Ram Manohar Lohia
Prime Minister paid rich tributes to the legendary
socialist leader and thinker, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, on the occasion of his
birth anniversary on 23rd March 2026.Born on March 23, 1910, in Akbarpur (UP),
he was an Indian politician and activist who was a prominent figure in
socialist politics and the Indian independence movement.Much of his career was devoted
to combating injustice through the development of a distinctly Indian version
of socialism.He died on October 12, 1967, in New Delhi.
Life Journey
¨
He was born into a
Marwari Bania (merchant) family. At the age of 2, he lost his mother and was
raised mainly by his father and grandparents.
¨ He was influenced by his
father’s commitment to Indian nationalism during childhood, which led him to
take part in the freedom struggle.
¨
He studied at Banaras
Hindu University, later earning a bachelor’s degree in 1929 from the University
of Calcutta.
¨
He went on to complete a
doctorate in 1932 from the University of Berlin, where he studied economics and
politics.
¨ During higher education,
he explored Marx, Engels, and European socialist thinkers and got exposure to
anti-imperialist and socialist movements, shaping his worldview.
¨
He wrote books such as
‘Wheel of History’, ‘Marx, Gandhi and Socialism’, ‘Guilty Men of India’s
Partition’, etc.
Contribution to the National Movement
¨
In 1934, Lohia became
actively involved in the Congress Socialist Party (CSP), a left-wing group
within the Indian National Congress. He served on the CSP executive committee
and edited its weekly journal.
¨
He strongly opposed India’s
participation alongside Great Britain in World War II, resulting in his arrest
for anti-British remarks in 1939 and again in 1940, with the latter leading to
an 18-month imprisonment.
¨ He, along with other CSP
leaders, including Jayaprakash Narayan, mobilised underground resistance during
the Quit India Movement in 1942. For these activities, he was imprisoned again
from 1944 to 1946.
Role after Independence
¨ During and after India’s
transition to independence in 1947, Lohia continued to play an active role in
its politics.
¨ Together with other
members of the CSP, he left the Congress in 1948 due to differences with Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru over several issues.
¨
He became a member of the
Praja Socialist Party upon its formation in 1952 and served as general
secretary for a brief period, but internecine conflicts led to his resignation
in 1955.
¨ In December 1955, Lohia
founded the Socialist Party of India, was elected its chairman, and became the
editor of its journal “Mankind”.
¨ As a mesmerising orator and an impassioned, insightful writer, he advocated for various socio-political reforms, including the abolition of the caste system, the adoption of Hindi as India’s national language, and more robust safeguards for civil liberties.
¨ Lohia articulated the idea of “Sapta Kranti” (Seven Revolutions)—in economic, political, social, religious, cultural, educational, and sexual spheres—to achieve a holistic transformation of Indian society towards equality and liberty.
