Govind Ballabh Pant
Govind Ballabh Pant | |
---|---|
Chief Minister of United Provinces | |
In office 1 April 1946 – 25 January 1950 | |
Preceded by | Vacant |
Succeeded by | Office Abolished |
In office 17 July 1937 – 2 November 1939 | |
Preceded by | Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari |
Succeeded by | Vacant |
Personal details | |
Born | Allahabad University | 10 September 1887
Profession | Lawyer Independence Activist |
Awards | Bharat Ratna (1957) |
Govind Ballabh Pant (10 September 1887 – 7 March 1961) was an Indian freedom fighter and the first chief minister of
Today, several Indian hospitals, educational institutions and foundations bear his name. Pant received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1957.
Early life
Govind Ballabh Pant was born on 10 September 1887 in Khoont village near
Pant studied at
In the freedom struggle
Known as an extremely capable lawyer, Pant was appointed by the Congress party to initially represent Ramprasad Bismill, Ashfaqulla Khan and other revolutionaries involved in the Kakori case in the mid 1920s. He participated in the protests against Simon Commission in 1928. Jawaharlal Nehru, in his autobiography, mentions how Pant stood by him during the protests and his large figure made him an easy target for the police. In those protests he sustained severe injuries which prevented him from straightening his back for the rest of his life.[3]
In 1930, he was arrested and imprisoned for several weeks for organising a
In 1940, Pant was arrested and imprisoned for helping organise the
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Pant took over as the
In 1945, the British
His judicious reforms and stable governance in the Uttar Pradesh stabilised the economic condition of the most populous State of India.
The Ram Janmabhoomi issue emerged during his rule. The idols of Rama and Sita were installed inside the Babri Masjid on the night of 22–23 December 1949 and the devotees began to gather from the next day.[5][6] Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru directed Pant to remove the idols, however Pant was not willing to remove the idols and added that "there is a reasonable chance of success, but things are still in a fluid state and it will be hazardous to say more at this stage".[7][8] By 1950, the state took control of the structure under section 145 CrPC and allowed Hindus, not Muslims, to perform their worship at the site.[9]
He played a significant role in developing panchayat system in the state. He also urged farmers to become self-reliant and educate their children and strive on a co-operative basis to enhance their life and ways of cultivation.[10]
Union Home Minister of India
Pant served as Union Home Minister from 1955 to 1961.[11] Pant was appointed Minister of Home Affairs in the Union Cabinet on 10 January 1955 in New Delhi by Jawaharlal Nehru. As Home Minister, his chief achievement was the re-organisation of States along linguistic lines. He was also responsible for the establishment of Hindi as an official language of the central government and a few states.[12]
During his tenure as the Home Minister, Pant was awarded the Bharat Ratna[13] on 26 January 1957.
Death
In 1960, he suffered a
Mourning him, Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India was quoted as saying,"I had known Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant since 1922 and in this long period of association it had been my privilege to receive from him not only consideration but also affection. This is no time to assess his labour and his achievements. The grief is too intense for words. I can only pray for peace to his soul and strength to those who loved and admired him".
Institutions and monuments
- Allahabad
- Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar
- Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
- Govind Ballabh Pant Engineering College, Delhi
- Sonebhadra, Uttar Pradesh
-
Pant on a 1965 stamp of India
-
Pant on a 1988 stamp of India
-
Statue of Pant at Mall Road, Nainital
-
Statue of Pant near Sansad Bhavan, New Delhi
Family
Govind Ballabh Pant's son,
See also
References
- ^ M. V. Kamath (1989). B.G. Kher, the Gentleman Premier. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 5.
Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant was a Karhade Brahmin whose ancestors went north from Karhatak to settle in the Kumaon region
- ^ "Govind Ballabh Pant". liveindia.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ Bharadwaj, Ananya (7 March 2019). "Govind Ballabh Pant, the first Uttar Pradesh CM and an early feminist". ThePrint. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ a b c B. R. Nanda, Pant, Govind Ballabh (1887–1961), politician in India (2004)
- ISBN 978-81-8430-357-5.
- ISBN 978-81-7022-293-4. Archivedfrom the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ISBN 978-81-250-0883-5. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ISBN 978-81-7100-798-1.
- ISBN 978-0-8232-6187-1.
- ISBN 978-81-7099-546-3.
- ^ "Nation pays homage to Govind Ballabh Pant". The Times of India. 10 September 2006. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012.
- ^ "Govind Ballabh Pant Engineering College, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand". Gbpec.net. Archived from the original on 25 December 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
- ^ "Padma Awards Directory (1954–2007)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
Further reading
- Bakshi, S. R. (1991). Govind Ballabh Pant: The True Gandhian. South Asia Books. ISBN 9788170414308.
- 18 volumes on the Selected Works of Govind Ballabh Pant authored by Dr. B. R. Nanda