Biography of Pranab Mukherjee.

 

Pranab Mukherjee

Soul of India resides in pluralism

and tolerance.

Secularism is a matter of faith for us.

-By Pranab Mukherjee.

Early life

The legend of India was born on 11 December 1935, Mirati, Bengal. His father was Kamada Kikar who was the active member of West Bengal legislative council as a representative of the Indian National Congress, he was also connected with independence movement and AICC (All India Congress Committee). His mother was Rajlakshmi Mukherjee.

Education

He went to Suri Vidyasagar college in Birbhum and then affiliated to the University of Calcutta. He achieved an MA degree in Political Science and History and LLB degree, from both the University of Calcutta.

Active participation in politics 

He started teaching in 1963 at a small college. He also worked as an editor. He later worked as a journalist.

 But after all these works. Finally, he came into politics. When the biggest diplomat of India Shri V.K Krishna Menon fought contest the election Mukherjee started campaigning for him. And subsequently, he was spotted by Indira Gandhi. Then, Indira Gandhi asked him to join the Indian National Congress due to his loyalty. And then he joined the Indian National Congress in 1969. Later he won a seat in the Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament as a member of the Bangla Congress which then merged with congress party.

As the second hand of Indira Gandhi

As the time passed Mukherjee became a Gandhi loyalist and is described as "man for all seasons".

Mukherjee's rise was very rapid in his early phase and he was appointed as the Union Deputy Minister of Industrial Development in 1973.

Actually, the bonding between Pranab Mukherjee and Indira Gandhi was good due to his loyalty. In the cabinet when Indira Gandhi was not in meeting the meeting was lead by Mukherjee. He had a lot of power and became the leader of the house (Rajya Sabha). He then became the finance minister of India for two years (1982-1984). When Indira Gandhi announced emergency Mukherjee completely supported her. He worked as a second hand for Indira Gandhi. In the tutelage of Indira Gandhi Pranab Mukherjee had a lot of powers.

His dark period

But on 31 October 1984 when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by some assailants. Then everything was changed in the life of Pranab Mukherjee.

After some debates and discussion, Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India. Actually, there was not good bonding between Rajiv Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee. So he took all the position from Pranab Mukherjee one by one. He was sent by Rajiv Gandhi to manage the regional West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee. Pranab Mukherjee was much more experienced than Rajiv Gandhi. But unfortunately, Rajiv Gandhi became the PM. 

In 1986, Rajiv Gandhi took a surprising decision. He completely suspended Mukherjee from his party.

He founded his party Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress (RSC). But in the election in 1987, this party won nil seats. Pranab Mukherjee was very much depressed by this situation. He was so alone as no one came to meet with him. This was the dark phase of him.

Come back in Indian National Congress

The two friends of Mukherjee asked Rajiv Gandhi to take him to his party. They told to Rajiv Gandhi that it was not good to have a member of his own party fought election in the opposite party. 

Rajiv Gandhi then understood that he did a very big mistake.

Then both Pranab Mukherjee and Rajiv Gandhi put hand in hand and merge the Indian National Congress and Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress. He took three years to merge both these parties.

In 1999 Rajiv Gandhi was killed by some assailants. 

Then P.J Narasimha Rao's government came into power. Rao and Mukherjee were good friends. So he decided to give him a post of deputy chairman of the Indian planning commission. Then he served as an External Affairs Minister for the time from 1995 to 1996.

Leadership with Sonia Gandhi

In 1998-1999 he was made the general secretary of AICC. Later Sonia Gandhi became the president of Congress. Mukherjee was made the president of West Bengal Congress in 2000. And he held this position until his resignation in 2010. The bond between Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee was very good.

In 2004 Indian National Congress won the election with the communist party. Mukherjee became the leader of the house in 2004. He had the distinction of being the Minister for various high profile Ministries including  Defence, Finance, and external affairs.

In 2010 he was awarded "Finance Minister of the year of Asia." He was also recognised as "Finance Minister of the year" by bankers.

As a President

He was nominated as the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Alliance 15 June 2012.

Mukherjee was sworn in by the chief justice of India on 25 July 2015 and becoming the first Bengali to hold the post of President of India.

Death

He died on 31st August 2020, aged 84. He was suffering from a lung infection and died due to septic shock and coronavirus.

"We are all, across

the divide of party

and region, partners

at the altar of our

motherland."

-By Pranab Mukherjee.🙏

Thanks!