Balwantrai Mehta
| Balwantrai Mehta | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Chief Minister of Gujarat | |
| In office 19 September 1963 – 20 September 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Dr. Jivraj Mehta |
| Succeeded by | Hitendra K Desai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 19, 1900 Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India |
| Died | September 19, 1965 (aged 65) Suthari, Kachchh, Gujarat |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Sarojben |
| Religion | Hindu |
Balwantrai Mehta (February 19, 1900 - September 19, 1965) was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister of Gujarat state, India. He participated in Indian independence movement and later hold various public offices. He is considered as the 'Architect of Panchayati Raj ' due to his contributions towards democratic decentralization.
Life
Balwant Rai Mehta was born on February 19, 1900 in Bhavnagar State in a middle-class family. He studied up to B.A classes but refused to take the degree from the foreign government. He participated in Indian independence movement. He joined the national movement of non-cooperation in 1920. He founded Bhavanagar Praja Mandal in 1921 for carrying on the freedom movement in that state. He participated in the Civil Disobedience movement from 1930 to 1932. He also participated in Bardoli Satyagraha. He was sentenced for three years imprisonment in Quit India Movement of 1942. He spent total seven years in prison during British Raj. On Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion, he accepted membership of the Congress Working Committee. When Jawaharlal Nehru became president of All India Congress Committee, he was elected its general secretary. He was twice elected, in 1949 and 1957, as a Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha.[citation needed] He was the Chairman of Estimate committee of Parliament. He chaired the committee set up by Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service and to suggest measures for their better working. The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of the scheme of 'democratic decentralisation' which finally came to be known as Panchayati Raj.
He succeeded Jivraj Mehta as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on January 15, 1963. He founded Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, an educational institution.
Death
There was a situation of war between India and Pakistan. On September 19, 1965, then serving chief minister, Mehta flew in Beechcraft commuter aircraft from Tata Chemicals, Mithapur to Kutch border between India and Pakistan. It was piloted by Jahangir Engineer, the former Indian Air Force pilot. The aircraft was shot down by Pakistan Air Force pilot Qais Hussain after receiving orders from his superiors. Mehta was killed in the crash along with his wife, three members of his staff, one journalist and two crew member.[1][2]
Commemoration
The Department of Post, Government of India has issued a special postage stmp of face value INR 3.00 to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary on February 19, 2000.[3]
References
- ↑ Laskar, Rezaul (10 August 2011). "Pak Pilot's Remorse for 1965 Shooting of Indian Plane". Outlook (magazine). Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ↑ "Pakistan pilot's 'remorse' for 1965 shooting down". BBC. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ↑ "Special postage stamp on Balwantrai Mehta, Dr. Hrekrushna Mahtab and Arun Kumar Chanda". Press information bureau, Govt. of India. Archived from the original on 2008-01-08. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
|