Besides Gandhi Jayanti, October 2 also marks the birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, India’s second Prime Minister of India.

On this occasion, we share with you some facts about Shastri.

— Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904, at his maternal grandparent’s home in Mughalsarai.

— Shastri became an active member of the Indian National Congress in 1928, at the call of Mahatma Gandhi. He was imprisoned for two and a half years.

— Following India’s Independence, he was appointed as the Minister of Police and Transport under Govind Ballabh Pant’s Chief Ministership on 15 August 1947. As a transport minister, he was the first to appoint women conductors.

— After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, Shastri became the second prime minister of the country on May 27, 1964.

— Shastri played an important role in promoting White Revolution, a national campaign to increase production and supply of milk by supporting Amul milk co-operative of Anand, Gujarat and creating the National Dairy Development Board.

— He led the country during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. His slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” became very popular during the time.

— He also promoted the Green Revolution in India in 1965, to increase food grain production in the country.

— Later Shastri was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966.