 1927, Shastri married Lalita Devi from Mirzapur. Their wedding was traditional, except for the dowry, which consisted only of a spinning wheel and a few yards of handspun cloth.
Shastri’s commitment to the freedom struggle intensified in 1930 when Gandhi’s Salt March ignited nationwide protests. He participated fervently, leading numerous campaigns and spending a total of seven years in British jails.
After India gained independence, Shastri’s dedication and hard work were recognized by the leaders of the national struggle. In 1946, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in Uttar Pradesh and quickly rose to the position of Home Minister. His efficiency and work ethic were legendary among the bureaucratic circles.
In 1951, he moved to New Delhi, where he held various key portfolios, including Minister for Railways, Transport and Communications, Commerce and Industry, and Home Minister. During Nehru’s illness, he served as Minister without portfolio, steadily growing in stature and respect. After Nehru’s Death he became Prime Minister in June 1964.
In between his Ministerial assignments, he continued to exhibit his organizing abilities with the affairs of the Congress Party. The landslide successes of the Party in the General Elections of 1952, 1957 and 1962 were in a very large measure the result of his complete identification with the cause and his organizational genius.
The Tragic Thootukudi Express Accident that Led to His Resignation
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s resignation as Railway Minister in 1956 is often cited as a significant example of political accountability and integrity. Following the tragic train accident in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, which resulted in over 140 deaths, Shastri took moral responsibility for the incident and submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
This was not the first time Shastri had offered to resign. Earlier in August 1956, after a major railway accident in Mahbubnagar, Andhra Pradesh, which killed 112 people, he had also tendered his resignation. However, Nehru persuaded him to stay on. The Ariyalur accident, occurring just a few months later, led Shastri to insist on his resignation being accepted, believing it was the right thing to do for both himself and the government.
Shastri’s decision was widely respected and set a high standard for political accountability. His resignation was seen as an act of taking personal responsibility for the failures of the ministry he led, even though he was not directly responsible for the technical failures that caused the accidents.
The train accident in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, occurred on November 23, 1956, and is one of the deadliest train disasters in India’s history. The Thoothukudi Express, carrying around 800 passengers, derailed while crossing the Marudaiyaru river. Heavy rains had swollen the river, weakening the bridge’s pillars. As the train attempted to cross, the bridge collapsed, causing the engine and seven carriages to plunge into the river.
Replying to the long debate on the Railway accident, Lal Bahadur Shastri said:
“Perhaps due to my being small in size and soft of tongue, people are apt to believe that I am not able to be very firm. Though not physically strong, I think I am internally not so weak.”
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Death
Shastri passed away on January 11, 1966, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, shortly after signing the Tashkent Agreement with President Ayub Khan of Pakistan. This agreement, mediated by Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin, aimed to restore peace between India and Pakistan following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
The Tashkent Agreement included several key points: both nations agreed to withdraw their troops to pre-war positions, renounce the use of force to settle disputes, and restore diplomatic relations. The signing of this agreement was a significant step towards easing tensions between the two countries.
Tragically, just hours after the agreement was signed, Shastri suffered a fatal heart attack. He was in Tashkent attending a farewell banquet hosted by Kosygin when he collapsed. Despite immediate medical attention from Indian and Soviet doctors, he passed away around 1 a.m. local time.
Shastri’s sudden death shocked the nation and the world. His leadership during the 1965 war and his efforts to secure peace were widely respected. Following his death, Indira Gandhi, the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, was chosen to succeed him as Prime Minister.
Notable Achievements
- Shastri led India through the challenging period of the Indo-Pakistani War in 1965. His leadership and resolve during the conflict earned him widespread respect and admiration.
- Shastri coined the famous slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” (Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer) to emphasize the importance of soldiers and farmers in India. This slogan became a rallying cry for national unity and self-reliance.
- Shastri played a crucial role in promoting the Green Revolution in India, which aimed to increase agricultural production through modern techniques and high-yield crop varieties. This initiative significantly improved food security in the country.
- He supported the White Revolution, a national campaign to increase milk production and supply. This movement led to the establishment of the National Dairy Development Board and the success of the Amul cooperative in Gujarat.
- Shastri continued Nehru’s socialist economic policies, focusing on central planning and self-sufficiency. His efforts helped stabilize the Indian economy during a turbulent period.
Manbilas Singh is a talented writer and journalist who focuses on the finer details in every story and values integrity above everything. A self-proclaimed sleuth, he strives to expose the fine print behind seemingly mundane activities and aims to uncover the truth that is hidden from the general public. In his time away from work, he is a music aficionado and a nerd who revels in video & board games, books and Formula 1.
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