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| Just near the small artificial lake extreme
north of landscaped gardens is Vijay Ghat, where India's second
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was cremated in 1966. Born
in 1901, he was a great statesman and freedom fighter who led
many defiant campaigns and spent a total of seven years in British
jails. 'Shastri' was the bachelor's degree awarded to him by
the Kashi Vidya Peeth of Varanasi for his academic accomplishments.
Remembered for his popular slogan 'Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan',
he played a very constructive role in the governance of the
country after independence. Acknowledged as a man of great integrity
and competence, he occupied various important positions before
finally becoming the head of the government. He was a man of
vision who led the country towards socio-economic progress.
It was due to his great inner strength and resolve that India
emerged victorious in 1965 war against Pakistan. |
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| This 'little dynamo of a man' died of a heart
attack in 1966 when he went on to a peace mission to Tashkent,
Russia. His last rites were performed at Vijay Ghat, which is
also known as 'Victory Bank'. He was the first person to be
posthumously awarded the prestigious award 'Bharat Ratna'. Known
for his honesty and humbleness throughout his life, Lal Bahadur
Shastri represented the common citizen of the country. |
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