Essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri: The second prime minister of India and Bharat Ratna awardee was born on 2nd October 1904 in Uttar Pradesh. He was a man of virtues, adventures, selfless love, and extraordinarily soft-spoken. He actively participated in the freedom struggle movement. He is famous for his slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.” Shastriji was against the Dowry system, unemployment, and poverty. He led the stepping stone for the ‘Green Revolution.’ He passed away in 1966 suddenly due to a heart attack.
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Essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri
Below we have provided Lal Bahadur Shastri Essay in English, suitable for classes 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10. This detailed essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri of 200-250 words is greatly helpful for all school students to perform well in essay writing competitions.
The most honest and sincere leader, the one who was affectionately called ‘Nanhe’ and the one who believed in the slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” is none other than Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was a prominent leader our nation has ever known.
Early Life of Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2nd October 1904 at Mughalsarai in Varanasi district to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. He belonged to an agriculturist family where his parents were poor but honest and dedicated. His father was a school teacher who did no earn much and died when Lal Bahadur was one year old.
His mother was devastated because now she was left alone with Bahadur and his two sisters, but luckily her father Hazari Lal took them under his wing, and he brought them up. He took good care of children and provided warmth and affection to them. He grew fond of Bahadur eventually and named him ‘Nanhe.’ Bahadur always wore dhoti. Since childhood, he was a good student and had a sense of responsibility. He was aware of his financial status and, therefore, never demanded anything.
Education and Marriage
Lal Bahadur Shastri studied in a local school in Mughalsarai until the sixth standard. After this, he moved to Varanasi along with his family and enrolled in Harish Chandra High School, and finished his schooling. He received the title of ‘Shastri’ when he completed his graduation from Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, in 1926.
Courage and self-respect were his two crucial virtue. He got married to Lalita Devi, who was from Mirzapur, on 16th May 1928. They lived in Allahabad for many years and later moved to New Delhi. They had four sons and two daughters named Kusum, Hari, Krishna, Anil, Suman, Sunil, and Ashok.
Adhere to Gandhi’s Principles
Shastriji shared more than a common date of birth with Mahatma Gandhi. He was drawn towards the freedom struggle since his childhood. He admired Gandhiji’s simplicity, leadership, and bravery. In 1921, when he was in 10th standard, he attended a public meeting in Banaras hosted by Gandhiji and Madan Mohan Malviyaji.
He was so inspired and moved by his speech that he left his school and heeded Bapu’s call to join the freedom struggle and became an active member of the congress by attending anti-government demonstrations and picketing. Later he worked for the betterment of Harijans under Gandhiji’s tutelage.
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s Contribution in Freedom Movement
Lal Bahadur Shastri was a stalwart who opposed the British at every step. He considered prison his second home and fought fearlessly. He gave up his family over freedom. His daughter’s death, son’s illness, and poverty, nothing made him deviate from his chosen path. He actively participated in ‘Salt Satyagraha,’ started by Gandhiji, and took a leading role. He carried activities like informing the masses not to pay land revenue and taxes. He was jailed several times, but he did not care and kept marching ahead with zeal and enthusiasm for getting Independence.
He was determined and adamant to free India of foreign tyranny. While in prison, he utilized his time pursuing his literary interests and even translated Madame Curie’s biography in Hindi. Apart from this, he also studied books of various other revolutionaries, reformers, and foreign thinkers. In 1947, finally, all the hard work of freedom fighters paid off, and India got Independence. Lal Bahadur Shastri was made the Transport and Home Minister. Govind Vallabh Pant was appointed the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
In his speech, he praised Shastriji by saying that he did not witness a more likable, hardworking, reliable, and trustworthy man. As a transport minister, he brought discipline to public transport mobility, and he was the first person to appoint women conductors. Later he was appointed as the Railway and Transport Minister. When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru passed away, Lal Bahadur Shastri became Prime Minister. Despite being in an important position, he led a simple life and called himself an ordinary man and not a bright man. He never misused the power his position accorded him and followed simplicity.
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