Balwantrai Mehta ((1899-02-19)19 February 1899 – (1965-09-19)19 September 1965) was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister of Gujarat state, India. He participated in Indian independence movement and later held various public offices. He is considered as the 'Architect of Panchayati Raj ' due to his contributions towards democratic decentralisation.
Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta was born on 19 February 1900 in Bhavnagar State in a middle-class family.[citation needed] He studied up to B.A classes but refused to take the degree from the foreign government.[citation needed]
Political careerEdit
He joined the national movement of non-co-operation in 1920. He founded Bhavanagar Praja Mandal in 1921 for carrying on the freedom movement in that state. He participated in the Civil Disobedience movement from 1930 to 1932. He also participated in Bardoli Satyagraha. He was sentenced for three years imprisonment in Quit India Movement of 1942. He spent total seven years in prison during British colony. On Mahatma Gandhi's suggestion, he accepted membership of the Congress Working Committee. When Jawaharlal Nehru became president of All India Congress Committee, he was elected its general secretary. He was twice elected, in 1949[citation needed] and was again elected in 1957 Indian general election to the 2nd Lok Sabha from Gohilwad (Bhavnagar) Constituency.[1]
He was the Chairman of Estimate committee of Parliament. He chaired the committee set up by Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service and to suggest measures for their better working. The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of the scheme of 'democratic decentralisation' which finally came to be known as Panchayati Raj.[2][3]
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, on 19 September 1965, then serving chief minister Mehta flew in a Beechcraft commuter aircraft from Tata Chemicals, Mithapur to the Kutch border between India and Pakistan. The plane was piloted by Jahangir Engineer, a former Indian Air Force pilot. It was shot down by Pakistan Air Force pilot Qais Hussain, who assumed it to be a reconnaissance mission. Mehta was killed in the crash along with his wife, three members of his staff, a journalist and two crew members.[5][6]
In August 2011 Qais Hussain wrote to Jahangir Engineer's daughter apologizing for his mistake, stating that a "civilian plane was mistaken for a reconnaissance aircraft by Pakistani controllers, and he was ordered to shoot it down".[6][7]
CommemorationEdit
The Department of Post, Government of India has issued a special postage stamp of face value INR 3.00 to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary on 17 February 2000.[8][9]
^"Statistical Report on General Elections, 1957 to the Second Lok Sabha, (Vol. I)" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 65. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
^Mathew, George (1995). Status of Panchayati Raj in the States of India, 1994. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 5–. ISBN978-81-7022-553-9.
^Misra, Suresh; Dhaka, Rajvir S. (1 January 2004). Grassroots Democracy in Action: A Study of Working of PRIs in Haryana. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 11–. ISBN978-81-8069-107-2.
^Grover, Verinder (1993). Political Thinkers of Modern India: Lala Lajpat Rai. Deep & Deep Publications. pp. 547–. ISBN978-81-7100-426-3.
^Laskar, Rezaul (10 August 2011). . Outlook. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
^ ab"Pakistan pilot's 'remorse' for 1965 shooting down". BBC. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
^"After 46 yrs, the healing touch: Pak pilot says sorry for mistake". Indian Express. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
^Jain, Manik (2008). Phila India Guide Book. Philatelia. p. 166.
^. postagestamps.gov.in. Archived from the original on 5 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
October 21, 2023
balwantrai, mehta, 1899, february, 1899, 1965, september, 1965, indian, politician, served, second, chief, minister, gujarat, state, india, participated, indian, independence, movement, later, held, various, public, offices, considered, architect, panchayati, . Balwantrai Mehta 1899 02 19 19 February 1899 1965 09 19 19 September 1965 was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister of Gujarat state India He participated in Indian independence movement and later held various public offices He is considered as the Architect of Panchayati Raj due to his contributions towards democratic decentralisation Balwantrai Mehta2nd Chief Minister of GujaratIn office 25 February 1963 19 September 1965Preceded byDr Jivraj MehtaSucceeded byHitendra K DesaiPersonal detailsBorn 1899 02 19 19 February 1899Bhavnagar Bhavnagar State British IndiaDied19 September 1965 1965 09 19 aged 66 Suthari Gujarat IndiaPolitical partyIndian National CongressSpouseSarojben Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Death 4 Commemoration 5 See also 6 ReferencesEarly life EditBalwantrai Gopalji Mehta was born on 19 February 1900 in Bhavnagar State in a middle class family citation needed He studied up to B A classes but refused to take the degree from the foreign government citation needed Political career EditHe joined the national movement of non co operation in 1920 He founded Bhavanagar Praja Mandal in 1921 for carrying on the freedom movement in that state He participated in the Civil Disobedience movement from 1930 to 1932 He also participated in Bardoli Satyagraha He was sentenced for three years imprisonment in Quit India Movement of 1942 He spent total seven years in prison during British colony On Mahatma Gandhi s suggestion he accepted membership of the Congress Working Committee When Jawaharlal Nehru became president of All India Congress Committee he was elected its general secretary He was twice elected in 1949 citation needed and was again elected in 1957 Indian general election to the 2nd Lok Sabha from Gohilwad Bhavnagar Constituency 1 He was the Chairman of Estimate committee of Parliament He chaired the committee set up by Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service and to suggest measures for their better working The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of the scheme of democratic decentralisation which finally came to be known as Panchayati Raj 2 3 He also remained President of Servants of the People Society Lok Sevak Mandal a social service organisation founded by Lala Lajpat Rai in 1921 4 He succeeded Jivraj Narayan Mehta as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on 25 February 1963 Death EditMain article Gujarat Beechcraft incident During the Indo Pakistani War of 1965 on 19 September 1965 then serving chief minister Mehta flew in a Beechcraft commuter aircraft from Tata Chemicals Mithapur to the Kutch border between India and Pakistan The plane was piloted by Jahangir Engineer a former Indian Air Force pilot It was shot down by Pakistan Air Force pilot Qais Hussain who assumed it to be a reconnaissance mission Mehta was killed in the crash along with his wife three members of his staff a journalist and two crew members 5 6 In August 2011 Qais Hussain wrote to Jahangir Engineer s daughter apologizing for his mistake stating that a civilian plane was mistaken for a reconnaissance aircraft by Pakistani controllers and he was ordered to shoot it down 6 7 Commemoration EditThe Department of Post Government of India has issued a special postage stamp of face value INR 3 00 to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary on 17 February 2000 8 9 See also EditList of assassinated Indian politiciansReferences Edit Statistical Report on General Elections 1957 to the Second Lok Sabha Vol I PDF Election Commission of India p 65 Retrieved 27 May 2014 Mathew George 1995 Status of Panchayati Raj in the States of India 1994 Concept Publishing Company pp 5 ISBN 978 81 7022 553 9 Misra Suresh Dhaka Rajvir S 1 January 2004 Grassroots Democracy in Action A Study of Working of PRIs in Haryana Concept Publishing Company pp 11 ISBN 978 81 8069 107 2 Grover Verinder 1993 Political Thinkers of Modern India Lala Lajpat Rai Deep amp Deep Publications pp 547 ISBN 978 81 7100 426 3 Laskar Rezaul 10 August 2011 Pak Pilot s Remorse for 1965 Shooting of Indian Plane Outlook Archived from the original on 12 August 2011 Retrieved 11 August 2011 a b Pakistan pilot s remorse for 1965 shooting down BBC 10 August 2011 Retrieved 11 August 2011 After 46 yrs the healing touch Pak pilot says sorry for mistake Indian Express 10 August 2011 Retrieved 27 May 2014 Jain Manik 2008 Phila India Guide Book Philatelia p 166 Postage Stamps Postage Stamps Stamp issue calendar 2014 Paper postage Commemorative and definitive stamps Service Postage Stamps Philately Offices Philatelic Bureaux and counters Mint stamps unused stamps postagestamps gov in Archived from the original on 5 May 2020 Retrieved 18 May 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Balwantrai Mehta amp oldid 1180037570, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
