<p>As the country is preparing to celebrate the 108th birth anniversary of Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram on April 4, a study centre established after the late former deputy prime minister, at the University of Mysore is ready with a Kannada version of his biography.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Mylahalli Revanna, Director of Babu Jagjivan Ram Study and Research Centre, the biography in Hindi ‘Dekhi, suni, beethe bathein...’ authored by Jagjivan Ram’s wife Indrani Devi has been translated into Kannada as ‘Nenapu Sanjeevini’. The biography, in three volumes, will be released soon, said Revanna, describing it as a rare contribution to Kannada literary world.<br /><br />It not just portrays the life history of the champion of Dalits, as Jagjivan Ram was and is still known as, but also gives an account of politics during pre- and post-Independence era.<br /><br />Born on April 5, 1908, to Shobhiram and Vasanti Devi couple at Chandwa in Bhojpur district in Bihar, Jagjivan Ram had a humble beginning. He lost his father at the age of five and was raised by his mother and elder brother.<br /><br />When ‘Chamar’ (cobbler) caste he belonged to became a reason for the locals to try to oust him from a rented room, Jagjivan Ram opposed it. It was a bit of enduring journey of Jagjivan Ram who became a victim of untouchability in every stage of his life, says Revanna giving a brief account of his biography.<br /><br />Despite odds, he excelled in BSc at Kolkata, after doing his intermediate at Kashi University, as directed by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. However, the struggle for independence was the turning point in Jagjivan Ram’s life. He was just 21, when he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi through Babu Rajendra Prasad. It gradually opened the doors for regular conversations with Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr B R Ambedkar, another champion of Dalits, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jayaprakash Narayan.<br /><br />On the invitation of Gandhi, Jagjivan Ram plunged into politics at a Congress conference in Patna, Bihar in 1933. The conference was organised by Ravidas Sabha Sanghatan.<br /><br />When Indira Gandhi imposed emergency, Jagjivan Ram was among several other unblemished leaders who were quick to call it undemocratic and came out of the party. He, along with Jayprakash Narayan, founded ‘Praja Congress’ which also made an impact on politics then. Still, power remained a mirage for Jagjivan Ram.<br /><br />In his 40-year-long political career, Jagjivan Ram handled several ministerial berths from Agriculture to Transport, Railways to Labour. <br /><br />He died at the age of 79, on July 6, 1986. </p>
<p>As the country is preparing to celebrate the 108th birth anniversary of Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram on April 4, a study centre established after the late former deputy prime minister, at the University of Mysore is ready with a Kannada version of his biography.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Mylahalli Revanna, Director of Babu Jagjivan Ram Study and Research Centre, the biography in Hindi ‘Dekhi, suni, beethe bathein...’ authored by Jagjivan Ram’s wife Indrani Devi has been translated into Kannada as ‘Nenapu Sanjeevini’. The biography, in three volumes, will be released soon, said Revanna, describing it as a rare contribution to Kannada literary world.<br /><br />It not just portrays the life history of the champion of Dalits, as Jagjivan Ram was and is still known as, but also gives an account of politics during pre- and post-Independence era.<br /><br />Born on April 5, 1908, to Shobhiram and Vasanti Devi couple at Chandwa in Bhojpur district in Bihar, Jagjivan Ram had a humble beginning. He lost his father at the age of five and was raised by his mother and elder brother.<br /><br />When ‘Chamar’ (cobbler) caste he belonged to became a reason for the locals to try to oust him from a rented room, Jagjivan Ram opposed it. It was a bit of enduring journey of Jagjivan Ram who became a victim of untouchability in every stage of his life, says Revanna giving a brief account of his biography.<br /><br />Despite odds, he excelled in BSc at Kolkata, after doing his intermediate at Kashi University, as directed by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. However, the struggle for independence was the turning point in Jagjivan Ram’s life. He was just 21, when he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi through Babu Rajendra Prasad. It gradually opened the doors for regular conversations with Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr B R Ambedkar, another champion of Dalits, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jayaprakash Narayan.<br /><br />On the invitation of Gandhi, Jagjivan Ram plunged into politics at a Congress conference in Patna, Bihar in 1933. The conference was organised by Ravidas Sabha Sanghatan.<br /><br />When Indira Gandhi imposed emergency, Jagjivan Ram was among several other unblemished leaders who were quick to call it undemocratic and came out of the party. He, along with Jayprakash Narayan, founded ‘Praja Congress’ which also made an impact on politics then. Still, power remained a mirage for Jagjivan Ram.<br /><br />In his 40-year-long political career, Jagjivan Ram handled several ministerial berths from Agriculture to Transport, Railways to Labour. <br /><br />He died at the age of 79, on July 6, 1986. </p>
