Jayaprakash Narayan Biography and Works.

Popularly known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash or Loknayak, Jayaprakash Narayan was born on October 11, 1902 in Sitabdiara, Saran in Bihar.

He was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution.

JP. Narayan was born in a Kayastha Family. His father Harsudayal was a junior official in the canal department of the State government and was often touring the region. Affectionately called Baul, Jayaprakash was left with his grandmother for studies.

His biography, Jayaprakash, was written by his nationalist friend and an eminent writer of Hindi literature, Ramavriksha Benipuri. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in recognition of his social work in 1998.

He was also conferred with other awards including the ‘Magsaysay Award’ for Public Service in 1965. The airport of Patna is also named after him.

He died at the age of 79 on October 8, 1979 in Patna, Bihar.

Trivia

The then Prime Minister of India, Shri Charan Singh declared seven days mourning on the death of Shri JP. Narayan calling him, ‘the conscience of the nation’.

Quote

“If you really care for freedom, liberty, there cannot be any democracy or liberal institution without politics. The only true antidote to the perversions of politics is more politics and better politics. Not negation of politics.”