Morarji Desai
Prime Minister of India
5th Prime Minister of India
In office
24 March 1977 – 15 July 1979
President :- Basappa Danappa Jatti and Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Preceded by :- Indira Gandhi
Succeeded by :- Choudhary Charan Singh
Finance Minister of India
In office21 August 1967 – 26 March 1970
Preceded by :- T. T. Krishnamachari
Succeeded by :- Indira Gandhi
In office15 August 1959 – 29 May 1964
Preceded by :- Jawaharlal Nehru
Succeeded by :- T. T. Krishnamachari
Born :- 29 February 1896 Bhadeli, Bombay Presidency, India
Died :- 10 April 1995 (aged 99) New Delhi, India
Political party :- Congress (up to 1969), Congress(O) (1969-1977), Janata Party
Occupation :- Civil servant, Activist
Religion :- Hindu
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an Indian independence activist and the Prime Minister of India from 1977-79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress. He is the only Indian to receive the highest civilian awards from both India and Pakistan, the Bharat Ratna and Nishaan-e-Pakistan.
Early life
Morarji Desai was born into an Anavil Brahmin family in Bhadeli, Valsad in Bombay Presidency (now in Gujarat). After graduating from Wilson College, Mumbai, he joined the civil service in Gujarat. Later, he left the service of the British in 1924 and joined the civil disobedience movement against British rule in India in 1930. He spent many years in jail during the freedom struggle and owing to his sharp leadership skills and tough spirit, he became a favourite amongst freedom-fighters and an important leader of the Indian National Congress in Gujarat. When provincial elections were held in 1934 and 1937, Desai was elected and served as the Revenue Minister and Home Minister of the Bombay Presidency.
In government
Before the independence of India, he became Bombay’s Home Minister and later was elected as Chief Minister of Bombay State in 1952. The state was home to Marathi linguistic movements, with calls for the creation of a separate linguistic state. Considered as a tough leader, Desai was also known for pioneering beliefs and enforcing strict discipline and authority and thus possessed a radical mindset. By Desai’s orders in 1960, a demonstration by the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was fired upon by the police resulting in the deaths of 105 demonstrators. 105 demonstrators were killed in the incident leading to public outrage that shook the central government. The incident led to the formation of the present State of Maharashtra.
As Home Minister, Desai outlawed any portrayals of indecency (which included “kissing” scenes) in films and theatrical productions. Although a staunch Gandhian, Desai was socially conservative, pro-business, and in favour of free enterprise reforms, as opposed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s socialistic policies.
