January 11 marks the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who passed away on this day in 1966, in Tashkent, in present day Uzbekistan. The nation's second Prime Minister, who succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru, was known for his simplicity and honesty, and was posthumously honoured with the Bharat Ratna, becoming its first posthumous recipient.
Though born in 1904, 35 years after Mahatma Gandhi, Shastri shared his birthday with the former, as both were born on October 2. Hailing from a simple family, he became an avid follower of Gandhi, and went on to hold important portfolios during his political career.
A famous anecdote from the former PM's life is when, on two occasions, he resigned as railway minister, taking moral responsibility for two separate train accidents which took place during his tenure. Also a former home minister, he took over as Prime Minister on June 9, 1964, in the wake of Jawaharlal Nehru's demise.
As the nation's premier, Shastri oversaw India's response to Pakistani aggression in 1965, which resulted in a war between the two neighbours. Though the war officially ended with a ceasefire, India had the upper hand over Pakistan when the ceasefire was announced.
It was during this war, when he coined the now iconic slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ (hail the soldier, hail the farmer).
{{/usCountry}}It was during this war, when he coined the now iconic slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ (hail the soldier, hail the farmer).
{{/usCountry}}He passed away in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, a day after the signing of the Tashkent Agreement between India and Pakistan. While cardiac arrest was reported to be the cause, several conspiracy theories exist around the leader's death.
His resting place is Vijay Ghat in New Delhi.