Rajendra Prasad

Rajendra Prasad was a prominent Indian leader who served as the first President of India.

He held this position from 1950 to 1962. During his time in office, he served two full terms. This makes him the only president in Indian history to achieve this. He was a man of many roles, including lawyer, teacher, journalist, and scholar. His leadership helped establish the foundations of the new Indian republic. He was deeply involved in the movement for India's independence from British rule.

Prasad's early life was marked by academic excellence and a strong sense of duty. He was born on December 3, 1884, in Ziradei, within the Bengal Presidency. His father, Mahadev Sahai, was a scholar of Sanskrit and Persian. Prasad attended the University of Calcutta, where he was a highly successful student. He earned a scholarship of 30 rupees per month due to his high marks. He graduated with a first division in arts and later earned an M.A. in Economics.

He also earned a gold medal in law and a Doctorate in Law from Allahabad University.

Before becoming a full-time politician, Prasad worked in education and law. He served as a professor of English at Langat Singh College in Bihar. He eventually became the principal of that college. Later, he studied law at Ripon College in Calcutta. He practiced law in the High Court of Bihar and Odisha. He also practiced in the silk town of Bhagalpur. His intellectual abilities were so high that one examiner noted he was better than the examiner. This strong academic background helped him in his later political and legal roles.

Prasad's commitment to the Indian independence movement changed his life path. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1911. In 1916, he met Mahatma Gandhi during the Lucknow Session. Gandhi's dedication inspired Prasad to leave his successful legal career. He wanted to support the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Prasad even encouraged his son to study at Bihar Vidyapeeth, a traditional Indian institution. He also helped found the Bihari Students Conference in 1906 to organize young leaders.

During the struggle for freedom, Prasad faced significant hardships and responsibilities. He was imprisoned by British authorities during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930. He was also arrested during the Quit India movement in 1942. He spent nearly three years in Bankipur Central Jail before his release in 1945. Beyond politics, he worked to help people during natural disasters. He helped raise funds after floods in Bihar and Bengal. He also led relief work after the 1934 earthquake in Bihar.

As India moved toward becoming a republic, Prasad took on vital roles. He was elected President of the Constituent Assembly in 1946. This assembly was responsible for preparing the Constitution of India. He also served as the first Minister of Food and Agriculture from 1947 to 1948. When India became a republic on January 24, 1950, he was elected its first president.

As president, he set a tradition of non-partisanship. This meant he remained independent from political party politics. He stayed in office for about 12 years, the longest term for any Indian president.

During his presidency, Prasad acted as a global ambassador for India. He led five major state visits between 1958 and 1960. These trips included visits to Japan, Ceylon, the USSR, Indo-China, Malaya, and Indonesia.

He also worked to make the government more accessible to the people. For example, he opened the Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the public. This made the gardens a major attraction in Delhi. He also encouraged the growth of education throughout the country.

After retiring in 1962, Prasad returned to his roots in Bihar. He lived on the campus of Bihar Vidyapeeth in Patna. He was later honored with the Bharat Ratna, which is India's highest civilian award.

This award recognized his immense service to the nation. He passed away on February 28, 1963, at the age of 78. His legacy continues through the guidelines for parliamentarians that he established. These rules are still followed in the Indian government today.