History News Desk!! Govind Ballabh Pant (English: Govind Ballabh Pant, born: 10 September 1887; died: 7 March 1961) was the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and a freedom fighter. His tenure as Chief Minister lasted from 15 August 1947 to 27 May 1954. Later he also became the Home Minister of India (1955 -1961). He had an important contribution in getting the status of national language to English language in the Indian Constitution and ending the Zamindari system. The Bharat Ratna award was started during his tenure as Home Minister. Later this honor was given to him in 1947 by President Rajendra Prasad in recognition of his contribution to the freedom struggle and excellent work as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Home Minister of India.
Biography
Pant ji, famous for his determination and courage, was born on 10 September, 1887 in a Brahmin family in a village named Khunt (Dhamas) in the Almora district of the present Uttarakhand state. This family belongs to a very ancient and respected tradition of Kumaon. The origin of this tradition of Pants is believed to be the Konkan region of Maharashtra and its founder is considered to be Jaidev Pant. It is believed that Jaidev Pant and his family settled in Kumaon in the beginning of the 11th century.
Early Life
The name of Govind Ballabh Pant’s father was Mr. ‘Manorath Pant’. Mr. Manorath Pant had gone to Pauri Garhwal with his wife within three years of Govind’s birth. Child Govind went to Pauri a couple of times but stayed permanently in Almora. He was brought up by his aunt ‘Dhanidevi’. Govind received education at home till the age of 10. In 1897, Govind was admitted to the primary school in the local ‘Ramje College’. In 1899, at the age of 12, he got married to ‘Ganga Devi’, daughter of ‘Pandit Baladatt Joshi’, at that time he was in class seven. Govind passed the Lower Middle Examination in first division with special merit in Sanskrit, Mathematics, English subjects. Govind stayed here till he passed the Intermediate Examination. After this, he took admission in Allahabad University and took Mathematics, Politics and English Literature as subjects in B.A. At that time Allahabad was a confluence of eminent personalities of India like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Pandit Motilal Nehru, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, Shri Satish Chandra Banerjee and Shri Sundarlal, while the university had scholars of international repute like Professor Jennings, Cox, Randall, A.P. Mukherjee. In Allahabad, the young Govind got the company and contact of these great men and also got an environment full of awareness, broadness and political consciousness.
Workspace
In 1909, Govind Ballabh Pant was awarded the Lumsden Gold Medal for coming first in the law examination in the university. In 1910, Govind Ballabh Pant started practicing law in Almora. After Almora, Pant ji practiced law in Ranikhet for a few months, then Pant ji came to Kashipur from there. In those days, the cases of Kashipur used to be presented in the court of SDM (Deputy Collector). This court used to stay in Nainital for 6 months in summer and in Kashipur for 6 months in winter. In this way, Pant ji got connected to Nainital after Kashipur. Pant ji came to Kashipur in 1912-13, at that time his father was the ‘Revenue Collector’. The case of Shri Kunjbihari Lal, who was an elderly and respected citizen of Kashipur, was one of the ‘first cases’ taken up by Pant ji. He got a fee of Rs. 5 for this. In 1909, Pantji’s first son died of illness and after some time his wife Gangadevi also died. At that time he was 23 years old. He became serious and indifferent and started devoting all his time to law and politics. Under family pressure, Pantji got married for the second time in 1912 in Almora. After that Pantji came to Kashipur. Pantji first stayed in Kashipur in the Namak wala ki kothi in ‘Najkari’ for a year. In 1913, Pantji stayed in Kashipur’s Mohalla Khalsa for 3-4 years. It had not been even a year since he had come to the new house that his father Manorath Pant died. Meanwhile, a son was born but he also died after a few months. After the child, his wife also died in 1914. In 1916, Pantji went to the meeting of ‘Rajkumar Choubey’. Choubey ji was a close friend of Pantji. Due to their pressure, he had to agree to remarry and he married ‘Kaladevi’, daughter of Shri Taradatt Pandey of Kashipur. At that time, Pant ji was 30 years old.
style of advocacy
Govind Ballabh Pant’s style of fighting cases was unique. He did not take cases of those clients who did not give correct information about their cases. Once in Kashipur, Govind Ballabh Pant went to court wearing a dhoti, kurta and Gandhi cap. The British magistrate there objected.
Brief Biography
Pant ji’s advocacy was famous in Kashipur and his income increased to more than 500 rupees per month. Because of Pant ji, Kashipur was more aware politically and socially than other cities of Kumaon. British rulers included Kashipur in the black list. Due to Pant ji’s leadership, the British used to call Kashipur “Govindgarh”. In 1914, ‘Prem Sabha’ was established in Kashipur due to Pant ji’s efforts. British rulers understood that terrorist activities are encouraged here in the name of social reform. As a result, many efforts were made to remove this Sabha but they were not successful due to Pant ji’s efforts. In 1914, ‘Udayraj Hindu High School’ was established due to Pant ji’s efforts. On the charge of participating in the national movement, the British government filed a degree against this school and passed orders for auction. When Pant ji came to know about it, he completed it by asking for donations. In 1916, Pant ji was included in the ‘Notified Area Committee’ of Kashipur. Later he became the chairman of the ‘Education Committee’ of the committee. The credit of implementing free and compulsory education in Kumaon goes to Pant ji. Pant ji organized the ‘National Movement’ in Kumaon on the basis of ‘non-violence’. From the very beginning, the leadership of Kumaon’s political movement remained in Pant ji’s hands. The national movement in Kumaon started with the Coolie Untar, Forest Movement, Swadeshi Promotion and Holi of Foreign Clothes and Tax Ban etc. Later, gradually the wave of the Non-Cooperation Movement declared by the Congress spread in Kumaon. After 1926, it merged with the Congress. In December 1920, the ‘Annual Session’ of the ‘Kumaon Parishad’ was held in Kashipur. Where arrangements for the stay of 150 representatives were made in the mansion of the King of Kashipur. Pant ji said that the aim of the Parishad is to remove the sufferings of Kumaon and not to fight with the government. On 23 July 1928, Pant ji was elected chairman of the Nainital District Board. He had also been chairman in 1920-21. Pant ji’s political principle was that the politics of one’s own region should never be neglected. In 1929, Gandhi ji also went to Kashipur via Kosani and Ramnagar. In Kashipur, Gandhi ji stayed in the garden of Lala Nanak Chand Khatri. Pant ji formally established a Charkha Sangh in Kashipur. On 10 August 1931, his son Shri Krishna Chandra Pant was born in Bhawali. In November 1934, Govind Ballabh Pant was elected unopposed to the Central Legislative Assembly from the ‘Rohilkhand-Kumaon’ region. On 17 July 1937, Govind Ballabh Pant became the first Chief Minister of the ‘United Province’ in which Narayan Dutt Tiwari was appointed Parliamentary Secretary. Pant ji was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1946 to December 1954. Pant ji had a lot of interest in land reforms. He made the Zamindari Abolition Act effective on 21 May 1952. As Chief Minister, his huge plan was to populate the Nainital Terai. Pant ji was a learned legal expert as well as a great leader and a great economist. Krishnachandra Pant, his capable son, was also the Vice-President of the Planning Commission while holding various posts in the Central Government. He obtained graduation and law degrees from the then ‘Muir Central College’ of Allahabad. He became an advocate in Allahabad High Court in 1909 and started practicing law in Nainital. In 1916, he founded the ‘Kumaon Parishad’ and in the same year he was elected a member of the ‘All India Congress Committee’. In 1923, he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on the ticket of ‘Swaraj Party’. In 1927, he was the President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. In November 1928, he boycotted the Simon Commission in Lucknow. He was in jail for about 7 years during the freedom struggles of 1921, 1930, 1932 and 1934. He was the Home Minister of the Central Government from 1937 to 1939 and 1954, i.e., till his death.
Message given by Govind Ballabh Pant on the auspicious occasion of independence:-
Friends and comrades, I am glad to extend my warm wishes to you on this historic occasion. We have reached our destination. We have achieved our goal. I welcome you to the independent state of the Indian Union. The representatives of the people will control and govern the state and its various branches and the government of the people, by the people, for the people will no longer be a mere theory but will now assume active form in every respect and will be put into practice in all respects.
Playwrights and authors
Govind Vallabh Pant is a good playwright. His play ‘Varamala’, which is based on a story from Markandeya Purana, is written with great skill. ‘Rajmukut’ is based on the historical story of the extraordinary sacrifice of a nurse named Panna of Mewar. ‘Angoor Ki Beti’ (which is a translation of a Persian word) is a social play showing the ill effects of alcohol.
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna award was started during his time. In 1957, on Republic Day, a great patriot, efficient administrator, successful speaker, logician and liberal-minded Pant ji was honoured with India’s highest title ‘Bharat Ratna’. Today, a memorial has been built in his memory at his birthplace. People of Uttarakhand also call Pandit Pant as ‘Gothi Pondh Ji’ because Pant ji was born in his maternal grandmother’s ‘Goth’, i.e. the place made for cattle.