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Karpoori Thakur (24 January 1924 – 17 February 1988) was an Indian politician who served as Chief Minister of Bihar twice. First, from December 1970 to June 1971, and then from June 1977 to April 1979. On January 26, 2024, the Government of India will posthumously honor him with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. The announcement was made by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, on January 23, 2024, just before Republic Day.
| Name | Karpoori Thakur |
| Profession | Political |
| Birthdate | January 24, 1924 |
| Death date | February 17, 1988 at the age of 64. |
| place of birth | Pitaunjhia, a village in the Samastipur district of Bihar |
| Family | Mother: Ramdulari Devi Father: Gokul Thakur |
| Wife | Phulmani Devi |
| Children | Ram Nath Thakur (politician) Manorama Sharma Pushpa Kumari Devi Sushila Devi |
| Breed | Nai (barber) |
| Politic party | Socialist Party (1952-1973) Bharatiya Kranti Dal (1973-1977) Janata Party (1977-1979) |
| Awards | Bharat Ratna on January 26, 2024 |
Biography
Karpoori Thakur was born on 24 January 1924 in Pitaunjhia village (now Karpuri Gram) in Samastipur district of Bihar, son of Gokul Thakur and Ramdulari Devi. He belonged to the Nai (barbers) community.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Satyanarayan Sinha, he joined the All India Students’ Federation and even participated in the Quit India Movement as a student activist, spending 26 months in prison for his role in the Indian independence movement.
After independence, Thakur worked as a teacher and later became a member of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha in 1952. He was known for leading movements, such as the general strike by P&T employees in 1960 and a 28-day fast to death in 1970. .for telecommunications workers.
Thakur, as education minister, removed English as a compulsory enrollment subject and laid emphasis on Hindi. He served as minister, deputy chief minister and first socialist chief minister of Bihar outside the Congress in 1970, enforcing complete prohibition of alcohol.
Thakur’s political career involved close associations with leaders such as Jaya Prakash Narayan and active participation in the “Total Revolution” movement during the Indian Emergency (1975-1977).
In 1977, the Janata Party won elections to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, making Thakur Chief Minister for the second time. However, internal party conflicts over reservations for backward castes led to his resignation in 1979.
Thakur remained active in politics, siding with the Charan Singh faction after the Janata Party split in 1979. He continued to serve in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha, introducing a 26% reservation model for the backward classes in government jobs in 1978.
Thakur, known as the champion of the poor, mentored prominent Bihari leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Devendra Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar until his demise.
Legacy
- After Karpoori Thakur’s death in 1988, his birthplace, Pitaunjhia, was renamed Karpuri Gram after him.
- The Jan Nayak Karpuri Thakur Vidhi Mahavidyalaya (Law College) in Buxar and the Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Medical College in Madhepura were named after the Bihar government. The Post Office Department issued a commemorative stamp in his memory.
- Also, the Jan Nayak Express train, which runs between Darbhanga and Amritsar, was named after the Indian Railway.
- The government has taken several commemorative measures, including naming several stadiums after Jan Nayak Karpuri Thakur in the state. Numerous universities and statues in most districts, Karpuri Thakur Museum and Jan Nayak Karpuri Thakur Hospitals in Samastipur and Darbhanga were established in his memory.
- The government also published Karpuri Thakur’s speeches in legislative and documentary format to preserve his legacy.
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Categories: Biography
Source: vtt.edu.vn