About:
- Rajendra Prasad was born in Bihar in 1884.
- His father was a scholar of Persian and Sanskrit language.
- A brilliant student, Rajendra Prasad stood first in the entrance examination to study at the University of Calcutta.
- He passed away in 1963.
Career:
- After his post-graduation, he joined as a Professor of English at the Langat Singh College of Muzaffarpur, Bihar and later became its Principal.
- He started his law practice at the Calcutta High Court in 1911.
- He joined Patna High Court in 1916, after its establishment.
- He eventually emerged as a popular and eminent figure of the entire region.
Role in Nationalist Movement:
- He attended as a volunteer in the 1906 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress and formally joined the party in 1911.
- In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi undertook the ‘Champaran Satyagraha’ and Dr. Prasad offered his whole-hearted support to the cause.
- During the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, Dr Rajendra Prasad gave up his lucrative law practice and dedicated himself to the cause of freedom.
- He started the National College in Patna in 1921.
- He was elected as the President of the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress in October 1934.
- He was elected to the post again in 1939 and 1947.
- He became very much involved in the Quit India Movementlaunched by Gandhi in 1942.
- 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.
Work in Independent India:
- On January 26, 1950, the Republic of India came into existence and Rajendra Prasad was elected to be the first ever President of the country.
- 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.
- In 1962, he was awarded the “Bharat Ratna”, India’s highest civilian award.
