Ram Manohar Lohia Biography

Ram Manohar Lohia, a socialist political leader as well as a noted freedom fighter of India was born in the village of Akbarpur, Uttar Pradesh on 23rd March, 1910.

He was born to Hira Lal, a patriot and a teacher and Chanda. He did his intermediate from Benaras Hindu University. He did his BA from Calcutta University in 1929. Lohia then flew to Germany whereby he joined Berlin University and learnt German.

Rammanohar was highly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi ideas which instigated the feeling of Swaraj (freedom) into him. ‘Salt Satyagraha’ was his subject in the PhD thesis paper. Though he had a good affinity with Jawaharlal Nehru but dissented with him on many political issues.

His first contribution as a nationalist leader was organizing a ‘hartal’ on Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s death. In 1928, he joined protests against the Simon Commission.

Achievements and notable incidents:

In Europe he organized ‘Association of European Indians’ .
Joined Indian National Congress and established Congress Socialist Party,1934.
He was elected the Secretary of All India Congress Committee (1936).
He was arrested on 7th June, 1940 and sentenced to two years imprisonment for writing an article ‘Satyagraha Now’ in Gandhiji’s newspaper Harijan.
He published and circulated posters and pamphlets on ‘Do or Die’ during the ‘Quit India Movement’, 1942. He alongwith Aruna Asaf Ali edited a Congress Party monthly newspaper called ‘Inquilab’.

Post-independence period:

Lohia took the leadership of building a dam on river Paniyari called ‘Lohia Sagar Dam’.
Founded ‘Hind Kisan Panchayat’ to provide solution to the farmers.
Set up World Development Council and World Government to retain peace.

This great leader died on 12th October, 1967. The Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia College of Law, Bangalore is named after him.

Facts and Information about Ram Manohar Lohia

Born	23 March 1910 in Akbarpur, Uttar Pradesh
Died	12 October 1967 in New Delhi
Parents	Hira Lal and Chanda
Nationality	Indian
Contribution	Served as a freedom fighter, socialist and political leader.
Education	Completed his graduation in B.A. from Calcutta University in 1929 and Ph.D. from Berlin University, Germany in 1932.
Known For	Known for his significant participation in the Quit India Movement.
Political beginning	On his return to India, he laid the foundation of the Congress Socialist Party. In 1921 he participated in the Satyagraha March led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Jail Journey	For his involvement in the movements, Lohia was arrested in 1939. He was charged for inciting people to boycott government institutions. He was also arrested in 1940 for his article “Satyagraha Now”. In 1944 he was again imprisoned in Lahore.
Post Independence	After Independence, Lohia came in limelight for making Hindi as the official language of India. He believed that “The use of English is a hindrance to original thinking, progenitor of inferiority feelings and a gap between the educated and uneducated public. Come, let us unite to restore Hindi to its original glory.”
Major writings	India, China, and Northern Frontiers, Hyderabad, Navahind The Caste System Hyderabad, Navahind Guilty Men of India’s Partition, Lohia Samata Vidyalaya Nyas, Publication Dept. Foreign Policy, Aligarh, P.C. Dwadash Shreni Marx, Gandhi and Socialism, Hyderabad, Navahind Fragments of a World Mind, Maitrayani Publishers & Booksellers, Allahabad Fundamentals of a World Mind, ed. by K.S. Karanth. Bombay, Sindhu Publications Interval During Politics, Hyderabad, Navahind
Selected books on Lohia	Socialist Thought in India: The Contribution of Ram Manohar Lohia, M. Arumugam, New Delhi, Sterling (1978) Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia: His Life and Philosophy by Indumati Kelkar Lohia, A Study, by N.C. Mehrotra, Atma Ram (1978) Lohia and Parliament, Published by Lok Sabha Secretariat (1991) Lohia thru Letters, Published by Roma Mitra (1983) Lohia, Onkar Sharad, Lucknow, Prakashan Kendra (1972) Lohia and America Meet, Harris Woofford, Sindhu (1987) Leftism in India: 1917-1947, Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri, London and New Delhi, Palgrave Macmillan (2008)
Awards and honours	The Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has been established in his honor. Also, the Willingdon Hospital of New Delhi was renamed Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences is being constructed for PG studies in Lucknow.