The second Prime Minister of Independent India Lal Bahadur Shastri was an Indian politician and a true leader who had earned huge respect for his work for India’s development.
Here is the story of India’s true leader Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Shastri Ji was a man with a clear vision and worked hard to bring India on the foot front of the world. He was the son of Sharada Prasad Srivastava and Ramdulari Devi and was born on 2 October 1904 in Mughalsarai. He studied in East Central Railway Inter college and Harish Chandra High School and worked for the betterment of the Harijans at Muzaffarpur.
Lal Bahadur Shastri got the title ‘Shastri’ in Kashi Vidyapeeth university in 1926 as a mark of scholarly success. In fact, it was a degree. The title ‘Shastri’ refers to a ‘scholar’ or a person, adept in the holy scriptures.
His childhood was full of struggles. When Shastri ji was in School, he used to swim across the Ganges twice a day with his book tied on top of his head since he didn’t have enough money to take the boat.
You will be perplexed to know that Shastri ji never told his mother that he was a Railway Minister, rather he told his mother that he was a railway worker. During this time, a railway program was held in Mughalsarai where his mother reached in search of Shastri.
She said that my son also came, he is also on the railway. People asked her about her son’s name. When she told them his name, everyone was shocked, “She is lying”, people assumed. But she said , “No he has come”
People then took her in front of Lal Bahadur Shastri and asked, “Is that your son?”
The mother said, “Yes he is my son.”
People asked the minister, “Is she your mother?”
Shastri ji was surprised to see his mother, he sat with her mother and after some time he sent her home. Shastri ji was asked by journalists, “Why didn’t you give a speech in front of your mother?”
Shastri ji said, “My mother does not know that I am a minister.” If she comes to know, she will start recommending people and I will not be able to refuse and she will also have arrogance. Everyone was shocked to hear the answer.
It is said that he had a Chevrolet Impala car for official use, which his son once used for a drive. When Shastri got to know about it, he asked his driver to check the distance the car was used for. When the driver said 14 km, he advised him to note it ‘for private use’ and then asked amma to give his personal secretary the amount applicable to be deposited in the government account.”
Did you know?
He was the first person to be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna.
He introduced the slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”.
As Transport Minister, he introduced a provision for women drivers and conductors in public transport.
As Home Minister, he introduced the committee on Prevention of Corruption.
He signed the Tashkent Declaration on January 10, 1966 with Pakistan’s President, Muhammad Ayub Khan, to end the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War.
