Guru Radha Kishan

Guru Radha Kishan (1925-1996) was an Indian Independence activist and Communist politician.

Radha Kishan was born in 1925 in a family of farmers on Krishna Janmashtami in Bid village (currently in Harda district, Madhya Pradesh).

Radha Kishan first saw Mahatma Gandhi in December 1933 when Gandhi visited Harda.

It was his passion for studies that he got himself enrolled for studies in a school at Cheepawad near Khirkiya, which was miles away from his native village.

Though he had to experience the hardships of the life very early in his life as his father died while he was a child, but his love for his nation drive him for what he did in his life to come.

In the school he read a book authored by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin on the revolutionary struggle of Russia and an article about Indian Independence movement activists Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Sukhdev Thapar, Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Influenced by the martyrdom of the revolutionaries he left his studies to join the Independence struggle of India after hoisting the tricolour Independence flag in his school and for his this act he was sent to a reformatory school by the British colonial authorities.

This was the beginning of his revolutionary career which inspired him to leave his native place with the intentions to do something for his country as said by Mahatma Gandhi in his speech at Harda.

Social reformist, philosopher and member of Constituent Assembly of India, Shankar Trimbak Dharmadhikari popularly known as Dada Dharmadhikari was first major personality to notice Kishan's patriotism and dedication for the Independence movement.

Dada sent a patriotic message to Kishan when he learned of the courage shown by him during a protest rally against colonial government.

Independence movement had acquired momentum in Madhya Bharat when this young firebrand activist Radha Kishan publicly challenged a British Police official and slapped him in front of a large gathering while the officer started abusing the activists at an Independence movement rally in Indore.

Guru Radha Kishan was imprisoned in the notorious Mahidpur jail where he was in solitary confinement in terrible conditions.

He always protested against insane British laws.

As one of the youngest activist from Madhya Pradesh he spent months in prison after being under grounded for more than two years.

His colleagues includes Homi F Dazi, former MP from Indore and General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, Independence activists Ram Chandra Sarvate, Prof. Mahesh Dutt Mishr, Member of Constituent Assembly of India Vinayak Sarvate, Vinayakrao Sahasrabudhe, Sarjoo Pandey, eminent painter N. S. Bendre, Anant Laagu and award winning writer from Malwa region Shivnarain Shrivastava, author of ek sair gehun.

The social movement started by these activists against British government got easy sustenance and firm roots between the masses of Indore and Madhya Bharat as issues of economic and social deprivation were also highlighted by them.

In an address Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Mohammad Shafi Qureshi stated: "Freedom fighter and social worker of unconditional integrity Guruji is a noble soul with a pious heart. People like him are extremely rare in the society today, it's an honour to facilitate such a selfless individual."

Despite political differences, former president of BJP Kushabhau Thakre praised Guru Radha Kishan as Narmada ke Sacche Sapoot mentioning his selfless social work and dedication for the underprivileged class.

Thakre also known for his simple lifestyle in political circles once stated about Guru Ji that he was a Gandhian in politics with no ambitions for himself or his family at all.

Prior to this, on many occasions Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congressman Prakash Chandra Sethi requested him to accept the Freedom Fighter Pension, which he humbly but strongly denied.

He was entirely not interested to accept any pension for his participation in the Independence struggle of India.

This sets him apart from many other Independence activists who held high offices in independent India is his complete insulation from material desire.

He refused to accept any pension and never applied for the same till it was declared as Sammaan Nidhi by the government.

Only after being declared as Samman Nidhi he accepted the recognition from the government for being an Independence activist even when he had no source of income and would not accept any favours from any well wisher.

After India gained independence Kishan undertook a twenty-four-day fast to promote the cause of textile workers in Delhi prior to becoming the youngest member of Delhi Municipal Committee.

The first elected mayor of Delhi and noted Independence activist Bharat Ratna Aruna Asaf Ali was so impressed by his simplicity and selflessness that she started calling him Guru Bhai.

Before Independence he was involved in mobilising youth and organising trade union activities in textile mills and unorganised sectors at various locations for All India Trade Union Congress primarily in Indore, Kota and Gwalior to name a few.

This was continued in Delhi during 1948-50 where he worked prominently to unite the workers in textile, municipal and unorganised sectors when there was a crackdown on communists nationwide.

In fact the idea of uniting unskilled labour of unorganised sector and his exceptional organising capabilities made him so popular in political and social circles that workers and colleagues started calling him Guruji.

He was arrested many times for social causes, for leading under privileged class, textile employees, during general strikes and even for a strike of Delhi Police.

He worked with prominent communists and social activists of that era like Aruna Asaf Ali, Mukimuddin Farooqui, Devdutt Atal, H L Parwana, Nuruddin Ahmed, Yagya Dutt Sharma, Vimla (Kapoor) Farooqui, Premsagar Gupta, Pandit Madan Mohan, Ram Chandra Sharma, N N Manna, Shaadi Lal, Janardan Sharma, B D Joshi, Shakeel Ahmad, Sarla Sharma and educationists like Prof. Nand Lal Gupta to erect and lead the communist movement in Delhi.

As first state president of the youth wing of Communist Party, Kishan always encouraged young political and social activists and nurtured them to be in forefront throughout his life.

When P. K. Vasudevan Nair and Balraj Sahani conveyed him about the idea of All India Youth Federation he actively participated in organising the first national conference of AIYF in Delhi.

About 250 delegates and observers representing several youth organizations of eleven states of India attended this six-day session and the event was a huge success.

His wholehearted sincere efforts were visible when strong presence of the organisation was noticed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad, Telangana hero Chandra Rajeswara Rao and other prominent leaders.

Balraj Sahani was named first President and Sarda Mitra was elected as general secretary of AIYF.

As an opposition stalwart and leader of the CPI, Guru Radha Kishan's speeches in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were marked with positive criticism and earned him the admiration of even his political opponents.

Never enamoured of office, he was severely blunt about government's failures and raised many an eyebrow among the benches with his frank observations and constructive reasoning.

Kishan was very close to the masses and a known champion of the causes of underprivileged people while serving as Municipal Councillor of Delhi.

He also served as member of various administrative committees for state and central government with equal distinction.