Dr. Rajendra Prasad - First President of India | Biography

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was born on 3rd December, 1884 in Ziradei village of Siwan in Bihar. His father's name was Mahadev Sahai. Mahadev Sahai had very good knowledge of Persian language. He was also very famous in his field as a Vaidya. His mother Kamleshwari Devi was a woman of religious tendency. She often used to recite Bhajans to her children. Her religious sentiments had a great impact on her children. Rajendra Prasad was the youngest in his family that's why all the people in the house loved him very much.


He was a living example of humility and simplicity. His early education was completed in Chapra district school. After this he joined the Presidency College of Calcutta. He secured first position in the F.A. examination in the university. He passed the B.A. in 1906 and M.A. in 1907 in the English subject. In 1909, when Gopal Krishna Gokhale established the Servants of India Society, his attention went to Rajendra Prasad because he knew very well that Rajendra is a brave student. On the request of Gokhale, he joined the society with the intention of serving the country.


Rajendra Prasad was a good lawyer. He also played an important role in propagating Hindi. During the Champaran movement, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Bihar, he had the good fortune to meet him. After that, he was associated with Gandhi for the Independence movement. In 1919, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre shattered the whole country. This raised the sleeping spirit of Indians. After that barbaric incident, he decided to leave the advocacy. 


In the Satyagraha movement, he showed his indomitable courage. During that time he was suffering from asthma. Despite this, he was engaged with the agitators. In 1924, he was elected president of the Patna Board. The earthquake occurred in Bihar on January 15, 1934 causing significant loss of life. At that time Rajendra Prasad was in jail. The British government released him from jail for his treatment. But instead of having own treatment, he started helping earthquake victims. He saved many lives. Because of his helping spirit, he started being called as 'Gandhi of Bihar'. 

In 1935, he was elected president of the Bombay Congress session. He was also the President of the Constitution Committee of India. After becoming an Indian constitution, he was elected unanimously the first President of India. For about 12 years from 1950 to 1962 he had been adorned with this position.


In 1962, he was honored with the highest civilian award of the Republic of India "Bharat Ratna".

He was also a good writer. The books written by him 'India Divided' and 'Satyagraha at Champaran' were very popular. On 28 February, 1963, he took his last breath in the Sadaqat Ashram of Patna. Today, he is immortal in everybody's heart despite not being among us.

"In attaining our ideals, our means should be as pure as the end!"

- Rajendra Prasad

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• Indira Gandhi-First Woman Prime Minister of India
• Rajiv Gandhi-Youngest Prime Minister of India