Lal Bahadur Shastri who is also referred to as the Man of Peace served as the second Prime Minister of India from 1964 to 1966. Lal Bahadur Shastri death anniversary is celebrated on 11 January to mark the day 11 January 1966 when he died in Tashkent, Uzbekistan which was then known as the Soviet Union. He passed away after signing the Peace Treaty with Pakistan to end the India-Pakistan war. This year Indians will celebrate the 58th death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Stay tuned and keep reading to know more about the visionary leader Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji!
Also Read: Lal Bahadur Shashtri Jayanti
For How Long was Lal Bahadur Shastri the Prime Minister of India?
After the demise of the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 27 May 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the second Prime Minister of India from 1964 to 1966. He devoted his life to the nation. Lal Bahadur Shastri signed the Peace Treaty, also known as the Tashkent Declaration, on 10 January 1966.
The treaty was signed between Shastri Ji and the then-President of Pakistan Mohammad Ayub Khan. The motive behind the Tashkent Agreement was to end the war between India and Pakistan that took place from August 1965 to September 1965. And just a day after signing the agreement he died.
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What was the Reason Behind Lal Bahadur Shastri Death?
After the sudden demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri, his wife Lalita Shastri alleged that Shastri Ji was poisoned. Her story about the death of the Man of Peace is also written in a book in Hindi Titled Lalita Ke Aansoo. There was no solid reason behind the death of Lal Shastri, some suggest that he died due to a heart attack.
Lal Bahadur Shastri Death Mystery Committee
The Raj Narain committee was constituted in 1977 by the Central Information Commission. It has directed the PM’s office and the ministries of external affairs and home to investigate the mysterious death of the second Prime Minister of India in 1966.
Raj Narain Committee was reportedly constituted by the Bhartiya Janata Party government. There is no concrete evidence behind the sudden death of Shastri Ji but, the Indian government’s official stance is that Shastri died of a heart attack.
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5 Achievements of Lal Bahadur Shastri
Here are the 5 Achievements of Lal Bahadur Shastri:
- He led India to victory in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War by signing the Peace treaty with Pakistan. His slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” (“Hail to the soldier, Hail to the farmer”) became a rallying cry for the Indian people.
- He promoted the Green Revolution that significantly provided a tremendous boost to India’s food production.
- He also launched the White Revolution, which led to a dramatic increase in India’s milk production.
- He established the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and supported the Amul Milk Corporation, which led to the success of the White Revolution. NDDS is still one of the biggest organizations that continues to improve the condition of the dairy industry in India.
- While serving the country as Home Minister, he introduced the first committee on the Prevention of Corruption.
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Top Quotes by Lal Bahadur Shastri
“The basic idea of governance, as I see it, is to hold the society together so that it can develop and march towards certain goals.”
-Lal Bahadur Shastri
“The preservation of freedom is not the task of soldiers alone. The whole nation has to be strong.”
-Lal Bahadur Shastri
“We believe in peace and peaceful development, not only for ourselves but for people all over the world.”
-Lal Bahadur Shastri
“We must fight for peace bravely as we fought in war.”
-Lal Bahadur Shastri
“I am not as simple as I look.”
-Lal Bahadur Shastri
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Relevant Blogs
World Hindi Day | Quotes on National Unity Day |
National Screenwriter’s Day | World Day of War Orphans |
Jawaharlal Nehru: Secular Architect of India | Armed Forces Day |
FAQs
India celebrates the death anniversary of the second PM of India on 11 January 1966. The entire nation pays homage to the Man of Peace on this day for his sacrifice and contributions.
He died on 11 January 1966, just after signing the Peace treaty with the then President of Pakistan to end the Indo-Pakistan war. A heart attack was announced as the official reason for his death but several conspiracies around his death have not proved to date.
The birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri is celebrated on 2 October. It is celebrated as Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti. This day is also celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti and is a National holiday in India.
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