India's first President Rajendra Prasad, the leader 'with a futuristic vision for India's growth'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday remembered remembered India's first President Rajendra Prasad as a man 'with a futuristic vision for India's growth'

New Delhi, Dec 03: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to India's first President Rajendra Prasad and lauded him as a legendary leader who epitomised courage and scholarly zeal.

"Remembering Dr Rajendra Prasad Ji on his birth anniversary. A legendary leader, he epitomised courage and scholarly zeal. He was firmly rooted in India's culture and also had a futuristic vision for India's growth," PM Modi tweeted.

Born on December 3, 1884 at Ziradei village in Siwan district of Bihar, Prasad, a trained advocate, joined the Indian National Congress and the Independence Movement. He was elected the President of the Constituent Assembly, which prepared the Constitution of India.

Prasad was elected the first President of India in 1951, and re-elected in 1957. He passed away on February 28, 1963 and was cremated at Bans Ghat in Patna, where a memorial has been constructed in his name.

A true Gandhian
Rajendra Babu began his nation-building activities by trying to address the issues faced by common man. Later, he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi during the Champaran Satyagraha after which he always followed the path shown by the Bapu. Recollecting the devotion and labour of Dr Rajendra Prasad during Champaran Satyagraha, Bapu wrote in his autobiography:

"Rajendra Babu is one of the best volunteers working with me .... His affection has made me so dependent on him that without him that I cannot move even a step forward."

In the following years, he had gained such a confidence of Mahatma Gandhi that he often used to say that Rajendra would even sip a cup of poison, if offered. Rajendra Babu had unflinching faith in Bapu's principle of truth and non-violence. In his presidential speech as Congress President in 1934, Dr Rajendra Prasad had specifically said:

"There is no other principle than to have firm faith in truth and non-violence and it is the firm resolve of the people of our country that it is not the exploiters but the powers exploiting the people of the country which are to be rooted out." Dr Rajendra Prasad devoted him~lf to the propagation of the constructive work done by Bapu in different spheres. He was a supporter of the Sarvodaya Movement. He promoted the work of Khadi and Village Industries under the auspices of his Sadaquat Ashram. About this work, Bapu wrote in Nav-Jeevan that: "if the leaders of all the provinces assist· me the way, Bihar Ratna, Rajendra Babu is assisting me by promoting Charkha and Khadi. I assure you that Swarajya (independence) will be attained soon.

Here are some facts you need to know about the ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi:

• He was affectionately addressed as 'Rajen Babu'.
• He started his early education at the age of 5 under the guidance of a Maulvi in his village who also taught him Persian.
• He passed his high school from Chhapra and later joined prestigious Presidency College in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for higher education.
• After completion of his studies in law he started legal practice in Calcutta in 1911 and came to Patna after creation of the Patna High Court in 1916.
• He served thrice as President of the lndian National Congress.
• Rajendra Prasad joined the interim government of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the minister of food and agriculture in 1946.
• He was unanimously elected as the provisional President of India on 24 January 1950, the penultimate day of the last session of the Constituent Assembly.
• In 1952, he was elected as the first President of the Republic of India and was re-elected as the President of India for the second term in 1957.
• Dr Rajendra Prasad was well-versed in Sanskrit, Urdu, Persian and English. He wrote a number of books in English and Hindi.
• Dr Rajendra Prasad was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award, in 1963.
• Advocate's day is celebrated in India by the lawyer community on the 3rd of December to mark his birth anniversary of Rajendra Prasad.