Who Was Karpoori Thakur? To Be Awarded Bharat Ratna

Producer: Mehak Pal Editor: Sujata Singh

[{"selector":"#anim-4d99bccc-fd8f-4d85-b219-e6bb48295607","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.30952%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1dad7cf5-b532-4ffc-932f-00a4e1521a00","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0b872e9-e64f-411a-8619-c76409919762","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f4ca54f-7989-4d6a-93fa-4d0f558f6a30","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16eeeba4-a470-4731-8f03-78c8d096124d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur will be conferred Bharat Ratna posthumously. The announcement came ahead of his birth centenary on January 24, 2024.

[{"selector":"#anim-9028964c-3cab-4709-8914-99fe0991021d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc3d6638-9993-4fc0-ab95-388367327b2d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4d4f414-70d9-4c1b-bd97-3c8971696dc0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.30952%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10558b50-b87f-48c8-8684-7176dde77af1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bb78c2e-1554-44f9-95aa-1c12e7a6022d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Karpoori Thakur was an influential figure in the political landscape of Bihar. He was born to Gokul Thakur and Ramdulari Devi in the Nai (barber) community.

His tenure as Bihar's chief minister in the 1970s was groundbreaking.

[{"selector":"#anim-7d361888-b8be-4056-a27b-b8b3bb8e2761","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7557a56-ca44-4828-a9e8-6c8d6cee066d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc7f9a2f-3783-4ecd-b848-292c8c7eaf4a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.30952%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f834214-57d4-4ee8-bbec-b0b0d7c4cf76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4decf24-7927-4bbb-a23c-03450279afb9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-21a2efda-039d-4c70-9270-568c011d2391","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-457ce853-eb67-47c3-a988-6360ee15885c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c91e1ebd-ee88-402b-983e-a8e3877e097a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-107.86517%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46a3a889-736d-42be-81ae-7b79f926919a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef9a0cc7-d916-4246-8e88-d65e281effd2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thakur was deeply influenced by nationalistic ideas during his student days and later joined the All India Students Federation. He was inspired by Ram Manohar Lohia and was close to Jayaprakash Lohia. He was also an active participant in India's freedom struggle.

In 1942, he was arrested for participating in the Quit India Movement.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed2b8acc-eea0-4ad0-8eff-c4ffc1253fd4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cdd92b50-5913-4ec7-b17b-99f6ac650781","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d8d7282-e7fb-46e3-b427-5b98b29c08f2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.10658%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa42f5a9-6035-41c9-add5-e951cf9365ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-724a2bd6-f119-454f-8bb7-2950fce4009b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-21e7a71a-3dc2-4150-93b8-bc2b4ce3f67d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-802292df-5368-4fb4-872e-8e7fc8303f2c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f743ec9-8c61-462e-a988-14ac58e56dc4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f73d7c60-8b1b-484e-8d69-bafed1e83cf1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0adc57f6-1e0f-4f4c-9919-87d47dad1bfd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thakur went on to become the state's CM twice, once for seven months in December 1970 and another for two years in 1977. He was the first non-Congress socialite leader who became CM twice.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5278003-0964-4603-9814-43d5bdb7f011","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5813f60d-5310-49d8-aed0-4a318721e198","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7ddec88-cdfe-4224-a48e-bae47f4280aa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28b5be31-18dd-4eed-9d0b-831486d4b96a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64deead8-7859-401b-b416-6e6043c2d103","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] In November 1978, he implemented a 26 percent reservation for backward classes in Bihar, a move that set the stage for the Mandal Commission recommendations in the 1990s.

As an education minister, Thakur abolished English as a compulsory subject at the matriculation level.

[{"selector":"#anim-62ac82f5-d140-422c-930b-fdb1c58c6416","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-acb8d068-85ef-44c2-90af-9a6b0b076bcf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bfd9e51-6cc4-41d2-a368-9d62b2a62d0e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-933b5f89-30c0-4668-b5f2-7d31dee9b892","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eba7644a-6d8f-42af-be3b-640ce6930e78","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

He initiated major land reforms, leading to the redistribution of land from Zamindars to landless Dalits, earning him the title "Jannayak" or People's Hero.

[{"selector":"#anim-a772698b-a651-4ddc-85e6-2c1ea21a6f8d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7269604-32cf-4f88-ae6e-e80a449f0701","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ef0307c-5f11-4938-8afa-b2b975da0da9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd203cf9-7cdc-4733-81cd-94c0a7b86dcf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c133cd8-cc38-43ca-b462-754197fce18b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Karpoori Thakur passed away in 1988 at the age of 64. He will be the 49th recipient of the Bharat Ratna. The award was last conferred on the late President Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.

[{"selector":"#anim-b504515a-d537-4588-ba7c-6e4e0b2a7649","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e34c841-878d-42f6-956b-2d5fa59f7eb2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f6c7eb6-fb08-4f2a-bbf8-3b48950f17c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.76595%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1850829f-02f0-4ad5-9300-647df73705cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e432e88-4a21-4183-ab33-df7f46aa1834","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":800,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-2866efd8-76b2-41d0-bf38-55f093a23c63","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6cd8fad9-7379-4d54-ab8d-0fb26efe17ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 87.54409%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c655a901-0b00-4994-885d-cee5c7e56bec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46dc521a-f74e-4491-95aa-43a99a566e88","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.60510%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]