KR Narayanan was a great man of his time and an inspiration to the people of his caste as well as other oppressed sections of Indian society. But, do you know who is KR Narayanan and why he is famous? KR Narayanan, India’s first Dalit president, is an Indian politician known for many firsts during his political career. He was the first Dalit president of India to serve the country. Read to know all the related Kocheril Raman Narayanan information including some KR Narayanan Achievements and KR Narayanan quotes.
Who Is KR Narayanan?
It was on 27th October of 1920 when the country’s 10th president and the first Dalit president of India KR Narayanan was born in Uzhavoor village of Perumthanam, Travancore, Kerala. His parents were Kocheril Raman Vaidyar and Punnaththuraveettil Paappiyamma. Narayana was the fourth among his seven siblings.
Kocheril Raman Narayanan Information – The First Dalit President Of India
The full name of KR Narayanan, president of India, is Kocheril Raman Narayanan. Apart from being the first Dalit president of India, KR Narayanan was also the first journalist to become the president of India. It was KR Narayanan who became the first in the Dalit community to receive a master’s degree.
KR Narayanan was also elected as the Vice President of India before becoming India’s first Dalit president. Let’s look more into Kocheril Raman Narayanan information.
Education Of KR Narayanan
In his childhood, KR Narayanan, president of India, had a very difficult time getting an education due to his financial condition and the caste prejudices of society. His primary schooling was done in Government Lower Primary School (Kurichithanam), Our Lady of Lourdes Upper Primary School (Uzhavoor) and St. John’s High School (Koothattukulam).
The first journalist to become the president of India, who is KR Narayanan, finished his matriculation from St. Mary’s High School, Kuravilangad in 1937 and intermediate from CMS College, Kottayam in 1940. He did his BA and MA degree in Literature from the University of Travancore in 1943 and secured the first position throughout the university.
Later in 1945, KR Narayanan travelled to the London School of Economics and earned his B.Sc Honours in Economics with a specialisation in Political Science.
Career Of KR Narayanan
KR Narayanan dabbled in various professions. He worked for The Hindu and Times of India as a journalist for two years i.e 1944-45. After his graduation, Narayanan was offered a job at the Indian Foreign Service, Burma by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1949. He served as a diplomat for embassies in Hanoi, Tokyo, Rangoon, Canberra and London along with being the Indian ambassador to Turkey, China and Thailand.
KR Narayanan was a professor at the Delhi School of Economics in 1954 and later, Minister of External Affairs’ secretary in 1976. After retiring from IFS, he continued being the vice chancellor of JNU from 1979 to 1980. He also served as an ambassador to the USA from 1980 to 1984 upon special request from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Political Career Of KR Narayanan
KR Narayanan joined Indian politics from the Congress party, as per Indira Gandhi’s request. He became the Lok Sabha member of the Ottapalam constituency in 1984 and was re-elected for three consecutive terms. In 1985, Narayanan became the Minister of State in the Union Cabinet.
On the proposal of VP Singh, a Janata Dal member, he became the Vice President to Shankar Dayal Sharma on 21st August 1992. Soon after, he was elected as the president of India on 25th July 1997.
KR Narayanan Death
KR Narayanan was ill with pneumonia and was admitted to Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi. On 9th November 2005, he died from the illness and consequent renal failure. He was aged 85 then. He was cremated according to Hindu tradition in Karma Bhumi near Rajghat and his last rites were performed by his nephew on the banks of river Yamuna.
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KR Narayanan Quotes
Being an influential orator, the words of KR Narayanan are often discussed with great interest and respect. Here are some popular KR Narayanan quotes, the first Dalit president of India:
- Enlightened people like Osho are ahead of their times. It is good that more and more young people are now reading his words.
- Communal mobilisation, in the long run, will not succeed in India because Indian society cannot be mobilised communally.
- If someone insults me, I only feel infinite pity for him.
- The courts are no longer cathedrals. They are casinos where the throw of the dice matters.
- Education is the key to health and to social progress.
- India has been a cauldron of dreams, ideas, and aspirations of the human mind and this is a distinctive character of India, and India in the sense represents the world in miniature.
KR Narayanan Achievements
Given below are some notable KR Narayanan achievements:
- As the Indian ambassador to US and China, KR Narayanan did major work in improving India’s relationship with these two countries.
- He brought transparency in the work of a president by providing a clear explanation of his actions and decisions to the general public.
- He actively raised his voice in concern for the rights of people from neglected castes.
- He was the first Indian ambassador to be sent to China in 15 years, in 1979.
- He deployed an army in the affected areas of the Gujarat riot and met the victims while the Prime Minister refused to do so.
- KR Narayanan was a great orator and his writings are often compiled for generations to be inspired.
- He has contributed to several social, political, literary, and international articles for various magazines.
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Conclusion
KR Narayanan’s emphasis on educating oneself in order to break the shackles of societal stereotypes has led the upcoming generation to be aware of the importance of literacy and education. We hope to see such prominent figures in the future who will work for India and its people with great enthusiasm.
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