Nathuram Mirdha

Nathuram Mirdha (1921–1996) was a parliamentarian, freedom fighter, social reformer and popular farmer leader of Marwar region in Rajasthan, India. He was born in Kuchera, Nagaur district, Rajasthan on 20 October 1921. His father's name was Thana Ram Mirdha.[1]

Nathuram Mirdha
Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
1952–1967 and 1985–1990
Member of the Indian Parliament Loksabha
Assumed office
1971–77, 1977–1980, 1980–1984, 1989–1991, 1991–1996, 1996–till death
Personal details
Born(1921-10-20)20 October 1921
Kuchera, Nagaur, Rajasthan
Died30 August 1996(1996-08-30) (aged 74)
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse(s)Kesar devi
Alma materLucknow University
ProfessionPolitician, freedom fighter, social reformer

Education

Nathuram Mirdha passed his matriculation from Darbar High School Jodhpur with first division with suplimentry. He earned an M.A. (Economics) and completed an LLB degree in 1944 from Lucknow University.[1]

Rise as farmer leader

Nathuram Mirdha organised a massive farmer gathering at Jodhpur under the Chairmanship of Chhotu Ram. He joined the Institution of farmers "Kisan Sabha" founded by Baldev Ram Mirdha as Secretary in 1946. He was made the Revenue minister in the Jodhpur state. Nathuram Mirdha had an intimate association with Justice Kan Singh Parihar.[2] Parihar was the backbone of the Marwar Tenancy Act 1949 and Marwar Land Revenue Act 1949. He strongly emphasised Natu Ram Mirdha to act quickly on land reforms in Marwar. The acts were drafted by Kan Singh Parihar and gave ownership rights to the farmers of Marwar at no cost. Mirdha played an instrumental role in the enactment of the acts.

Freedom fighter and political leader

Nathuram Mirdha simultaneously fought feudalism as well as the British during the Indian independence movement.

On 15 August 1947, with the independence of India, a popular Ministry was installed in Jodhpur. Recognising the importance of the Kisan Sabha, Mirda, as its general secretary, was included in the Ministry. He won his first assembly election in 1952 from Merta City constituency with a huge majority. He was a Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1952 to 1967 and 1984 to 1989 and held several important portfolios in the Government of Rajasthan. He is known for strengthening agriculture and cooperative sectors in Rajasthan. Commencing from 1972, he was returned to the Lok Sabha six times. He served in the Union Council of Ministers in 1979-80 and 1989–90. He served also as the Chairman of the National Agricultural Prices Commission.[1]

Chairman of National Agricultural Prices Commission

As Chairman of National Agricultural Prices Commission, he implemented a number of schemes in the interest of farmers.

He was Chairman of Maharaja Suraj Mal Institute, New Delhi for ten years.[1] This institute progressed very fast during this period.

As Member of lok Sabha
  • 5th Lok Sabha member- 1971, for Congress, (from Nagaur, Rajasthan, India)
  • 6th Lok Sabha member- 1977, Congress
  • 7th Lok Sabha member- 1980, from Nagaur for Cong (Urs group)
    • 8th Lok Sabha - he lost to Ram Niwas Mirdha
  • 9th Lok Sabha member- 1989, this time Janata Dal
  • 10th Lok Sabha member- 1991, back in Congress
  • 11th Lok Sabha member- 1996

As Member of Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha
  • 1st Vidhan Sabha Member- 1952
  • 2nd Vidhan Sabha Member- 1957
  • 3rd Vidhan Sabha Member- 1962
  • 7th Vidhan Sabha Member- 1985

Differences with Indira Gandhi

Nathuram Mirdha developed differences with Indira Gandhi in 1975 during an emergency period. He left the National Congress and joined Lok Dal Party under the leadership of Choudhary Charan Singh. Nathuram Mirdha, then of the Congress, won the 1971 and 1977 elections. He retained the seat for the Congress-Urs in 1980, and in 1984 kinsman Ram Niwas Mirdha of the Congress defeated him. In 1985 he was the leader of Lok Dal in Rajasthan assembly. It was with his efforts and strategy that made Lok Dal party a national level organization. He was state president of Lok Dal Party in 1988. In 1989, contesting on the Janata Dal ticket, Nathuram defeated Ram Niwas. By 1991 he had joined the Congress, for which party he won the seat in 1991 and 1996. Nathuram Mirdha joined Congress in 1991 after a period of fourteen years. He was also the Deputy Leader of the Congress-I Parliamentary Party till 1996. In 1996 he got elected to Lok Sabha with a huge majority. That his popularity was undiminished can be seen from the 1996 result: he defeated his BJP rival H Kumawat by almost 160,000 votes. However, he died soon after. In the by-election that followed Nathuram Mirdha's death, the BJP fielded his son Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, a newcomer to politics, and took the seat from the Congress (I).

He was Minister of State for Irrigation, Finance, Food and Civil Supplies and Chairman of many important Parliamentary Committees. He rendered service to the cause of the farmers, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of the society. A lawyer by profession, he also rendered service in the field of education by establishing many educational institutions and Hostels.

Family

He was married to Kesar Devi in 1936 and they had two sons and two daughters.

Nathuram Mirdha died on 30 August 1996 in New Delhi, aged 75.[3]

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References
  1. "Biographical Sketch: Mirdha, Shri Nathu Ram". Archived from the original on 29 December 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
  2. "Hon'ble Justice Kan Singh Ji Parihar".
  3. "Members Died, Resigned etc". Parliament of India, New Delhi. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.

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