Prakash Vir Shastri
Encyclopedia
Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri (December 30, 1923 - November 23, 1977) was a noted Member of the Parliament of India
(Sansad).
Born on December 30, 1923 as Om
Prakash
Tyagi
(Devanāgarī
: अोउम प्रकाश त्यागी) in the village of Rehra to a sepoy
father, he earned his Shastri
degree from Banaras Hindu University
.
Vrindavan
. Shastri was elected to the Lok Sabha
in 1958 and from that time till his passing served in the Parliament as an Independent member of both the Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha
. He was elected as a Jana Sangh nominee in 1974.
language, Shastri opposed to the official designation of English
as the national language of India. He instead preferred Hindi
, the country's classical native tongue. He was also known for his abilities as a poet, and incorporated his creative efforts into a number of his more well-known speeches. He was the first Indian to speak in Hindi
at the United Nations Organization, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee
being second.
movement, a branch of Hinduism dedicated to the Vedas
. While he was tolerant of the diversity of approaches to the practice of Hinduism, he shied away from idolatry in his personal affairs and promoted the work of Swami Dayananda in his writing.
Shastri proposed the Religious Protection Bill
in March 1960 in the Lok Sabha, which called for the protection of religious minorities in the face of mass conversions by force occurring across the country at the time.
culture as the lower bunk is closer to the ground. The man in the bunk above him survived, while Shastri lost his life. He was survived by a wife and two children.
to Rashtrapati Bhawan, was renamed Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri Marg. The avenue contains Gate 35, the main entrance to Rashtrapati Bhavan
and spans the downtown district in New Delhi
.
.
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
(Sansad).
Born on December 30, 1923 as Om
Om
Om is a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.OM and similar may also refer to:-Music:* Om , a stoner metal band* Om , a 1965 album* OM , a 2006 album* Om...
Prakash
Prakash
Prakash is a commonly used given name used in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The word Prakash is derived from the Sanskrit word Prakaash, literally meaning "Bright light" or "Sun light" or "Moon light" or simply "Light"...
Tyagi
Tyagi
Tyagi is a surname of North India and Pakistan. There are both Hindu and Muslim Tyagis. Tyāgī is a sanskrit word meaning the renouncer Once localized to Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, they are now also found in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan due to the...
(Devanāgarī
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: अोउम प्रकाश त्यागी) in the village of Rehra to a sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
father, he earned his Shastri
Shastri (degree)
A Shastri degree is awarded to pupils after years of higher education in the Sanskrit language...
degree from Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
.
Career
Shastri was born in the village of Rehra in the J.P. Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, earlier a part of Mudarabad. He was politically active as a young man, obtaining an M.A. degree from Agra University, and eventually rising to become Vice-Chancellor of GurukulGurukul
A gurukul is a type of school in India, residential in nature, with shishyas living in proximity to the guru, often within the same house...
Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
. Shastri was elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
in 1958 and from that time till his passing served in the Parliament as an Independent member of both the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
and Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
. He was elected as a Jana Sangh nominee in 1974.
Oratory style
Known for his eloquence and forceful oratory style as well as his mastery of the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language, Shastri opposed to the official designation of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as the national language of India. He instead preferred Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, the country's classical native tongue. He was also known for his abilities as a poet, and incorporated his creative efforts into a number of his more well-known speeches. He was the first Indian to speak in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
at the United Nations Organization, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
being second.
Religious activism
Shastri was also internationally recognized as a devotee of the Arya SamajArya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
movement, a branch of Hinduism dedicated to the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. While he was tolerant of the diversity of approaches to the practice of Hinduism, he shied away from idolatry in his personal affairs and promoted the work of Swami Dayananda in his writing.
Shastri proposed the Religious Protection Bill
Religious Protection Bill
The second generation of religious protection of freedom to practice bills in India, proposed by member of parliament Prakash Vir Shastri in 1960. The bill was eventually revoked due to lack of support. The bill had a predecessor, the Indian Conversion Regulation and Registration Bill of 1954....
in March 1960 in the Lok Sabha, which called for the protection of religious minorities in the face of mass conversions by force occurring across the country at the time.
Train accident
Shastri was killed in a train accident on November 23, 1977. Shastri gave his seat to the man sleeping in the bunk below him, a sign of respect in HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
culture as the lower bunk is closer to the ground. The man in the bunk above him survived, while Shastri lost his life. He was survived by a wife and two children.
Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri Marg
In November 2002, North Avenue in New Delhi, leading from Ram Manohar Lohia HospitalRam Manohar Lohia Hospital
Formerly known as Willingdon Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi has 984 beds.The hospital was originally founded, with only 54 beds, in the early 20th century by the British Raj for their government staff...
to Rashtrapati Bhawan, was renamed Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri Marg. The avenue contains Gate 35, the main entrance to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan or The Official Residence of the Head of the State is the official residence of the President of India, located at Raisina hill in New Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India...
and spans the downtown district in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
Speech compilations
In early 2003, a collection of his parliamentary speeches was compiled for publication, in part by former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna AdvaniLal Krishna Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani known as Lal Krishna Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004...
.
See also
- Pandit Prakash Vir Shastri Marg
- Arya SamajArya SamajArya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
- TyagiTyagiTyagi is a surname of North India and Pakistan. There are both Hindu and Muslim Tyagis. Tyāgī is a sanskrit word meaning the renouncer Once localized to Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, they are now also found in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan due to the...
- ShastriShastri (degree)A Shastri degree is awarded to pupils after years of higher education in the Sanskrit language...