Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
|
|
|---|---|
1940s portrait
|
|
| Born | 26 October 1890 Allahabad, North-Western Provinces, British India
|
| Died | 25 March 1931 (aged 40) Cawnpore, United Provinces, British India
|
| Occupation | Journalist, author, writer |
| Years active | 1890–1931 |
| Title | Editor- Pratap (1913–1931) |
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi (born October 26, 1890 – died March 25, 1931) was an important Indian journalist. He was also a leader in the Indian National Congress party. He worked hard for India's freedom from British rule.
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi played a big part in the non-cooperation movement. This was a time when many Indians peacefully protested British control. He is best known for starting and editing the Hindi language newspaper, Pratap. He even translated a famous book called Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ganesh Shankar was born into a Hindu family on October 26, 1890. His birthplace was Hathgaon in the Fatehpur District of India. His father, Jai Narain, was a school teacher. Jai Narain was not rich, but he was very religious and believed in strong values.
Ganesh Shankar learned a lot from his father. He finished high school in 1907 by studying on his own. He studied in Mungaoli and Vidisha. Because his family was poor, he could not go to college. He first worked as a clerk in a money office. Later, he became a high school teacher in Kanpur. When he was just 16, he wrote his first book. He married Chandraprakashwati Vidyarthi on June 4, 1909.
A Career in Journalism
Ganesh Shankar was most interested in journalism and public life. He quickly became involved in the growing movement for India's freedom. He worked as an agent for revolutionary Hindi and Urdu magazines. These magazines were called Karamyogi and Swarajya. He also started writing articles for them.
He chose the pen-name 'Vidyarthi', which means 'seeker of knowledge'. A famous Hindi journalist, Pt. Mahabir Prasad Dwiwedi, noticed his talent. In 1911, he offered Ganesh Shankar a job as a sub-editor. This job was for his well-known literary magazine, "The Saraswati".
But Ganesh Shankar was more interested in current events and politics. So, he joined "Abhyudaya", a political weekly newspaper. This way, he learned from two of the best writers and journalists of his time.
Starting Pratap Newspaper
In 1913, Ganesh Shankar returned to Kanpur. He began his journey as a journalist who fought for justice and freedom. This work continued until his death 18 years later. He started his famous revolutionary weekly newspaper, Pratap. This newspaper supported people who were being treated unfairly.
Pratap became very popular. Its circulation grew from 500 copies in 1913 to 600 copies in 1916. Through this newspaper, he fought for many groups. He stood up for the struggling farmers of Rae Bareli. He also supported the factory workers in Kanpur. And he spoke for all the people in Indian states who were being oppressed.
Because of his strong articles, he faced many legal problems. He had to pay large fines and was sent to prison five times. On January 11, 1915, he shared his beliefs. He said that political ideas should reach everyone, not just educated people. He believed that public opinion should come from all parts of the country.
On May 31, he also said that farmers are the true providers of food. He believed they should not be looked down upon.
Joining the Freedom Movement
Ganesh Shankar first met Mahatma Gandhi in 1916 in Lucknow. After that, he fully joined the national movement for independence. He played a key role in the Home Rule Movement from 1917 to 1918. He also led the first strike of textile workers in Kanpur.
In 1920, he started a daily edition of Pratap. That same year, he was sent to prison for two years. This was because he supported the farmers of Rae Bareli. He was released in 1922. But he was almost immediately jailed again. This time, it was for giving a "seditious" (rebellious) speech. He gave this speech as the President of a political conference.
In 1924, he met and protested alongside Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh became a close friend and colleague. Ganesh Shankar also later worked with Chandra Shekhar Azad. After being released from jail in 1924, his health was not good. But he kept working for the freedom movement. He even started a short-lived union. He also helped prepare for the Congress Session in Kanpur in 1925.
In 1925, the Congress party decided to take part in elections. They formed the Swaraj Party. Ganesh Shankar won a big victory for this party from Kanpur. He served as a Member of the U.P. Legislative Council until 1929. He resigned when the Congress party asked him to.
In 1925, after Gandhi started the Beech Wala Chowk temple in Kanpur, Vidyarthi often used it for meetings. In 1926, Vidyarthi encouraged Shiv Narayan Tandon to join Congress. In 1928, he also started the Mazdur Sabha, a workers' union. He led this union until his death in 1931.
In 1929, he was chosen as the President of the U.P. Congress Committee. He was also named the first 'dictator' to lead the Satyagrah movement in U.P. He supported the Hindi language. He attended the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan conference in 1930 in Gorakhpur and in March 1930 in New Delhi. That same year, he was arrested and sent to jail again. He was released on March 9, 1931. This was part of the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, an agreement between Gandhi and the British Viceroy.
Efforts for Peace and His Death
In the 1920s, there were growing tensions between different communities in Western Uttar Pradesh. Kanpur also saw such problems. In February 1927, Vidyarthi and other Congress leaders organized a protest. They played music near a mosque. This was in response to a group attacking a Hindu wedding procession. Even so, Vidyarthi was known for treating all communities fairly. He also showed sympathy for Muslims.
In 1931, Kanpur faced serious unrest between different groups. Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was supposed to go to a Congress meeting. But he chose to stay back in Kanpur. He wanted to help and rescue people caught in the violence. Eyewitnesses said he saved people from both communities. His daughter said he rescued some Muslim women. Then he immediately tried to save some trapped Hindus. It was at this point that he was attacked and killed. His daughter also believed that the British government played a part in his murder.
Vidyarthi's body was found a few days later. It was badly hurt, with many stab wounds. A senior journalist, Premshankar Awasthi, spoke about him. He said, "Who does not know Amar Shaheed Ganesh Shankar Vidyarti? He sacrificed his life for peace between communities. He set an example in the history of Indian journalism. How can the country forget the great sacrifice of journalist Siromani Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi?"
Legacy
Mahatma Gandhi honored Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi in his newspaper, 'Young India'. Gandhi wrote that Vidyarthi's death was something to be admired. He said Vidyarthi's sacrifice would help unite different communities. He hoped that such heroism would soften even the hardest hearts.
Author Siyaramsharan Gupta also wrote about Vidyarthi. He made Vidyarthi the main character in his works Atmotsarg Patheya and Mrinmoyee Atmotsarg.
In 2006, there was a disagreement about a statue honoring Vidyarthi. A Member of Parliament, Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, unveiled it without official permission. The police and state government took the statue. But local politicians and journalists asked for it to be put back. In 2007, journalist Alok Mehta received the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Award. This award was given by the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication.
Personal Life
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi had one son, Hari Shankar Vidyarthi. He also had two granddaughters, Srilekha Vidyarthi and Madhulekha Vidyarthi.
Honors
- The Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Puraskar is a special award. It is given to famous journalists by the President of India every year since 1989.
- The Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College Kanpur is named after him.
- Ganesh Chowk, a town square in Gorakhpur, is named in his honor.
- Phool Bagh, a park in Kanpur, is also called Ganesh Vidyarthi Udyan.
- The Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi Inter College (GSV Inter College Hathgaon-Fatehpur) is named after him.
- Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Smarak Inter College (GSVS Inter College Maharajganj, UP) is also named in his memory.
- On July 18, 2017, the Uttar Pradesh government renamed Kanpur Airport as Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Airport. This was to honor his contributions to India's independence.
