Today, in this article, we will tell you who was the first President of India. As you may already know, the first President of independent India was Dr. Rajendra Prasad. In this article, we will provide you with information about who was India’s first President and delve into his biography, political journey, and more. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a renowned Indian politician, freedom fighter, and journalist of his time. He played a significant role in the independence movement. In 1931, he participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha movement during the British era.
Early Life of Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Let us tell you that Rajendra Prasad was born on December 3, 1884, in a Kayastha family in the small village of Ziradei in the Siwan district of Bihar during British rule. His father’s name was Mahadev Sahai Srivastava, and his mother’s name was Kamleshwari Devi. Rajendra Prasad’s father was a prominent scholar of Sanskrit and Persian languages.
During his childhood, Rajendra Prasad’s mother was a religious woman who used to narrate stories related to the Ramayana and Mahabharata to him. Rajendra was the youngest among his three older sisters, and his elder sister took care of him after their mother’s demise when Rajendra was very young.
Student Life of Rajendra Prasad
For your information, let us tell you that Rajendra Prasad completed his primary education at Chapra district school in Bihar. Then, at the age of 12 in June 1896, Rajendra Prasad got married to Rajvanshi Devi. After marriage, Rajendra Prasad’s elder brother, Mahendra Prasad, sent him to T.K. Ghosh’s Academy. He stayed there for two years and completed his education.
After that, Rajendra Prasad came to Kolkata (now Calcutta) for further studies. He received a scholarship of Rs. 30 per month from Calcutta University. Rajendra Prasad pursued his M.A. in Economics from Calcutta University. During his university days, Rajendra Prasad remained active in politics.
As a Lawyer
After completing his Master’s degree in Law from Allahabad University in 1915, Prasad entered the High Courts of Odisha and Bihar to practice law. He was elected as the first member of the Senate by Patna University. In Bhagalpur, also known as the Silk City of Bihar, Prasad practiced law for some time.
Political Journey
During his college studies, Rajendra Prasad became a member of the Bihar Students’ Conference in 1906, which marked the beginning of his political career. After that, Rajendra Prasad participated in the Champaran Satyagraha and Non-Cooperation Movement with prominent Bihar leaders Anugrah Narayan Sinha and Krishna Singh. In 1906, Rajendra Prasad joined the Indian National Congress for the first time.
Election as President
When our Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950, a day before that, on January 25, 1950, in a midnight session of the Constituent Assembly, it was decided that Rajendra Prasad would be appointed as the first President of our country. For your information, let us tell you that Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of our country twice, in 1950 and 1957. He had the longest tenure (12 years) as President. On September 9, 1962, his wife Rajvanshi Devi passed away. During the 1962 India-China war, Rajendra Prasad was honored with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Conclusion
In this article, we have informed you about who was India’s first President and provided you with some information about his life. Now, you also know who was the first President of India. We hope you have found this information useful.