Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar
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G.V. Mavalankar in June 1942
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| 1st Speaker of the Lok Sabha | |
| In office 15 May 1952 – 27 February 1956 |
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| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Deputy | M. A. Ayyangar |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Succeeded by | M. A. Ayyangar |
| Constituency | Ahmedabad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 November 1888 Baroda, Baroda State, British India |
| Died | 27 February 1956 (aged 67) Ahmedabad, Bombay State, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Sushila Ganesh Mavalankar |
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As of 5 July, 2009
Source: [1] |
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Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar (born November 27, 1888 – died February 27, 1956) was a very important Indian leader. People often called him Dadasaheb. He worked hard for India's freedom. After India became independent, he became the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is like the main house of India's Parliament, where laws are made. His son, Purushottam Mavalankar, also became a member of the Lok Sabha later on.
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Early Life and Education
Ganesh Mavalankar came from a Marathi family. He lived and worked in Ahmedabad, which was once the capital of Gujarat. His family was originally from a place called Mavalange in the Ratnagiri district.
He started his education in places like Rajapur. In 1902, he moved to Ahmedabad for more studies. He earned his B.A. degree in science from Gujarat College in Ahmedabad in 1908.
After that, he studied law in Bombay and finished his law exams in 1912. He started working as a lawyer in 1913. Soon, he met famous leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.
Mavalankar was very active in his community. He became the honorary secretary of the Gujarat Education Society in 1913. He also served as secretary of the Gujarat Sabha in 1916.
He was first elected to the Ahmedabad Municipality in 1919. He served as a member of the Municipality for several terms.
Joining the Freedom Movement
Mavalankar joined India's fight for freedom with the Non-Cooperation Movement. This movement encouraged Indians to peacefully refuse to cooperate with British rule. He became the secretary of the Gujarat Provincial Congress Committee from 1921 to 1922.
Later, he briefly joined the Swaraj Party in the 1920s. But he soon returned to support Mahatma Gandhi's Salt Satyagraha in 1930. This was a famous protest against the British salt tax.
In 1934, the Congress party decided to take part in elections for the legislative councils. Mavalankar was elected to the Bombay Province Legislative Assembly. He then became its Speaker in 1937. He held this important position from 1937 to 1946. In 1946, he was also elected to the Central Legislative Assembly.
Leading the Parliament
Mavalankar was the President of the Central Legislative Assembly until India gained independence. This happened at midnight on August 14-15, 1947. After independence, the Central Legislative Assembly stopped existing. The Constituent Assembly of India took over the job of governing India.
Right after independence, Mavalankar led a special committee. This committee was formed on August 20, 1947. Its job was to figure out if the Constituent Assembly should have two separate roles. One role was to make the new constitution. The other role was to act as a law-making body.
Based on his committee's advice, these two roles were separated. It was decided that a Speaker would lead the Assembly when it was making laws. Mavalankar was chosen as the Speaker of the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) on November 17, 1947.
When India adopted its Constitution on November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) changed its name. It became the Provisional Parliament. Mavalankar became the Speaker of this Provisional Parliament. He continued in this role until the First Lok Sabha was formed in 1952.
First Speaker of Lok Sabha
On May 15, 1952, after India's first general elections, Mavalankar was elected as the Speaker of the first Lok Sabha. He was representing the Ahmedabad area for the Congress party. He won with a large number of votes.
In January 1956, Mavalankar had a heart attack and resigned from his position. He sadly passed away on February 27, 1956, in Ahmedabad, at the age of 67.
His wife, Sushila Mavalankar, won the election to fill his seat after his death. His son, Purushottam Mavalankar, also won this seat in a later election in 1972.
Contributions to Education
Mavalankar played a big part in improving education in Gujarat. He worked with Sardar Patel and others to guide educational efforts. He was a co-founder of the Ahmadabad Education Society. He helped start this society with Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Amritlal Hargovindas.
He also worked with Gandhi, Patel, and others to propose a university like Gujarat University. They suggested this idea as early as the 1920s. The university was finally founded in 1949, thanks to their vision.
