Rajendra Prasad: Architect of India’s Constitutional Democracy
Rajendra Prasad (3 December 1884-28 February 1963) was an Indian Independence activist, Lawyer, and Politician. He served as the first president of Independent India.
Life and Career
He was born on 3 December 1884, in Bihar, India. In 1902, he joined Presidency College, Kolkata. In 1905, he completed his Graduation, later he decided to study Arts and did his M.A. in Economics with a first division from the University of Calcutta in 1907. He served as a teacher in various Educational Institutes. After completing his M.A., he became the professor of English at the Langat Singh College, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. And later became the Principal of the College. In 1909, he also served as a professor of Economics at Calcutta city college. Later, he did his doctorate in Law from Allahabad University.
In 1915, he appeared and qualify the Examination of Masters in Law from the Department of Law, University of Calcutta, and won a gold Medal. In 1916, he joined the High Court of Bihar and Odisha. In 1917, he was appointed as one of the first members of the Senate and Syndicate of Patna University. Rajendra Prasad played a significant role in the Independence Movement. In 1906, he participated the Indian National Congress annual session in Kolkata as a Volunteer. In 1911, he joined the Indian National Congress, while the annual session was again held in Kolkata. In 1916, he met Mahatma Gandhi, during the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress. In 1931, he actively participated in Salt Satyagraha.
In 1934, he was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress at the session of Bombay. In 1939, he again became the president of INC. In 1942, Congress passed the “Quit Indian Movement”, in the Bombay session, which led to the arrest of many Indian leaders, he was arrested in Sadaqat Ashram, Patna, and sent to Bankipur Central Jail. After three years, in 1945, he was released. In 1947, he became the president of INC third time. And after two and half years of Independence On 26 January 1950, Rajendra Prasad became the first President of Independent India from 1950 to 1962.
He also played a significant role in the Making of the Indian Constitution. He took an active role in helping people affected by the 1914 floods that struck Bihar and Bengal. When an earthquake affected Bihar on 15 January 1934, Prasad was in jail. He was released after two days and set up Bihar Central Relief Committee on 17 January 1934 and took on the task of raising funds to help the affected people. He died on 28 February 1963, in Patna, Bihar, India.
Awards and Legacy
In 1962, He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. He is also the author of several books like India Divided (1946), Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, and Some Reminiscences (1949).
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