Krishan Kant
Krishan Kant | |
---|---|
कृष्ण कान्त | |
C Rangarajan | |
Member of Lok Sabha for Chandigarh | |
In office 1977–1980 | |
Preceded by | Amarnath Vidyalankar |
Succeeded by | Jagannath Kaushal |
Member of Rajya Sabha for Haryana | |
In office 1966–1977 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi | 28 February 1927
Profession | Scientist |
Signature | |
Krishan Kant (28 February 1927 – 27 July 2002) was an Indian politician who served as the tenth
Kant was born to parents who were
Kant was initially associated with the Congress, but later joined the Janata Party and the Janata Dal. He was considered as a candidate for the 2002 presidential election, as was routine for vice presidents.[1] However, the government and the opposition supported A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as the candidate.[3] Kalam took oath as president two days prior to Kant's death.[1] He remains the only Indian vice president to have died in office.
Early life
Kant was born on 28 February 1927[4] in Kot Mohammad Khan, Amritsar district, Punjab province[2] to independence activists, Lala Achint Ram and Satyavati Devi.[5] Both of Kant's parents were imprisoned by the British colonial government on various occasions for their involvement in independence activism, including alongside Kant (aged 16) and his siblings in 1942.[6] Post-independence, Lala Achint Ram was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and represented Hisar and Patiala in the Lok Sabha. Satyavati Devi outlived her son and died in 2010 as India's oldest surviving independence activist.[6]
Kant studied chemical engineering[1] at Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University.[2] He later worked as a scientist with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.[2]
Kant was married to Suman Kant, a social worker and an activist.[2][7][8] The couple had two sons and a daughter.[7]
Political career
Kant had been jailed during the
After the independence of India, Kant joined joined the ruling Congress party, where formed a group focused on promoting science,[1] and was a member of the All India Congress Committee.[2] He was also involved in the Bhoodan movement in Punjab.[2]
In 1966, Kant was elected to the
He subsequently joined the
Krishan Kant was the founding general secretary of the People's Union for Civil Liberties in 1976.[4][11] He also was a member of the executive council of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis.[4]
He with
In 1990, Kant was appointed
Vice president
In 1997, Kant was jointly selected as the candidate for the
During the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, the terrorists crashed their vehicle into Kant's car before commencing the attack. Kant himself was unhurt during the attack.[14]
He was considered as a potential presidential candidate prior to the 2002 election.[1] However, the government and the opposition jointly nominated aerospace scientist A. P. J. Abdul Kalam instead.[3] Kalam was eventually elected and took oath of office two days prior to Kant's death.[1]
Death
On 27 July 2002, Kant was admitted to
Prime minister Vajpayee noted Kant's contribution to the independence movement and his opposition to the Emergency and termed his death the "end of an era".[18] He further declared three days of national mourning. Pakistani president Musharraf sent a letter of condolence to Indian president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.[18]
Kant was
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren along with his mother, Satyavati Devi, who outlived him by eight years.[1][2][19]
Two weeks after Kant's death, an
A park in Hyderabad was named after Kant to commemorate his tenure as governor of Andhra Pradesh.[20]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Inder Malhotra (29 July 2002). "Obituary: Krishan Kant, India's vice-president, who was determined to reform the nation's electoral laws and block political cupidity". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Purnima S. Tripathi (3 August 2002). "Obituary: A democrat and a radical". Frontline. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Congress for Kalam, Left still for contest". The Hindu. 14 June 2002. Archived from the original on 22 September 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Former Vice President: Sh. Krishan Kant". Vice President of India. National Informatics Centre. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023.
- Rediff. 2 August 1997. Archived from the originalon 3 October 2023.
- ^ a b c "India's oldest freedom fighter dies at 105". Times of India. 27 October 2010. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d Amy Waldman (28 July 2002). "Krishan Kant, 75, Vice President Of India and Advocate of Rights". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018.
- ^ "India's vice president fought against British rule". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 29 July 2002. p. 24. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "General Election of India 1977, 6th Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "General Election of India 1980, 7th Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 246. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ a b M. A. Mannan (28 February 1993). "Krishan Kant: A socialist-Gandhian baked in the original mould". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023.
- ISBN 9788125015512
- ^ Namita Bhandare (11 August 1997). "Andhra Pradesh Governor Krishan Kant's election as next vice-president becomes certain". India Today. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023.
- ^ "How 2001 Parliament attack unfolded and what followed". Deccan Herald. 13 December 2019. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023.
- ^ "Vice-President Krishan Kant dies of massive heart attack". The Economic Times. 27 July 2002. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
- ^ "Indian VP Krishan Kant dies of heart attack". Tampa Bay Times. 3 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020.
- Rediff News. Archived from the originalon 23 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Krishan Kant dies in office". The Telegraph. 27 July 2002. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
- ^ a b c "July 29, 2002, Photos". The Tribune. 29 July 2002. Archived from the original on 8 March 2005.
- ^ "Parks of the Hyderabad: Krishna Kanth Park". 12 January 2016.
External links
- Profile (archived) on Embassy of India in Washingtonwebsite