Jayaprakash Narayan Biography 
Jayaprakash Narayan was an Indian Independence activist and one of the great political leaders of modern India. He was born on 11th October 1902 at Sitabdiara village in Saran District of Bihar. His father was Harsudayal. He was commonly known as JP and Loknayak (Leader of masses). He was married to Prabhavati Devi. He was a social reformer and columnist. He studied at Patna College with the help of government scholarship. After completion of studies, he participated in the freedom struggle against the British and was imprisoned several times during India’s freedom movement. After India got independence in 1947, his attention turned towards the social service.
Jayaprakash Narayan joined Bihar Vidyapeeth which was founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. It was formed to motivate the talented youngsters. In 1922, he went to United States and worked to support his studies in sociology, political science and economics at the University of Lowa, University of California, Berkeley, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Ohio State University. After return to India, he joined Indian National Congress in 1929. M. K. Gandhi was his mentor in the Congress. In 1942, During the Quit India Movement he was at the forefront of the agitations.
He along with Acharya narendra Dev and Basawon Singh (Sinha) led the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) after the independence and death of Mahatma Gandhi. Later it was called as Praja Socialist Party. In 1954 he declared that he dedicated his life to Vinoba Bhave’s Sarvodaya movement and the Bhoodan Campaign. He promoted distributing lands to Harijans.
He formed a movement called Sampoora Kraanthi (Total Revolution) movement. He asked Indira Gandhi to resign during the period of Emergency. Jayaprakash Narayan was awarded India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna award in 1999 and Rastrabhusan Award of FIE Foundation, Icharkaranji. He died of kidney failure on 8th October 1979.
Published: N/A
Updated: August 03, 2011
