Members of the constituent assembly

INDIA

1. MEMBERS OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY

2. INTRODUCTION IN 1934 M N ROY FIRST PROPOSED THE IDEA OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER THE ACTUAL CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY WAS FORMED IN 1946 FOR FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA BY THE CABINET MISSION PLAN. THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY CONSISTED OF THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS PROVINCES WHO WERE EMINENT PERSONALITIES IN THEIR OWN FIELDS . ON THE BASIS OF THE FRAMEWORK PROVIDED BY THE CABINET MISSION, A CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY WAS CONSTITUTED ON 9 TH  DECEMBER, 1946. THE CONSTITUTION MAKING BODY WAS ELECTED BY THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY CONSISTING OF 389 MEMBERS WHO INCLUDED 93 FROM PRINCELY STATES AND 296 FROM BRITISH INDIA. THE SEATS TO THE BRITISH INDIAN PROVINCES AND PRINCELY STATES WERE ALLOTTED IN PROPORTION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE POPULATION AND WERE TO BE DIVIDED AMONG MUSLIMS, SIKHS AND REST OF THE COMMUNITIES. ALL SECTIONS OF THE INDIAN SOCIETY GOT REPRESENTATION IN THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IN SPITE OF LIMITED SUFFRAGE .

3. VALLABHBHAI JHAVERBHAI PATEL ( 1875-1950) BORN: GUJARAT. A MINISTER OF HOME, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING IN THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT. A LAWYER AND LEADER OF BARDOLI PEASANT SATYAGRAHA. PLAYED A DECISIVE ROLE IN THE INTEGRATION OF THE INDIAN PRINCELY STATES. LATER HE WAS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER. HE WAS OFTEN CALLED SARDAR, MEANING "CHIEF" IN HINDI, URDU, AND PERSIA.HE ACTED AS HOME MINISTER DURING THE POLITICAL INTEGRATION OF INDIA AND THE INDO-PAKISTANI WAR OF 1947. PATEL WAS A SENIOR LEADER IN THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF INDIA AND WAS RESPONSIBLE IN LARGE MEASURE FOR SHAPING INDIA'S CONSTITUTION. THE TITLE 'SARDAR' WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY MAHATMA GANDHI.

4. T.T KRISHNAMACHARI ( 1899-1974) BORN: TAMIL NADU. A MEMBER OF DRAFTING COMMITTEE. ENTREPRENEUR AND CONGRESS LEADER. LATER HE WAS FINANCE MINISTER IN THE UNION CABINET. TIRUVELLORE THATTAI KRISHNAMACHARI WAS AN INDIAN POLITICIAN WHO SERVED AS FINANCE MINISTER FROM 1956 TO 1958 AND FROM 1964 TO 1966. HE WAS ALSO A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE FIRST GOVERNING BODY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF APPLIED ECONOMIC RESEARCH (NCAER) IN NEW DELHI, INDIA'S FIRST INDEPENDENT ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE ESTABLISHED IN 1956. KRISHNAMACHARI WAS  ELECTED  TO THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY FROM MADRAS ON A CONGRESS PARTY TICKET.  AS A MEMBER OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE, HE  DEDICATED  4014 HOURS IN NUMEROUS ASSIGNMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE. IN THE ASSEMBLY, HE INTERVENED ON THE ISSUE OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

5. ABUL KALAM AZAD ( 1888-1958) BORN: SAUDI ARABIA. HE WAS A EDUCATIONIST, AUTHOR AND THEOLOGIAN; SCHOLAR OF ARABIC. A CONGRESS LEADER, ACTIVE IN THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT. HE OPPOSED MUSLIM SEPARATIST POLITICS. LATER HE WAS THE EDUCATIONAL MINISTER IN THE FIRST UNION CABINET AZAD WAS THE SON OF AN INDIAN MUSLIM SCHOLAR LIVING IN  MECCA  AND HIS ARABIC WIFE. THE FAMILY MOVED BACK TO  INDIA  (CALCUTTA [NOW  KOLKATA ]) WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, AND HE RECEIVED A TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC EDUCATION AT HOME FROM HIS FATHER AND OTHER ISLAMIC SCHOLARS RATHER THAN AT A  MADRASAH  (ISLAMIC SCHOOL).

6. RAJENDRA PRASAD ( 1884-1963) BORN: BIHAR. HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. A LAWYER, KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE IN THE CHAMPARAN SATYAGRAHA. THREE TIMES HE BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. LATER HE WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF INDIA. A SUPPORTER OF MAHATMA GANDHI, PRASAD WAS IMPRISONED BY BRITISH AUTHORITIES DURING THE SALT SATYAGRAHA OF 1931 AND THE QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT OF 1942. AFTER THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY ELECTION IN 1946, PRASAD SERVED AS MINISTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT UPON INDEPENDENCE IN 1947. PRASAD WAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF INDIA, WHICH PREPARED THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA AND SERVED AS ITS PROVISIONAL PARLIAMENT.

7. JAIPAL SINGH ( 1903-1970) BORN: JHARKHAND . A SPORTSMAN AND EDUCATIONIST. CAPTAIN OF THE FIRST NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM. FOUNDER PRESIDENT OF ADIVASI MAHA SABHA. LATER HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF JHARKHAND PARTY JAIPAL SINGH WAS SELECTED TO WORK IN THE INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE, FROM WHICH HE LATER RESIGNED. IN 1934, HE BECAME A TEACHER AT THE PRINCE OF WALES COLLEGE AT ACHIMOTA, GOLD COAST, GHANA. IN 1937, HE RETURNED TO INDIA AS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE RAJKUMAR COLLEGE, RAIPUR. IN 1938, HE JOINED THE BIKANER PRINCELY STATE AS FOREIGN SECRETARY

8. G. DURGABAI DESHMUKH (1909-1981) BORN: ANDHRA PRADESH. ADVOCATE AND PUBLIC ACTIVIST FOR WOMEN’S EMANCIPATION. FOUNDER OF ANDHRA MAHILA SABHA. CONGRESS LEADER. LATER: FOUNDER CHAIRPERSON OF CENTRAL SOCIAL WELFARE BOARD SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THE INDIAN FREEDOM MOVEMENT FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE: AT 12, SHE QUIT SCHOOL TO PROTEST THE IMPOSITION OF ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF EDUCATION. SHE LATER STARTED THE BALIKA HINDI PAATHSHALA IN RAJAMUNDRY TO PROMOTE HINDI EDUCATION FOR GIRLS. AT THE AGE OF 14, SHE VOLUNTEERED AT A CONFERENCE HELD BY THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN KAKINADA. SHE WAS A PUBLIC ACTIVIST FOR WOMEN'S EMANCIPATION, SHE FOUNDED THE ANDHRA MAHILA SABHA (ANDHRA WOMEN'S CONFERENCE) IN 1937.

9. KANHAIYALAL MANIKLAL MUNSHI (1887-1971) BORN:GUJARAT. ADVOCATE, HISTORIAN AND LINGUIST. CONGRESS LEADER AND GANDHIAN. LATER: MINISTER IN THE UNION CABINET. FOUNDER OF THE SWATANTRA PARTY. KANHAIYALAL MANEKLAL MUNSHI, POPULARLY KNOWN BY HIS PEN NAME GHANSHYAM VYAS, WAS AN INDIAN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT ACTIVIST, SOCIALIST, POLITICIAN, WRITER AND EDUCATIONIST FROM GUJARAT STATE. A LAWYER BY PROFESSION, HE LATER TURNED TO AUTHOR AND POLITICIAN. HE IS A WELL-KNOWN NAME IN GUJARATI LITERATURE. HE FOUNDED BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN, AN EDUCATIONAL TRUST, IN 1938. MUNSHI WROTE HIS WORKS IN THREE LANGUAGES NAMELY GUJARATI, ENGLISH AND HINDI. BEFORE INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA, MUNSHI WAS PART OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AND AFTER INDEPENDENCE

10. H.C MOOKHERJEE (1887-1956 ) BORN: BENGAL. A VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. A REPUTED AUTHOR AND EDUCATIONIST AND A CONGRESS LEADER. MEMBER OF ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL AND BENGAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. LATER: GOVERNOR OF WEST BENGAL . DR. MOOKERJEE WAS APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF WEST BENGAL FROM 1 NOVEMBER 1951 THROUGH 7 AUGUST 1956. WHILE WORKING AS BENGAL GOVERNOR, HE SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF "DESH BANDHU MEMORIAL SOCIETY" FROM 1953. HE DIED IN OFFICE ON 7 AUGUST 1956 IN CALCUTTA. HE WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE TO BE UNANIMOUSLY NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENCY, WITH A RESOLUTION MOVED BY PATTABHI SITARAMAYYA, A MEMBER OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AND CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF INDIA; CONSEQUENTLY, HE EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE IN THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF INDIA THAT MET IN THE CONSTITUTION HALL, NEW DELHI

11. BALDEV SINGH ( 1901-1961) BORN: HARYANA. A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR AND LEADER OF THE PANTHIC AKALI PARTY IN THE PUNJAB ASSEMBLY. A NOMINEE OF THE CONGRESS IN THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. LATER: DEFENCE MINISTER IN THE UNION CABINET HE REPRESENTED THE PUNJAB SINGH COMMUNITY IN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA,AS WELL AS THE PARTION OF INDIA IN 1947.AFTER INDEPENDENCE .BALDEV SINGH WAS CHOOSEN TO BECOME THE FIRST MINISTER OF DEFENCE.

12. SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJEE ( 1901-1953) BORN: WEST BENGAL. A MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND SUPPLY IN THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT. HE WAS A EDUCATIONIST AND LAWYER. ACTIVE IN HINDU MAHASABHA. LATER: HE WAS THE FOUNDER PRESIDENT OF BHARATIYA JANSANG HE WAS THE INDEPENDENT INDIA’S FIRST MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND SUPPLY AND FOUNDER OF BHARATIYA JANA SANGH. SHYAMA PRASAD WAS A QUALIFIED BARRISTER AND WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION. DURING MUKHERJEE’S TERM AS VICE-CHANCELLOR, RABINDRANATH TAGORE DELIVERED THE UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION ADDRESS IN BENGALI FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND THE INDIAN VERNACULAR WAS INTRODUCED AS A SUBJECT FOR THE HIGHEST EXAMINATION.

13. BHIMRAO RAMJI AMBEDKAR ( 1891-1956) BORN: MADHYA PRADESH. CHAIRMAN OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. HE WAS SOCIAL REVOLUTIONARY THINKER AND AGITATOR AGAINST CASTE DIVISIONS AND CASTE BASED INEQUALITIES. LATER HE WAS THE LAW MINISTER IN THE FIRST CABINET OF POST-INDEPENDENCE INDIA. HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF REPUBLICAN PARTY OF INDIA. ALSO KNOWN AS BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR , WAS AN INDIAN  JURIST ,  ECONOMIST ,  POLITICIAN  AND  SOCIAL REFORMER , WHO INSPIRED THE  DALIT BUDDHIST MOVEMENT  AND CAMPAIGNED AGAINST SOCIAL  DISCRIMINATION  TOWARDS THE  UNTOUCHABLES  ( DALITS ). HE WAS BRITISH INDIA'S  MINISTER OF LABOUR  IN  VICEROY'S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL , CHAIRMAN OF THE  CONSTITUENT DRAFTING COMMITTEE , INDEPENDENT INDIA'S FIRST  MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE , AND CONSIDERED THE CHIEF ARCHITECT OF THE  CONSTITUTION OF INDIA.

14. SOMNATH LAHIRI ( 1901-1984) BORN: WEST BENGAL. HE WAS A WRITER AND EDITOR. A LEADER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA. LATER HE WAS MEMBER OF WEST BENGAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. HE WAS A PART OF THE CALCUTTA TRAMWAY WORKERS UNION AND THE CALCUTTA COMMUNIST PARTY WING.LAHIRI WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE PARTY’S CALCUTTA COMMITTEE,AND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE EFFORT TO SET UP THE ALL INDIA COMMUNIST PARTY IN 1933 A KEEN WRITER, ONE OF HIS MOST NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS WAS A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES TITLED  KOLI YUGER GALPO .  HE WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED JOURNALIST WHO EDITED .  THE BENGALI-LANGUAGE NEWSLETTER FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY.

15. SYED MUHAMMAD SAADULLA SIR SYED MUHAMMAD SAADULLA WAS BORN ON MAY 21 1885 IN GUWAHATI,INDIA AND HE DIED ON JANUARY 8 1919 . HE WAS THE PRIME MINISTER OF ASSAM IN BRITISH INDIA. HE WAS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF GAUHATI MUNICIPALITY IN 1919 AND MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE FOR ASSAM FROM 1924 TO 1934. HE WAS EDUCATED AT COTTON COLLEGE, GUWAHATI AND AT PRESIDENCY COLLEGE, CALCUTTA. SAADULLA WAS ELECTED TO THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY FROM ASSAM. HE WAS ONE OF 28 MUSLIM LEAGUE MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND WAS THE ONLY MEMBER FROM THE MUSLIM LEAGUE TO SIT ON THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. HIS INTERVENTIONS IN THE ASSEMBLY REVOLVED AROUND SECURING ASSAM’S FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND MINORITY RIGHTS.

16. JAWAHARLAL NEHRU ( 1889-1964) BORN: UTTAR PRADESH. THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT. A LAWYER AND CONGRESS LEADER. ADVOCATE OF SOCIALISM, DEMOCRACY AND ANTI-IMPERIALISM. LATER HE WAS FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA. ON OCTOBER 31, 1940 PT. NEHRU WAS ARRESTED FOR OFFERING INDIVIDUAL SATYAGRAHA TO PROTEST AGAINST INDIA’S FORCED PARTICIPATION IN WAR. HE WAS RELEASED ALONG WITH THE OTHER LEADERS IN DECEMBER 1941. ON AUGUST 7, 1942 PT. NEHRU MOVED THE HISTORIC ‘QUIT INDIA’ RESOLUTION AT THE A.I.C.C. UNTIL THE AGE OF 16, NEHRU WAS EDUCATED AT HOME BY A SERIES OF ENGLISH GOVERNESSES AND TUTORS. ONLY ONE OF THOSE—A PART-IRISH, PART-BELGIAN THEOSOPHIST, FERDINAND BROOKS—APPEARS TO HAVE MADE ANY IMPRESSION ON HIM. JAWAHARLAL ALSO HAD A VENERABLE INDIAN TUTOR WHO TAUGHT HIM  HINDI  AND  SANSKRIT . IN 1905 HE WENT TO  HARROW .

17. MOTURI SATYANARAYANA SATYANARAYANA MOTURI BORN ON 2 FEBRUARY 1902 AND DIED 6 MARCH 1995 WAS AN INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACTIVIST ALONGSIDE MOHANDAS GANDHI UNTIL 1947 AND THEN A MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF INDIA WHICH DRAFTED THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION. HE WAS A NOMINATED MEMBER OF THE RAJYA SABHA (THE UPPER HOUSE IN THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT) UNTIL 1966.HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING HINDI AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF INDIA. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA  AWARDED  HIM THE PADMA SHRI IN 1958 AND PADMA BHUSHAN IN 1962 FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN INDIA. HE WAS ALSO  HONOURED  BY ANDHRA UNIVERSITY WITH THE KALA PRAPOORNA AWARD IN 1977. IN ADDITION TO HIS WRITINGS IN NEWS PUBLICATIONS, HE WROTE ON  THE POSITION AND FUNCTION OF TELEGU  IN 1981.

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