Present a life sketch and contributions of any one of

the following Presidents of India:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Introduction:
.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of independent India. His
contribution to the nation runs much deeper. He was one of the prominent
leaders of the Indian Nationalist Movement alongside Jawaharlal Nehru,
Vallabhbhai Patel and Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was one of those passionate
individuals who gave up a lucrative profession to pursue a greater goal of
attaining freedom for the Motherland. He took up the helms of designing the
Constitution of the nascent nation by heading up the Constituent Assembly
post-independence. To say it succinctly, Dr. Prasad was one of the chief
architects in shaping the Republic of India .

Life Sketch

Born: December 3, 1884

Place of Birth: Ziradei village, Siwan district, Bihar
Parents: Mahadev Sahay (Father) and Kamleshwari Devi (Mother)
Wife: Rajvanshi Devi
Children: Mrityunjay Prasad
Education: Chhapra Zilla School, Chhapra; Presidency College, Calcutta
 Early Life and Education
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was born into a big joint family in Ziradei village of Siwan
district near Chhapra of Bihar. His father, Mahadev Sahay was a scholar of
Persian and Sanskrit language while his mother Kamleshwari Devi was a
religious lady.
From an age of five, young Rajendra Prasad was placed under the tutelage of
a Maulvi to learn Persian, Hindi and Mathematics. Later he was transferred to
the Chhapra Zilla School and went on to study at R.K. Ghosh's Academy in
Patna along with elder brother Mahendra Prasad. At the age of 12, Rajendra
Prasad was married to Rajavanshi Devi. The couple had one son, Mrityunjay.
A brilliant student, Rajendra Prasad stood first in the entrance
examination to study at the University of Calcutta. He was awarded a
scholarship of Rs.30 per month and he joined the Presidency College in 1902.
He was initially a student of science and his teachers included J.C. Bose and
Prafulla Chandra Roy. Later he decided to switch his focus to arts stream. Prasad
lived with his brother in the Eden Hindu Hostel. A plaque still commemorates
his stay in that room. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was instrumental in the formation of
the Bihari Students' Conference in 1908. It was the first organization of its kind
in the whole of India. The move produced the entire political leadership of the
nineteen twenties in Bihar. In 1907, Rajendra Prasad passed with a Gold medal
in the Master’s degree in Economics from University of Calcutta
Career
Post his post-graduation, he joined as a Professor of English at the Langat
Singh College of Muzaffarpur, Bihar and later became its Principal. He left the
job in 1909 and came to Calcutta to pursue a degree in Law. While studying
Law at the University of Calcutta, he taught Economics at the Calcutta City
College. He completed his Masters in Law during 1915. He then went on to
pursue a Doctorate degree in Law from the Allahabad University.
He started his law practice at the Calcutta High Court in 1911. In 1916, Rajendra
Prasad joined the Patna High Court after its establishment. He continued his law
practice in Bhagalpur (Bihar) while continuing his advanced academic degrees.
Dr. Prasad eventually emerged as a popular and eminent figure of the entire
region. Such was his intellect and his integrity, that often when his adversary
failed to cite a precedent, the judges asked Rajendra Prasad to cite a precedent
against them.
CONTRIBUTIONS

Role in the Nationalist Movement

Dr. Prasad entered the political arena in a quiet, light-footed manner. He
attended as a volunteer in the 1906 Calcutta session of the Indian National
Congress and formally joined the party in 1911. He was subsequently elected
to the AICC.
In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi visited Champaran to support the cause of the
peasants’ revolting against the forceful cultivation of Indigo by the British
authorities. Gandhi invited Dr. Prasad to the area to undertake a fact-finding
mission regarding the claims of both the peasants and the British. Although
skeptical initially, Dr. Prasad was mightily impressed by Gandhi’s demeanor,
 dedication and philosophy. Gandhi undertook the ‘Champaran Satyagraha’
and Dr. Prasad offered his whole-hearted support to the cause

In 1920, when Gandhi announced the commencement of the Non-cooperation

movement, Dr. Prasad gave up his lucrative law practice and dedicated himself
to the cause of freedom. He led the programs of non-cooperation in Bihar. He
toured the state, holding public meetings and making heartfelt speeches for the
support of movement. He undertook collection of funds to enable the
continuation of the movement. He urged people to boycott Government schools,
colleges and offices. As a gesture of support to Gandhi’s call to boycott
attending British sponsored educational institutions, Dr. Prasad asked his son
Mrityunjay Prasad to leave the University and join Bihar Vidyapeeth. He started
the National College in Patna in 1921. He upheld the ideas of Swadeshi, asking
people to boycott foreign goods, peruse the spinning wheel and wear only khadi
garments.
Nationalist India expressed its admiration by electing Rajendra Prasad as the
President of the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress in October
1934. He was elected President for a second time in 1939 when Subhash
Chandra Bose resigned from the post. His third stint as the President of All India
Congress Party was in 1947 when J. B. Kripalani resigned from the post.
He became very much involved in the Quit India movement launched by Gandhi
in 1942. He led protests and demonstrations in Bihar (Patna in particular). The
nationwide uproar demanding independence instigated the British Government
to undertake mass arrest of all influential Congress leaders. Dr. Prasad was
arrested from Sadaqat Ashram, Patna and was sent to Bankipur Central Jail
where he spent 3 years imprisonment. He was released on 15 June 1945.
Like many of his contemporaries, the political consciousness of Dr. Rajendra
Prasad was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. He was deeply impressed
by how Gandhi took up the cause of people and gave them his all. His
interactions with the Mahatma led him to alter his views on untouchability.
Following his example, Dr. Prasad embraced an austere and simplified life. He
readily gave up on luxuries like servants and riches. He renounced his pride and
ego, even started performing household chores like sweeping, washing and
cooking
As President of Independent India
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was selected as the Food and Agriculture Minister in the
interim Government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946. Soon he was elected
President of the Constituent Assembly on December 11, the same year. He
presided over the Constituent Assembly from 1946 till 1949 and helped frame
the Constitution of India. On January 26, 1950, the Republic of India came into
existence and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected to be the first ever President of
the country. Unfortunately, on the night of 25 January 1950, a day before the
Republic Day of India, his sister Bhagwati Devi passed away. He set about the
cremation but only after his return from the parade ground.
As President of India, he duly acted as per the Constitution, independent of any
political party. He travelled the world extensively as an ambassador of India,
building diplomatic rapport with foreign nations. He was re-elected for 2
consecutive terms in 1952 and 1957, and remains only President of India to
achieve this feat.
The Humanitarian
Dr. Prasad was always ready to help people who were in distress. He
volunteered his services for the relief work during the great flood that affected
Bengal and Bihar in 1914. He distributed food and clothes to the victims
himself. When the earthquake of Bihar occurred on January 15, 1934, Rajendra
Prasad was in jail. He was released two days later. He set himself for the task of
raising funds and set up the Bihar Central Relief Committee on January 17.
He oversaw collection of relief funds and collected over Rs 38 Lakhs. During
the Quetta earthquake in 1935, he set up the Quetta Central Relief Committee
in Punjab, although he was prevented by the British to leave the country.