Shri Niranjan Prasad Kesharwani
(29/06/1930 - 08/02/1994)
Ex. Member of Parliament
Ex. Member of Legislative Assembly
Shri Niranjan Prasad Kesharwani was born in his maternal house at Jhalmala village, Durg on 29th June 1930. His primary & higher secondary schooling was done in Mungeli. He completed his higher education at Bilaspur & B.A. from Banaras. He studied Law (L.L.B.) from Moris College, Nagpur.
Because of his simple nature & leadership quality, he was elected as president of student unions in his school & college. Shri Shripati Bajpai & Shri Rajendra Prasad Shukla was his class-mates. They were political rival & very good friend. As per Dr. Gajanan Sharma, during his student life, Shri Kesharwani’s special interest was in Society, Literature & Politics. He was very favorite among his class-mates & friends.
His Father Shri Ambika Prasad Sav was M.L.A from Ram Rajya Parishad & his Mother Naanhibai was a housewife. Nagpur was the capital of C.P. & Barar state then. His father often used to go to Nagpur, as it was capital & also his sister was married at Nagpur. Once, while returning from railway station after see-off his father, he met an accident & later lost his one leg due to negligence of doctors. He was a live – hearted, jolly natured man and never let his disability to contrast with his capability & responsibilities. Her wife Smt. Sarojani Devi was a house wife & always supported him.
After completing his L.L.B, he had started advocacy with the famous advocate & ex M.P. Shri Ram Gopal Tiwari. He was counted in the one among the efficient advocates, not only of Bilaspur or Mungeli but of the whole state. He had actively advocated many well-discussed cases like Gurvain-Dabari shootout, shootout at Panda & Chanpatarai, Shakrjeet Nayak Dal-Badal case, Jangbali-Bajarangbali case, with selflessness & established himself as leader of masses.
Politics was his hereditary quality. He had actively participated in the election contested by his father second time. Later, he himself contested for Member of Legislative Assembly in 1967 from Lorami-Pandariya & was defeated. In 1974 he could make him thro’ in by-election from Jarhagaon-Pathriya assembly & entered in active politics. He got imprisonment for 19 months in 1975 during emergency & tried to eradicate the evils in prisons. That is why, he was transferred in different prisons in this 19 months. He got released in 1977 & contested for parliament from Bilaspur constituency for Janta Party and got elected. He also contested for assembly by-election in 1985 from Alkatra assembly seat & got defeated. Later in 1990 he again won from Lorami-Pandriya assembly seat. He always liked the opponent politics & was with Jansangh, Janta Party & Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).
He was elected president of Mungeli Nagarpalika twice, was Director of Bilaspur Co-Operative Bank, Presided the Bhoomi Vikas Bank & District President of Bharatiya Janta Party. He had founded “Chhattishgarh Club” at Nagpur for students from Chhattishgarh. He had started “Ambikasav Smruti Golden Cup Hockey Tournament” in remembrance of his father, which couldn't’t continue later.
He was very fearless, Courageous & was having ability to keep everybody connected. It may be social work, Politics; Court or Mahamoorkh Sammelan during Holi - he used to be present at everywhere. He had inspired many youth to join the active politics, social-work & guided them to reach to eminent. He was Role- Model for many. He was not only a good speaker, advocate & leader, also was a torch bearer for many. He was very good in debate & used to keep his points with factual details in front of others to make them agree with him. He was having good command in Social science, Politics, Finance, Economics, Commerce & Medical Science.
He was known as “Lion of Chhattishgarh” in political arena. He used to make his opponents speechless by his formidable logics. In an incident “Chaudhari Charan Singh was Prime Minister of working Government & was in Bilaspur visit. He had approved the proposal to declare the Bilaspur Parliamentary constituency as reserved seat for Schedule Cast. Shri Niranjan Prasad Kesharwani – the then M.P. of Bilaspur Constituency met him at circuit house & asked that “how could he declared Bilaspur as reserved constituency without discussing the issue with the existing M.P.” After discussion, the PM had assured him to re-consider the issue. The people were very impressed with his audacious action. His younger brother Shri Nirmal Prasad Kesarwani used to call him “Alakh Niranjan” – because he was imperceptible the whole life.
He died on 08th Feb’ 1994 at Aayurved Vighyan Sansthan, New Delhi. M.P. Shri Dileepsingh Joodev was with him, in his last time. Next day, it was a headline of many news papers as “Chhattishgarh has lost his leader”, “Lion of Chhattishgarh is no more” etc.
Certainly he was one, who made the Kesarwani Community proud. On behalf of all it’s reader, Kesarwani.net pray that his sole rest in piece in heaven & takes inspiration to always work for betterment of community.
.....Courtesy: the Hindi article of Prof. Ashwini Kesharwani
.....Added on 11/02/2009
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