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VV Giri
Context:
The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to Shri VV Giri, former President of India, on his birth anniversary in Dili, Timor-Leste, on August 10, 2024.
Early Life and Education:
- Born on August 10, 1894, in Berhampur, Odisha, into a Telugu-speaking family involved in the independence movement.
- Studied law and social science at University College Dublin, Ireland, where he participated in both Indian and Irish politics.
Involvement in the Freedom Struggle:
- Returned to India and practised law in Madras.
- Joined the Indian National Congress and Annie Besant’s Home Rule League.
- Gave up his legal career to join the freedom movement during the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
- Was arrested in 1922 for protesting against liquor shops.
Contribution to the Labour Movement:
- A founding member and General Secretary of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (1923).
- Became the President of the All India Trade Union Congress in 1926.
- Founded the Bengal Nagpur Railway Association; led a significant labour strike in 1928.
- Co-founded and led the Indian Trade Union Federation (ITUF) in 1929.
- Represented workers at the International Labour Conference (1927) and the Second Round Table Conference.
Political Career Post-Independence:
- Held various roles: Minister of Labour, High Commissioner to Ceylon, and Governor of Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
- Elected Vice President of India in 1967, became Acting President in 1969.
- Elected as the fourth President of India in 1969, serving until 1974, as the only President elected as an independent candidate.
Legacy:
- Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1975.
- Passed away on June 24, 1980, in Chennai at the age of 85.
- Remembered for his dedication to social justice, labour rights, and his significant contributions to Indian politics.