By Ranjan Kumar Amritnidhi
Freelance Journalist, Delhi

Today is He was just like Bhishm Pitamah of Indian Politics. He was born in a Hindu Kayastha family on Ocober 11, 1902 at Sitabdiara village in Saran district of Bihar.He was an freedom fighter and political leader. He is remembered for for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Sampurna Kranti (Total Revolution).

His father Harsudayal was a junior official in the canal department of the State government.His nickname was ‘Baul’
in childhood.

He was a brilliant student of Primary School Sitabdiara,
Collegiate School,Patna,Patna College, Patna University, Patna , University of California, Berkeley, University of Iowa,University of Wisconsin-Madison and Ohio State University,USA.

In October, 1920 Jayaprakash was married to Prabhavati Devi .

He joined “Bihar Vidyapeeth founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad for motivating young meritorious youths.

After returning to India, Narayan joined the Indian National Congress on the invitation of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1929; M.K. Gandhi became his mentor in the Congress. During the Indian independence movement he was arrested, jailed, and tortured several times by the British. He won particular fame during
the Quit India movement. After being jailed in 1932 for civil disobedience against British rule, Narayan was imprisoned in
Nasik Jail, where he met Ram Manohar Lohia, Minoo Masani, and other national leaders.

Naraian was kept as detenu at Chandigarh even after he had
asked for a month’s parole for mobilising relief in areas of
Bihar gravely affected by flood.

His health suddenly deteriorated on October 24, and he was released on November 12; diagnosis at Jaslok Hospital, Bombay, revealed kidney failure; he would be on dialysis for the rest
of his life. He was a victim of political conspiracy, which
Damaged his Kedneys in the Jails. Ex Union Health Minister Padmashri Dr CP Thakur was his personal doctor.

After Indira revoked the emergency on January 18, 1977 and announced elections, it was under JP’s guidance that the Janata Party was formed. The Janata Party was voted into power, and became the first non-Congress party to form a government at the Centre. He died in October 1979.

In 1998, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna. Other awards include the Magsaysay award for Public Service in 1965

Let’s celebrate his Birthday to pay a floral tribute to the Brave son of Mother India. He is Pride of India and the Global Kayastha Family.