New Delhi, Dec 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee Chaudhary Charan Singh on his birth anniversary, asserting that a grateful nation can never forget his immense contribution to nation-building, especially in agriculture, rural development and social justice.
Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister shared a video message recalling the legacy of the former Prime Minister. “Respectful tributes to former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh on his birth anniversary. He dedicated his life to the welfare of the underprivileged sections of society, as well as to the progress of agriculture and the prosperity of farmers. A grateful nation can never forget his contribution to nation-building,” PM Modi wrote.
In his message, the Prime Minister highlighted Charan Singh’s lifelong commitment to farmers, particularly small and marginal cultivators. He said the former Prime Minister worked tirelessly to bring farmers’ issues to the centre of national policymaking and played a crucial role in strengthening rural India and empowering the agricultural community.
PM Modi said the present government continues to draw inspiration from Chaudhary Charan Singh’s ideals and vision. He noted that several initiatives taken by the current dispensation to promote small-scale farming and empower farmers are rooted in the principles laid down by Charan Singh. Emphasising inclusive growth, the Prime Minister said that strengthening agriculture remains central to building a strong and self-reliant India.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha also paid tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh on the occasion. In a post on X, he said the former Prime Minister was a great farmer leader who devoted his entire life to the empowerment of farmers, rural India and social justice. He added that Charan Singh’s visionary contributions to agricultural reforms and public welfare would continue to inspire the nation.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta also remembered the former Prime Minister and extended greetings on Kisan Diwas, observed on December 23 to mark Charan Singh’s birth anniversary. He said Charan Singh dedicated his life to the upliftment of villages, the poor and deprived sections, and the welfare of farmers, extending greetings to the people of Ladakh and farmers on the occasion.
Chaudhary Charan Singh was born in 1902 at Noorpur in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh in a middle-class peasant family. His rural upbringing shaped his deep understanding of farmers’ issues. He completed his graduation in science in 1923 and earned a postgraduate degree from Agra University in 1925. Trained as a lawyer, he began his practice in Ghaziabad before moving to Meerut in 1929, where he entered public life by joining the Indian National Congress.
He was first elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1937 from the Chhaprauli constituency and was re-elected in 1946, 1952, 1962 and 1967. In 1946, he served as Parliamentary Secretary in the government led by Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, handling key departments including Revenue, Medical and Public Health, Justice and Information.
In June 1951, Charan Singh was inducted as a Cabinet Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government and was assigned the Justice and Information portfolios. In 1954, he became Minister for Revenue and Agriculture in the Cabinet of Dr Sampurnanand. By the time he resigned in April 1959, he was handling the Departments of Revenue and Transport. (Agencies)
