[English Notes] on Lal Bahadur Shastri Essay Pdf for Exam

Lal Bahadur Shastri: Life and Achievements of the Man of Peace

Lal Bahadur Shastri is known as the Man of Peace. He is famous as the second prime minister of independent India. He is also remembered for composing the slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” (which means ‘hail the soldiers and the farmers’). Let us learn more about the Life of this illustrious personality of Indian history. 

Early Life

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on the 2nd of October in 1904 in Mughalsarai of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. His father was Sharada Prasad Shrivastava and his mother was named Ramdulari Devi. 

Lal Bahadur Shastri was a student in the East Central Railway Inter College in Mughalsarai and Varanasi. In 1926 he successfully completed his graduation from the Kashi Vidyapeeth. As a part of his Graduation degree award, he was given the title of “Shastri” which loosely translates to “Scholar” in English. Somehow this degree began to be used as a part of his name. From a very young Life, Lal Bahadur Shastri was inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

Following the footsteps of his idol, he wanted to work for the uplift of the weak and poor in society. He thus became a Life member of the Servants of the People Society also known as the Lok Sevak Mandal which was established by Lala Lajpat Rai. 

On 16 May 1928, Lal Bahadur Shastri got married to Lalita Devi.

Contribution to the Freedom Struggle of India

During the 1920s, Lal Bahadur Shastri started to actively contribute to the independence struggle. He was an active participant in the non-cooperation movement. His contribution had such an effect that the British were forced to put him behind bars for some time.

Undeterred by this, in 1930, he participated in the Salt Satyagraha. For this movement, the East India Company sentenced him to two years of imprisonment. Even a prison sentence of 2 years could not diminish his zeal. In 1937 he joined the parliamentary Board of U.P as the Organizing Secretary. After Mahatma Gandhi issued the Quit India Speech in 1942, many of the top leaders of the country, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, were imprisoned. He was released after 4 years in 1946. Even when in prison he did not stop reading books and he became very fluent with works of western philosophers, revolutionaries and social reforms.

Political Achievements

In 1947, he became the minister of Police and Transportation. Due to his amazing contribution to the sector he was reappointed for the said post in 1957. In 1951, he was appointed the General Secretary of the AIC (All India Congress). In 1952 he was elected as the Rajya Sabha representative of UP. In 1955 he was appointed the Railway Minister. During his tenure, he made revolutionary changes in the Indian railway system. In 1961 he was appointed the Home Minister. There he made remarkable changes to stop corruption. Finally, on 9th June of 1964, he was appointed the Prime Minister of India.

He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966.

Death

Lal Bahadur Shastri breathed his last on 11 January 1966. The cause of his death was a heart attack.