LAL BAHADUR SHASHTRI (Syllabus: GS Paper 1–History)

Context: Prime Minister of India recently paid his respects to Lal Bahadur Shashtri on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Lal Bahadur Shashtri

• Born: On October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai, United Provinces (modern-day Uttar Pradesh).
• Early life: He was only sixteen when he left his schooling to join the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was awarded with the bachelor’s degree from the Kashi Vidya Peeth in Varanasi.
• Death: 11 January 1966.
• Tenure as PM: He was the Prime Minister of India for nearly eighteen months from 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966.

oDuring his short tenure he was ineffectual in dealing with the economic crisis and food shortage in the nation.

• Famous Slogan: Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.
• Two Major Challenges: Post-war economic recovery from the 1962 conflict with China.
• 1965: Pakistan war: He created the slogan of "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer"), underlining the need to boost India's food production. 
• Apart from emphasizing the Green Revolution, he was instrumental in promoting the White Revolution.
• Bharat Ratna: He was posthumously (first) awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966.