Essays

It has been rightly said that success is to be measured not by the heights achieved but by the difficulties surmounted. And Lal Bahadur Shastri is one of those who had been facing and surmounting difficulties galore right from his childhood. He was hardly two years old when he lost his father.

His birthday coincides with that of  Mahatma Gandhi - for both of them were born on 2nd October. Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in 1904 in Mughal Sarai town in Uttar Pradesh. His father Sharda Prasad was a man of very limited means.

After his father's death, his mother left for her parent's house. After receiving primary education at Mughal Sarai, he went to his uncle at Varanasi and joined Harish Chander High School. As a student he was very hard working, honest and brilliant. He was imbued with patriotic feelings right from his childhood. Physically he was short-statured and slim and lean, but he was not at all lacking in inner strength. He had firm determination and resolute will. Humility was his special characteristic to be matched equally with his self confidence.

Those were the days when Mahatma Gandhi had risen on the Indian political firmament and national movement was picking up momentum. Gandhiji Bunched his Non-cooperation Movement n 1921. People from all sections of society responded to Gandhiji's call and | participated in the movement. Students |kwere no less active than others. Lal Bahadur Shastri was also drawn to the pnovement. Not caring for his examination (which was only a month away, he plunged Into the movement. He participated' in the anti-Government procession and was arrested. But he was let away in view of his tender age and shortstature.

Thereafter he joined Kashi Vidya Peeth at Varanasi, which was situated at more Than ten kilo meters away from his home, which distance he covered on foot daily, Despite difficulties he passed his examinations in the first division.

After finishing his education, he was drawn towards social service. As a social worker, he tried to rid society of the evils of untouchability - a practice which Gandhi considered a sin against God and humanity. Soon Lal Bahadur Shastri became popular for his hard work, honesty and dedication. In the meantime he was married to Lalita Devi at the age of 24 years. It was almost a dowry less marriage.

He was bound to come into conflict with the Government due to his participation in the freedom movement. He offered Satyagraha and was sentenced to imprisonment at different times. In all he had to spend almost eight long years in internment. During this period he faced many hardships and deprivations. But he was a staunch Satyagrahi having unshakable faith in non-violence as propounded by Gandhiji. He observed his daily routine of prayers and physical exercises  regularly  during his imprisonment.

He utilized the forced leisure during his imprisonment for studying different authors like Kant, Hegel, Laski, Russel, Marx and Lenin etc. He devoted some time to writing also. He translated Marie Curie's life history and also wrote about Quit India Movement. In fact, he was highly impressed by self-less service rendered by Marie Curie. Like Jawahar Lal Nehru, he put to maximum use the time of his imprisonment. Jawaharlal Nehru and Purshottam Das Tandon, besides Gandhiji, impressed him the most.

He was given different responsibilities such as General Secretary of the Congress, Union Home Minister and later on as Prime Minister. He shouldered them all with great success.

Before assuming ministerial position in the cabinet, he was minister in charge of Police in 'Uttar Pradesh. He made a lot of improvement in his departments and won popular acclaim. In 1962, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru invited him to join Union Cabinet as Railway Minister. During his minister ship, a railway accident occured at Mehboob Nagar in Hyderabad due to the carelessness of a junior employee. Shastriji took the entire responsibility on himself and submitted his resignation, which he didn't take back despite persuasion by Pt. Nehru. Thus he established the highest democratic tradition.

As prime minister he had to face a multitude of problems. In fact, he assumed the office of Prime Minister immediately after the death of Jawahar Lal Nehru. Pakistan adopted a hostile attitude towards India which resulted in  a full-Hedged Indo-Pak War in 1965. The country was already facing drought condition. Many state governments were pressurizing the Union Government for help. Such a situation was bed of thorns for help. Such a situation was bed of thorns for the new Prime Minister.

During Indo-Pak war, Lal Bahadur Shastri showed .rare quality of courage and determination. He also demonstrated that he possessed remarkable qualities of leadership. His speeches during the war inspired the people of India.

They were galvanised. He gave a slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kissan". The slogan instilled in the forces a triumphant spirit. Indian Jawan did show his mettle in the war and the enemy had to suffer heavy losses and was forced to come to the negotiation-table.

Russian Government offered good offices and Tashkant Agreement was signed by both the countries - India and Pakistan. Immediately after the declaration he succumbed to a massive heart attack. He died on 11th Jan, 1966. The tragic news of his death at Tashkant spread-like a wild fire. Now Vijayghat stands memorial to this heroic man.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was truly a great ' man who gave less importance to himself and more to institutions. For he knew that when the  individual  puts  himself above institutions both suffer as a consequence. This trait of his endeared him to the Indian people and carved for him a permanent niche in their heart.