October 2 is remembered in India for two towering figures of the freedom struggle and independent India: Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. While Gandhi Jayanti is widely known, Shastri Jayanti often receives less attention, even though Shastri’s life offers a remarkably simple story of public service. Born on October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh, Lal Bahadur Shastri grew up in modest circumstances. His father, a schoolteacher, died when he was about a year and a half old, and he was raised by his mother. His childhood was not marked by privilege. As a young student in Varanasi, he walked long distances to attend school, and his early experiences remained part of the story of the man who would later lead India.
At 16, Shastri responded to Mahatma Gandhi’s call to join the Non-Cooperation Movement and left his studies. He later joined Kashi Vidya Peeth, where he received the academic title “Shastri”, which eventually became part of his name. During the freedom struggle, he spent a total of seven years in British jails. After Independence, he took on several responsibilities in public life and served in the Union Cabinet in portfolios including Railways, Transport and Communications, Commerce and Industry, and Home Affairs. He became Prime Minister on June 9, 1964, succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru.
His time as Prime Minister was short, lasting until January 11, 1966, but it came during a period when India faced both the 1965 war with Pakistan and an acute food crisis. It was in this atmosphere that Shastri gave the famous call, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, recognising the contribution of soldiers and farmers to the country. He also appealed to citizens to observe a weekly fast as one way of conserving food during the crisis, and government records state that he first tried the idea at home.
These details help explain why Shastri is remembered not simply for holding the office of Prime Minister, but for connecting national challenges with everyday citizens. His story was rooted in ordinary experiences: education, family responsibility, food and the needs of farmers and soldiers.
On October 2, India observes Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti to mark his birth anniversary and remember his contribution to the nation. Today, October 2, 2026, marks his 122nd birth anniversary, and official tributes are being paid to him across the country.
Perhaps the most meaningful way to remember Shastri is not through a long list of titles, but through the values associated with his public life: simplicity, humility, responsibility and service. His life reminds us that a person does not need a grand beginning to leave a lasting mark on a nation.
Subscribe Deshwale on YouTube
