Birth of PM Morarji Desai - [February 29, 1896]: Background and Facts (2024)

29 February 1896

Birth of PM Morarji Desai

What happened?

The Sixth Prime Minister of India, Morarji Desai was born on 29th February 1896 in Gujarat.

In today’s edition of This Day in History, you can read about an important personality in Indian history for the many amendments his Government made to the Indian Constitution during the emergency.

Morarji Desai

Morarji Desai was born in Bulsar, District (now known as Valsad) in Gujarat.
After graduating from Wilson College, Bombay (now Mumbai), he served as the Deputy collector of Godhra. He resigned from the post in1930.
After that, he became part of the Indian freedom struggle and joined the Civil DisobedienceMovement against British rule.
Shri Desai was imprisoned thrice during the freedom struggle.

Morarji Desai’s timeline (Political Career)

Year	Endeavours
1931	Became a member of All India Congress Committee.
1937	Became the Minister of Revenue, Agriculture, Forest and Co-operatives.
1946	Became Minister of Home Affairs and Revenue of Bombay State
1952	Became Chief Minister of Bombay State
1956	Joined the Union Cabinet as Minister for Commerce and Industry
1963	Resigned from the Union Cabinet
1967	Served as Deputy Prime Minister & Finance Minister under Indira Gandhi Govt.
1969	Joined the Indian National Congress (INC)
1975-1977	Was imprisoned during the Emergency
1977	Became the Prime Minister of India

Morarji Desai as the Finance Minister

With eight annual and two interim budgets, Morarji Desai is the Finance Minister who has presented the maximum number of budgets so far.

Prime Minister Morarji Desai

The Janata Party won in the general elections held in March 1977 for the sixth Lok Sabha. Desai was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Surat constituency in Gujarat. He was later unanimously elected as the leader of the Janata Party in Parliament and sworn in as the Prime Minister on March 24, 1977. Shri Desai was India’s prime minister from March 24, 1977, till July 28, 1979.

He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress.
He was also the world’s oldest person to become the Prime Minister (aged 81), a record which he holds till date.
He condemned Indira Gandhi’s rule as dictatorial.
He tried to re-position India as a non-aligned state, countering what he saw as too close a relationship with the Soviet Union by improving links with the United States, hosting a visit from Jimmy Carter in 1978.
Visiting the Soviet Union in June 1979, he expressed India’s opposition to the occupation of Afghanistan.
He improved relations with China, frozen since a border dispute in 1962.
He worked to improve relations with the neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan.
His government undid many amendments made to the constitution during the emergency and made it difficult for any future government to impose a national emergency.

Also on this day

1904: Rukmini Devi, a renowned Bharat Natyam dancer, was born in a South Indian family with a tradition of culture and scholarship. She was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1952 and introduced the Bill for the "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals".

See previous‘This Day in History’ here.

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As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of Indian history and political figures, let me delve into the article about the birth of Morarji Desai, the Sixth Prime Minister of India, on 29th February 1896.

Morarji Desai, born in Bulsar, Gujarat, played a pivotal role in shaping India's political landscape. His political journey began after graduating from Wilson College, Bombay, where he served as the Deputy Collector of Godhra until his resignation in 1930. Desai then actively participated in the Indian freedom struggle, joining the Civil Disobedience Movement against British rule. His commitment to India's independence led to his imprisonment three times during the freedom struggle.

Desai's political career is marked by significant milestones:

In 1931, he became a member of the All India Congress Committee.
By 1937, Desai had risen to the position of Minister of Revenue, Agriculture, Forest, and Co-operatives.
In 1946, he became the Minister of Home Affairs and Revenue of Bombay State.
Desai served as the Chief Minister of Bombay State in 1952.
Joining the Union Cabinet in 1956, he became the Minister for Commerce and Industry.
He resigned from the Union Cabinet in 1963 but returned in 1967, serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister under the Indira Gandhi government.
In 1969, he joined the Indian National Congress (INC).
During the Emergency (1975-1977), Desai was imprisoned.
In 1977, he became the Prime Minister of India after the Janata Party's victory in the general elections.

Morarji Desai holds the distinction of being the Finance Minister who presented the maximum number of budgets, with eight annual and two interim budgets. As Prime Minister, he worked to reshape India's international relations. Notably, Desai aimed to position India as a non-aligned state, improving ties with the United States and expressing opposition to the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan.

Desai's tenure also witnessed efforts to enhance relations with China, address the India-Pakistan conflict, and undo amendments to the constitution made during the Emergency. His government made it challenging for future administrations to impose a national emergency, showcasing a commitment to constitutional safeguards.

One remarkable aspect of Morarji Desai's prime ministership is that he was not a member of the Indian National Congress, breaking the tradition that had persisted until then. At the age of 81, he became the world's oldest person to assume the role of Prime Minister, a record that still stands.

In conclusion, Morarji Desai's contributions to India's political and constitutional landscape, along with his efforts to shape international relations, make him a significant figure in Indian history.