Defying Boundaries: The Legacy of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee

Abstract

Dr.Syama Prasad Mookhejee was a great educationist, true patriot, national leader, statesman and great parliamentarian born in Bengal in 1901. The partition of Bengal had impact in his life. The ideas of Balganga Tilak and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee had shaped his political life. He was youngest to become Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University because of his illustrious educational career. His remarkable political career began when he became a member of Hindu Mahasabha under the influence of Vir Savarkar. His nationalist outlook was well praised by Mahatma Gandhi. Syma Prasad Mookherjee was against the partition of India on communal line. In post-independent India he joined Nehru Cabinet as Minister Industries and Supply with the invitation of Mahatma Gandhi, but had a disagreement with Congress on Kashmir issue and later resigned and formed Jan Sangh Party. In 1949, he resigned from the Hindu Mahasabha due to the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and formed the Jan Sangh Party and became its president. The Jan Sangh Party contested first general in 1952 and became a leader of opposition party. All leaders of political parties deeply admired him and lovingly used to call him the \"Lion of Parliament.\" For unresolved Jammu and Kashmir issue he fought tirelessly for unity and integrity of India and became martyr. For Syama Prasad Mookherjee’s passionate love for motherland and affection to Indian people still unfolding in Indian mind and he is revered as a great nationalist leader.

Introduction

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee: Patriot, Statesman, and Educationist

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee (1901–1953) was a distinguished educationist, patriot, humanist, philanthropist, and a prominent political leader in India. He played a crucial role in India’s freedom struggle and post-independence politics, advocating for a united India and the protection of civil liberties. Known for his unwavering patriotism, he ultimately became a martyr for national unity and democracy.

Early Life and Education:
Born in a Brahmin family in Calcutta, his father, Sir Ashutosh Mookherjee, was an eminent scholar and judge, and his mother was religiously inclined. He grew up in a culturally rich environment, balancing respect for traditional Indian values with openness to modern scientific ideas. Influenced by nationalist leaders and the socio-political events like the Partition of Bengal in 1905, young Mookherjee developed a strong sense of nationalism.

A brilliant student, he completed his B.A. in English and M.A. in Bengali from Presidency College, Kolkata, in 1923. He married Sudha Devi in 1922, and they had four children. After her untimely death in 1934, he chose not to remarry. He pursued law at Lincoln’s Inn in England and later became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University in 1934, where he served until 1938.

Political Career:
Mookherjee entered politics in 1929 as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council. He joined the Hindu Mahasabha in 1939, emerging as a strong leader advocating for Hindu rights and a united India. He opposed the communal politics of the Muslim League and Congress, criticized the partition of India, and supported humanitarian efforts during the Bengal famine of 1943.

As Finance Minister of Bengal (1941–42), he played a key role in provincial politics. After India’s independence, he joined Nehru’s cabinet as Minister of Industries and Supply, where he established major industries like Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory, Sindri Fertilizer Corporation, and Hindustan Aircraft Industry. He resigned in 1950 due to policy differences, particularly over the treatment of Hindu refugees and the Nehru-Liaquat Pact.

Founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh:
In 1951, Mookherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Party (BJS), aimed at creating a nationalist alternative to the Congress. The party sought to unite nationalist forces, address refugee issues, and uphold India’s cultural and political unity. He became a prominent parliamentarian, known as the “Lion of the Parliament,” and was respected for his eloquence, leadership, and dedication to democracy.

Final Years and Martyrdom:
Mookherjee focused on the integration of Jammu and Kashmir into India and actively supported the Praja Parishad movement against separatist tendencies. In May 1953, he attempted to enter Jammu and Kashmir without official permission to assess the situation firsthand. He was arrested and imprisoned under harsh conditions, where he spent his final forty days, continuing to write, read, and engage in intellectual pursuits. He passed away on 23 June 1953, becoming a martyr for Indian unity.

Jawaharlal Nehru, despite political differences, acknowledged Mookherjee’s patriotism, vision, and significant contributions to the nation.

Legacy:
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee is remembered as a visionary leader, educationist, patriot, and martyr. His efforts in politics, education, and humanitarian work left a lasting impact on India, shaping both its political landscape and nationalist movements.

Conclusion

The country was shocked by the unfortunate and tragic death of a great son, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee. The day was a national mourning. The people Jammu and Kashmir went mad with grief and sorrows. Everyone felt that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee has become a martyr to their cause—the cause of Kashmir\'s integration with the rest of India and the cause of Indian unity. The people of Bengal naturally felt the tragedy most. The people of Calcutta and from various parts of the country flew in millions to pay their last homage to a great patriot of India. In Keortala burning Ghat, where Syama Prasad Mookhrejee’s last funeral took lakhs of people with great love, showered flowers and shed tears from balconies, which was something unprecedented even in human history. [39] Perhaps his long-cherished dream of the integration of Jammu and Kashmir—Akhand Bharat—has now been realized by the present Modi Government, when Article 370 was evoked in 2019. This may be a befitting tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee\'s fight and sacrifice for the unity and integrity of the great Indian nation. Thus,Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, a legend and martyr stood for \'Akhand Bharat\'—the United India. His contribution to India\'s unity and integrity will be remembered in many generations to come.[40]

References

[1] Balraj Madhok, Dr. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee: A Profile in Eminent Parliamentarian Monograph Series, Dr. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee, Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi, 1990 p-1. [2] Balraj Madhok, Portrait of A Martyr, Biography of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerji, Jalco Publishing House, Bombay, 1973, p.15 (Check page No) [3] Ibid., p. 248. [4] Balraj Madhok, op.cit., p.1. [5] Ibid., pp.7-8. [6] Ibid., pp.2-3. [7] Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee, Leaves from a Diary, Oxford University Press, 1993, p-vii. [8] Balraj Madhok, op.cit., p-3. [9] Ibid., p-23. [10] Ibid., pp.16-22 [11] Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, op.cit.p-viii. [12] Balraj Madhok, op.cit., p-15. [13] Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, op.cit.p-viii. [14] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-15. [15] Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, op.cit. pp-xvii-xviii. [16] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-25 [17] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-4. [18] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. pp-26-27. [19] Ibid., pp-46-47. [20] Ibid. p-44. [21] Ibid.pp-50-53. [22] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-45 [23] Ibid.p-61 [24] Ibid., pp-4-5. [25] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-73 [26] Ibid. p74. [27] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. p-74 [28] Balraj Madhok. op.cit.pp.102-104. [29] Syama Prasad Mookherjee, op.cit. p-viii. [30] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. pp.120-123 [31] Ibid., p.119 [32] Ibid., p-105. [33] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. pp-195-196. [34] Ibid. 196. [35] Ibid., p-200. [36] Ibid., 226. [37] Balraj Madhok, op.cit. pp-225-237. [38] Balraj Madhok, p-224. [39] Ibid. p.245.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Prof. Susanta Kumar Bag. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.