Nandiraju Radhakrishna
Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of independent India, promoted ‘White Revolution’ in order to increase the production and distribution of milk in the country. He supported the Amul Milk Cooperative at Anand, Gujarat and later even established National Dairy Development Board, which is today expanded to across the country as a robust cooperative dairy. Later, finding the importance of food reserves he also promoted ‘green revolution’ in the year 1965 leading to increased food grain production especially in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Shastry became Prime Minister after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru on 27th May 1964 and with the support of the then President of Congress Party K. Kamaraj. Known to be mild-mannered and soft-spoken and a attracted to the philosophy of Nehruvian socialism.
While in schooling, Shastry attended a public meeting in Benaras which was hosted by Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. Inspired by the Gandhi’s call for non-cooperative movement, Shastry discontinued school and joined Congress Party and participated various agitational programs including picketing and anti-government demonstrations resulting in his arrest.
He composed a famous slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” which became popular during the second was between India-Pakistan. The war was ended with Tashkent Declaration on January 10, 1966 and on the next day Shastry died.
He set the agenda for the country by way of his first broadcast as Prime Minister, Shastry stated:
“There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the cross-roads ofh history and must choose which way to go. But for us, there need be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear—the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations.”
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