8 September: Remembering Feroze Gandhi on his Punya Tithi

OV Digital Desk
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Feroze Gandhi (12 September 1912 – 8 September 1960) was an Indian freedom fighter, politician, and journalist.

Early Life

Feroze Gandhi was born on 12 September 1912, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He went to Vidya Mandir High School and then graduated from Ewing Christian College.

He married Indira Gandhi in March 1942 despite Indira’s father’s opposition.

The couple was arrested during the Quit India Movement in August 1942. The couple had two sons, Rajiv and Sanjay, born in 1944 and 1946, respectively.

Career

Feroze Gandhi joined the Indian independence movement in 1930. He changed his name from “Ghandy” to “Gandhi” after being inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. He was jailed twice for supporting the agrarian no-rent campaign in the United Province (now Uttar Pradesh).

He became managing director of ‘The National Herald after independence while his father-in-law Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister. In 1952, Feroze Gandhi won the first general elections in independent India from Rae Bareli.

He exposed Ram Kishan Dalmia, the chairman of a bank, for making money from public agencies illegally. Two years later, he won the Rae Bareli seat again. He also brought up the Haridas Mundhra scandal involving Life Insurance Corporation in 1958. In the parliament, he also proposed nationalizing a bunch of companies, including Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO).

He published two newspapers, The National Herald and The Navjivan. After serving in the provincial parliament from 1950 to 1952, he joined the Lower House of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha.

Death

He died on 8 September 1960 in Delhi after suffering a heart attack.

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