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Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya Personality
Remembering the Visionary
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore rightly called Pandit
Madan Mohan Malaviya as Mahamana for his
various initiatives and works for the society. He
was not only able to get a huge tract of land for a
university from generous Kashi Naresh but also a
huge sum of money from the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Saving revolutionaries of Chauri Chaura incident
from gallows are some of his exceptional works that
truly endorses the prefix Mahamana
BORN: DECEMBER 25, 1861 DIED: NOVEMBER 12, 1946
andit Madan Mohan Malaviya, a visionary,
a social reformer, a journalist, an I do not consider anybody as a greater patriot
Peducationist and a leader, there are many than Malaviyaji; I always worship him. There is no
facets of the great soul of India. The visionary one in sight amongst all living Indians who has
in him anticipated that independence will be rendered more services to India than him
meaningful only when the country is governed by
a generation of progressive and cultured youth. MAHATMA GANDHI
As the nation celebrates 159th birth anniversary
of Bharat Ratna Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Indian National Congress for as many as four
the legacy of his multifaceted persona lives on times and founder of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu
to inspire generations. Mahasabha, he never compromised with his
principles. For Mahatma Gandhi, Mahamana
l The slogan ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (Truth was his conscience-keeper and like ‘his elder
alone triumphs) is the legacy given to the
nation by Malaviyaji, by saying that this brother’.
slogan from Mundakopanishad should be In 1909, he founded an English newspaper –
the slogan for the nation The Leader. It was published from Allahabad,
lHe started the tradition of Ganga Aarti at now known as Prayagraj. As a lawyer, Malaviyaji
Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar. He was dedicated is remembered for his defence of 170 people
to the cause of Hindi, Ganga and cow who got death sentence for Chauri Chaura
incident in 1922. Around 155 of them were saved
His vision shaped the foundation of Banaras from the gallows while remaining persons’ death
Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. There was sentence was commuted into life imprisonment.
no match to Mahamana’s relentless efforts He was opposed to the separate electorates
to accomplish any target, his steely resolve for Muslims under the Lucknow Pact of 1916.
managed to get a large donation from Nizam Malaviyaji compelled the British government to
of Hyderabad for BHU. It is said that on being sign an agreement with Ganga Mahasabha on
denied donation to set up the university by uninterrupted flow of Ganga in Haridwar and
the Nizam, he is said to have auctioned his protect Ganga for future obstructions. To honour
slippers. Eventually, it was the Nizam who bid the freedom fighter, Malaviyaji was conferred
for them paying a huge sum. As president of Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2015.
New India Samachar 11
