By — Shyamal Sinha
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, paid tributes to former Chief Minister of Bihar and Bharat Ratna awardee, Shri Karpoori Thakur on his birth anniversary.
He became the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar in 1967, holding the Education and Finance Ministries.
Thakur took on significant responsibilities as Deputy Chief Minister, where he focused on improving the state’s education system and financial governance.
2. Later in 1970, he became the 11th Chief Minister of Bihar.
In 1970, Karpoori Thakur became the Chief Minister of Bihar, a role he used to introduce transformative reforms.
3. In 1978, the Thakur-led government implemented the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission (1971-1977), introducing reservations for backward classes in government jobs and educational institutions in the State.
Thakur’s government acted on the Mungeri Lal Commission’s report, reserving jobs and educational seats for backward classes, a landmark step toward social justice.
4. Thakur recognized Urdu as the second official language and implemented the Antodaya Yojana for the first time to provide food grain through the public distribution system in the state.
By giving Urdu official language status, Thakur promoted inclusivity. The Antodaya Yojana aimed to alleviate poverty by providing subsidized food grains to the poorest families.
5. He made primary education free and removed the mandatory requirement of passing the English exam to pass matriculation (10th class) in the state.
Thakur prioritized education reforms, making primary education accessible to all and reducing barriers like mandatory English exams for matriculation.
6. He also launched a campaign called ‘Angrezi Hatao’, with the slogan ‘Angrezi mein kaam na hoga, phir se desh ghulam na hoga [There will be no work in English; the country won’t be enslaved again]’.
Thakur advocated for reducing English dependency in government and education, promoting the use of native languages to preserve cultural identity.
7. Thakur was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2019.
In recognition of his lifelong dedication to social reform and public service, Thakur was posthumously honored with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 2019.
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.
History and Evolution: Instituted in 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex.
The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services.
But in December 2011, the government expanded the criteria to include any field of human endeavour.
First Recipients: The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C. V. Raman, honoured in 1954.
Most recently, in 2019, it was awarded to Nanaji Deshmukh, Bhupen Hajarika and Pranab Mukherjee.
Key Aspects:
It is not mandatory that Bharat Ratna be awarded every year.
There is no written provision that Bharat Ratna should be awarded to Indian citizens only.
The award has been awarded to a naturalized Indian citizen, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa (1980) and to two non-Indians – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela (1990).
Recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister of India to the President.
The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.
The Award does not carry any monetary grant.
In terms of Article 18 (1) of the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient’s name.
However, an award holder consider it necessary, using the following expression in their biodata/letterhead/visiting card etc. to indicate that he/she is a recipient of the award: Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President or Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award.
The Prime Minister said that the upliftment of the oppressed, deprived and weaker sections of society was always at the core of Karpoori Thakur’s politics. He noted that Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur will always be remembered and emulated for his simplicity and lifelong dedication to public service.
