Charan Singh

Charan Singh Biography

Charan Singh was an Indian politician and served as the fifth Prime Minister of India from 28^th July 1979 to 14^th January 1980. He was born on 23^rd December 1902 in a Jat family in Noorpur village in Hapur town in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh. He took part in Indian Independence Movement. He served as the leader of the Bharatiya Lok Dal. In 1977 he wanted to become the prime minister. However Jayaprakash Narayanan selected Morarji Desai instead of him. He was made Deputy Prime Minister of India at that time.

Raja Nahar Singh of Ballabhgarh who took part in Indian Rebellion of 1857 was his ancestor. Charan Singh got his Master of Arts degree in 1925 and Bachelor of Law degree in 1926 from Agra University. He was elected from Chhaprouli in February 1937 to the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. He was only 34 at that time. He introduced Agricultural Produce Market Bill in the Assembly in 1938. This was to safeguard the interests of the farmers against selfish traders.

He was imprisoned many times in his life for his struggle for independence. He left Congress party in the year 1967 and formed his own party. He became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in the same year with the help of Raj Narain and Ram Manohar Lohia. He was arrested in 1975 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the emergency period. In the Janata Government when Morarji Desai served as the Prime Minister, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister.

In 1979, when Raj Narain was given the chance to become the Prime Minister, he made Charan Singh to come to that post. Charan Singh aspired to redefine the Indian labor laws to make Indian economy strong. He developed diplomatic relationship with Israel. He married Gayatri Devi and has two children. He died on 29^th May 1987. 

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Updated: June 01, 2012