The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji on his birth anniversary.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
“Tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji on his birth anniversary. Our nation will always remember his remarkable contribution be it during the freedom movement or after Independence. He was widely admired for his administrative skills and concern for the poor.”
Tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji on his birth anniversary. Our nation will always remember his remarkable contribution be it during the freedom movement or after Independence. He was widely admired for his administrative skills and concern for the poor. pic.twitter.com/2Z1Gh6AGOV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2022
Jagjivan Ram (5 April 1908 – 6 July 1986), was an Indian independence activist, politician, and Dalit leader. He was born on 5 April 1908, Bihar, India. His father Sobhi Ram was with the British Indian Army but resigned after some issues and bought a farm in Chandwa, his native village. In 1922, he realized discrimination against Dalits was still rampant when he joined Arrah Town School. He protested against the school’s shocking decision to have separate pitchers of water for so-called ‘untouchable’ students.
He was inspired later when he met Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, who had been visiting the school.
In 1927, he joined the prestigious Banaras Hindu University. Where he organized the scheduled castes in protest against social discrimination. As a Dalit student, he wasn’t allowed to have meals in his dorm or haircuts by the barbers. Occasionally, a Dalit barber came to cut his hair. He left BHU and joined Calcutta University and finished his education there.
He received a B. Sc. Degree from the University of Calcutta in 1931, where he conducted conferences to draw attention to discrimination issues, and also taking part in Mahatma Gandhi’s anti-untouchability campaign.