Anugrah Narayan Sinha
Encyclopedia
Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha (Singh) (18 June 1887 – 5 July 1957), known as Bihar Vibhuti, was an India
n statesman
who was the first Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister
of the India
n state of Bihar
(1946–1957). He was also a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India
, which was elected to write the Constitution of India
and served in its first Parliament as an independent nation. He also held a range of portfolios including Labour, Local Self Government,Public Works,
Supply & Price Control,Health and Agriculture. A.N. Sinha, affectionately called "Babu Saheb",was a very close associate of Mahatma Gandhi
during the freedom struggle movement and worked with Bihar Kesari Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
to lead the Gandhian movement in Bihar
One of the leading nationalists in the Indian independence movement
from Bihar
after Dr Rajendra Prasad
,he was elected as the Congress Party deputy leader in the state assembly to assume office as first Deputy Chief Minister
cum Finance Minister
of independent Bihar
, and re-elected when the Congress Party won Bihar's first
general election with a massive mandate in 1952.
.He became the Secretary of the Bihar Students Conference founded by Rajendra Prasad
and the Chanakya Society of the Patna College.He served as a volunteer in the Patna Congress,With fever on he feverishly worked for its success.In 1915,he was appointed Professor of History at the T.N.B. college in Bhagalpur where he remained, known as an ideal professor, until 1916.He organised relief work when Bhagalpur was raved by floods.He began successfully practising law at Patna High Court.
to the nation, he left his flourishing law practice to join the Champaran Satyagraha movement.
The Champaran experiment formed a vital chapter in the development of the Gandhian method in India and he was catapulted to the national stage.He served as a teacher in "Bihar Vidyapeeth" founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad
for motivating young meritorious youths.Among his first students was young Jayprakash Narayan.In 1922 he successfully organized the Gaya Congress
.In the following year he became one of the General Secretaries of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).When Rajendra Prasad was elected Chairman of Patna Municipality,Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha was elected Vice-Chairman.As he was soon elected Chairman of the Gaya District Board,he resigned.He was the pivotal force behind the Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi,in the year 1930 which is considered an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism.His
patriotism earned him 15 months of rigorous imprisonment in 1933–34.When a massive earthquake affected Bihar on 15 January 1934,Bihar Central Relief Committee was set up on 17 January 1934,under the Presidentship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha became its Vice-President.He took the task of raising funds to help the people and the relief and rehabilitation work was organised in an elaborate and efficient manner.He was elected as a member of the Central Council in 1935 from Sahabad-cum-Patna Constituency with a massive margin.He became a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1936. In the
provincial autonomy granted by British, under the Government of India Act
of 1935, the first Congress ministry was sworn in on 20 July 1937 and he
became the Deputy Premier cum Finance Minister
of Bihar
province.He and Premier Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
disagreed with the then Governor Maurice Garnier Hallett on the issue of the release of political prisoners and both resigned.The Governor had to give in and they again resumed their offices. But they again resigned in 1939, as did all Congress governments in the country, over the question of involving India in the Second World War without the consent of the Indian people.
He was among the first freedom fighters to respond to Gandhiji's call for Satyagraha
in 1940–41.
He was arrested by the British authorities and imprisoned in the Hazaribagh Central Jail in 1942.
In 1944 he was released and devoted himself to serving the epidemic ridden people.
After independence he dedicated himself to the all round development of Bihar as Finance Minister
and as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.
. Its two eminent leaders Sri Babu (Sri Krishna Sinha) and Anugrah Babu (Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha) were nationalists of unimpeachable integrity and great public spirit. They ran an exemplary government in Bihar. Almost all the development projects needed for the state of Bihar were done by the leadership pair of Sinha and Dr A N Sinha.It included several river valley projects right from Koshi, Aghaur and Sakri to other such river projects.The first five-year plan period was given to the development in rural development works mainly mainly in the agricultural sector.
In fact, Bihar became the top state in the country's first five-year plan and it was announced by Dr A N Sinha in the assembly.The then Prime Minister of India
Jawaharlal Nehru
sent Paul H. Appleby to assess the administration in states and in his famous report,he described Bihar as the best governed state in India mostly due to the excellent leadership of Dr S K Sinha and Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha.
Since the second five year plan period,Anugrah Babu spearheaded the process of rapid industrialization of Bihar and and bought several industries for the all round development of the state.He served India's international interests.He successfully led the Indian Food and Agriculture delegation to Nepal and also the Indian delegation to the International Labour Organization
(ILO) in Canada and Switzerland.
He also actively led a number of Government and voluntary organisations in India and abroad.
, the first Chief Minister
of Bihar, he is considered one of the architects of modern Bihar
.
His younger son Satyendra Narayan Sinha
(who was affectionately called "Chhote Saheb") also became a prominent freedom fighter leader and later becameChief Minister of Bihar. His grandson Nikhil Kumar
, a former IPS,is current Governor of the Indian state of Nagaland
. Dr. Sinha served the state continuously,barring war years(Second World War 1939–1945),as the Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister
from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 till his death on 5 July 1957. The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp
in his memory.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
who was the first Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
(1946–1957). He was also a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India
Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
, which was elected to write the Constitution of India
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
and served in its first Parliament as an independent nation. He also held a range of portfolios including Labour, Local Self Government,Public Works,
Supply & Price Control,Health and Agriculture. A.N. Sinha, affectionately called "Babu Saheb",was a very close associate of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
during the freedom struggle movement and worked with Bihar Kesari Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha , known as Bihar Kesari, was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar . Along with the nationalists Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Sinha is regarded among the Architects of Modern Bihar...
to lead the Gandhian movement in Bihar
One of the leading nationalists in the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
from Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
after Dr Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
,he was elected as the Congress Party deputy leader in the state assembly to assume office as first Deputy Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
cum Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
of independent Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, and re-elected when the Congress Party won Bihar's first
general election with a massive mandate in 1952.
Early life
The qualities that gave Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha a place among the eminent nationalists of his time were moral as well as intellectual.His genuineness, intensity, abhorrence of sham trickery and imposture and his dauntless determination to arrive at facts gave his action a ring of truth.He was born to Visveshwar Dayal Singh on 18 June 1887 in a family of Poiwan village of the erstwhile Gaya district (today known as Aurangabad) of Bihar.As a lad his patriotic virtues were visible.A brilliant student from the beginning of his academic career, Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha obtained his initial education in the village school.From Junior school till graduation he topped the lists at every examination, obtaining an M.A. (History) in 1914 from the prestigious University of CalcuttaUniversity of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
.He became the Secretary of the Bihar Students Conference founded by Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
and the Chanakya Society of the Patna College.He served as a volunteer in the Patna Congress,With fever on he feverishly worked for its success.In 1915,he was appointed Professor of History at the T.N.B. college in Bhagalpur where he remained, known as an ideal professor, until 1916.He organised relief work when Bhagalpur was raved by floods.He began successfully practising law at Patna High Court.
Freedom Movement
In 1917, heeding the call of Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
to the nation, he left his flourishing law practice to join the Champaran Satyagraha movement.
The Champaran experiment formed a vital chapter in the development of the Gandhian method in India and he was catapulted to the national stage.He served as a teacher in "Bihar Vidyapeeth" founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
for motivating young meritorious youths.Among his first students was young Jayprakash Narayan.In 1922 he successfully organized the Gaya Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
.In the following year he became one of the General Secretaries of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).When Rajendra Prasad was elected Chairman of Patna Municipality,Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha was elected Vice-Chairman.As he was soon elected Chairman of the Gaya District Board,he resigned.He was the pivotal force behind the Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi,in the year 1930 which is considered an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism.His
patriotism earned him 15 months of rigorous imprisonment in 1933–34.When a massive earthquake affected Bihar on 15 January 1934,Bihar Central Relief Committee was set up on 17 January 1934,under the Presidentship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha became its Vice-President.He took the task of raising funds to help the people and the relief and rehabilitation work was organised in an elaborate and efficient manner.He was elected as a member of the Central Council in 1935 from Sahabad-cum-Patna Constituency with a massive margin.He became a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1936. In the
provincial autonomy granted by British, under the Government of India Act
Government of India Act 1935
The Government of India Act 1935 was originally passed in August 1935 , and is said to have been the longest Act of Parliament ever enacted by that time. Because of its length, the Act was retroactively split by the Government of India Act 1935 into two separate Acts:# The Government of India...
of 1935, the first Congress ministry was sworn in on 20 July 1937 and he
became the Deputy Premier cum Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
province.He and Premier Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha , known as Bihar Kesari, was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar . Along with the nationalists Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Sinha is regarded among the Architects of Modern Bihar...
disagreed with the then Governor Maurice Garnier Hallett on the issue of the release of political prisoners and both resigned.The Governor had to give in and they again resumed their offices. But they again resigned in 1939, as did all Congress governments in the country, over the question of involving India in the Second World War without the consent of the Indian people.
He was among the first freedom fighters to respond to Gandhiji's call for Satyagraha
Satyagraha
Satyagraha , loosely translated as "insistence on truth satya agraha soul force" or "truth force" is a particular philosophy and practice within the broader overall category generally known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. The term "satyagraha" was conceived and developed by Mahatma...
in 1940–41.
He was arrested by the British authorities and imprisoned in the Hazaribagh Central Jail in 1942.
In 1944 he was released and devoted himself to serving the epidemic ridden people.
After independence he dedicated himself to the all round development of Bihar as Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
and as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.
Exemplary Government
The first Bihar Government, both in 1937 and 1946, was characterised by the values of the Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. Its two eminent leaders Sri Babu (Sri Krishna Sinha) and Anugrah Babu (Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha) were nationalists of unimpeachable integrity and great public spirit. They ran an exemplary government in Bihar. Almost all the development projects needed for the state of Bihar were done by the leadership pair of Sinha and Dr A N Sinha.It included several river valley projects right from Koshi, Aghaur and Sakri to other such river projects.The first five-year plan period was given to the development in rural development works mainly mainly in the agricultural sector.
In fact, Bihar became the top state in the country's first five-year plan and it was announced by Dr A N Sinha in the assembly.The then Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
sent Paul H. Appleby to assess the administration in states and in his famous report,he described Bihar as the best governed state in India mostly due to the excellent leadership of Dr S K Sinha and Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha.
Since the second five year plan period,Anugrah Babu spearheaded the process of rapid industrialization of Bihar and and bought several industries for the all round development of the state.He served India's international interests.He successfully led the Indian Food and Agriculture delegation to Nepal and also the Indian delegation to the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO) in Canada and Switzerland.
He also actively led a number of Government and voluntary organisations in India and abroad.
Political legacy
Along with his close colleague in the Indian independence movement Bihar Kesari Dr. Sri Krishna SinhaSri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha , known as Bihar Kesari, was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar . Along with the nationalists Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Sinha is regarded among the Architects of Modern Bihar...
, the first Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Bihar, he is considered one of the architects of modern Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.
His younger son Satyendra Narayan Sinha
Satyendra Narayan Sinha
Satyendra Narayan Sinha was an Indian statesman, participant in the Indian independence movement, and a former Chief Minister of Bihar...
(who was affectionately called "Chhote Saheb") also became a prominent freedom fighter leader and later becameChief Minister of Bihar. His grandson Nikhil Kumar
Nikhil Kumar
Nikhil Kumar is the currentGovernor of Nagaland. He was appointed Governor of Nagaland on 4 October 2009 by The President of India,Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil. He was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India, representing the Aurangabad constituency in Bihar as a member of the Indian National...
, a former IPS,is current Governor of the Indian state of Nagaland
Nagaland
Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
. Dr. Sinha served the state continuously,barring war years(Second World War 1939–1945),as the Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 till his death on 5 July 1957. The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp
Commemorative stamp
A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. The subject of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike definitive stamps which normally depict the subject along with the...
in his memory.
Resources
- Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Meray Sansmaran, an autobiography
- Anugrah Abhinandan Granth samiti. 1947 Anugrah Abhinandan Granth. BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. - Anugrah Narayan Centenary Year Celebration Committee. 1987. Bihar Bibhuti : Vayakti Aur Kriti, BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. - A.J. Philip, A gentleman among politicians
- Bimal Prasad (editor). 1980. A Revolutionary's Quest: Selected Writings of Jayaprakash Narayan. Oxford University Press, DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. - P S Appu, The All India Services: Decline, Debasement and Destruction
External links
- Dr Anugrah Narain Sinha-first Deputy Chief Minister
- Legends of Bihar-Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha
- Biography: Anugrah Narayan Sinha
- Birth Anniversary of first Bihar deputy CM Dr. A N Sinha
- Indian Post:Dr. A N Sinha,First Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar
- Anugraha Narayan Sinha
- Freedom Fighters of India
- Bihar Vibhuti Anugrah Babu Remembered
- SATYAGRAHA LABORATORIES OF MAHATMA GANDHI
- http://books.google.co.in/books?id=kmZV1ALVaCYC&pg=PT403&lpg=PT403&dq=%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9+%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A3+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9&source=bl&ots=BrT5wQ4s1b&sig=FZ42i9ZenyWp7bjweJjoCtfvYbw&hl=hi&ei=CpllS_P4IYGX8AbKzeWcAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAjge#v=onepage&q=%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A3%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9&f=falseAnugrah babu & Sri Babu]
- Members of Constituent Assembly from Bihar
- Dr. Zakir Hussain speaks on Anugrah Babu
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad-Correspondence and Select Documents:Letters to Anugrah Narayan Sinha
- Shivraj Patil unveils Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha's statue
- My Autobiography, Or The Story Of My Experiments With TruthThe Story of My Experiments with TruthThe Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, covering his life from early childhood through to 1920. It was initiated at the insistence of Swami Anand and other close co-workers of Gandhi, for him to explain the background of his public campaigns...
(1929) by M.K. Gandhi - The Constituent Assembly of India
- Website of Lok Sabha
- Dr.Anugrah Narain Sinha,Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar
- A gentleman among politicians:A.J. Philip
- Bihar's first exemplary government:The Sri Babu-Anugrah Babu regime
- Description of Lok Sabha on website of Parliament of India
- Total revolution
- Official website of S.N.S.I.B.M. , Ranchi
- Website of A. N. College, Patna
- Dr. Rajendra PrasadRajendra PrasadDr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
- On Hindu revivalism
- Home Page on the Parliament of India's Website
- Dr. S. K. Sinha