Acharya Kripalani

In News

• On 11 November, the Prime Minister paid tribute to freedom fighter Acharya Kripalani on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Who was Acharya Kripalani?

• About:
  • He was born on 11 November 1888 in Hyderabad, Sindh. 
  • His original name was Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani but was popularly known as Acharya Kripalani. 
  • Before joining the freedom movement, Kripalani studied at Fergusson College in Pune, and then went on to become a school teacher.
• Role in Indian Freedom Struggles:
  • He was actively involved in movements like Non-Cooperation Movement, Quit India Movement, and Salt Satyagraha.
  • Due to his active participation in the freedom movement, Kripalani joined the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and also climbed the political ladder faster than the others.
  • He served in the Interim Government of India (1946–1947) and the Constituent Assembly of India.
• Political Career:
  • He became one of the founders of the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party (KMPP) after independence leaving congress.
  • He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952, 1957, 1963 and 1967 as a member of the Praja Socialist Party.
  • He contested the Lok Sabha seat in 1961 but sadly lost the rivalry to VK Krishna Menon.
  • Kripalani was well-known as a Gandhian and a socialist & was a harsh critic of both Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. 
  • He was arrested during Emergency in 1975 and My Times, his autobiography published posthumously in 2004.
• An educationist:
  • Kripalani was also well-known for his work in the field of education, environment and other social movements.
  • He earned the moniker ‘Acharya’ around 1922 when he was teaching at the Gujarat Vidyapith, founded by the Mahatma a couple of years before.
  • Kripalani had his roots in Sindh and Gujarat, and completed his education from Pune’s Fergusson College, earning an M.A. in History and Economics.
  • From 1912 to 1927, he taught at various places before becoming wholly involved in India’s freedom movement. He met the Mahatma during the Champaran Satyagrah in 1917.

Source: PIB