Pandit Chatur Narain Malviya

MALVIYA, PANDIT CHATUR NARAIN, B.A., LL.B., Cong. (Bhopal—Raisen—1952): S. of Pandit Sunder Lal Malviya; B. Phanda, Tehsil Sehore (Bhopal), October 2, 1909; ed. at Sulaimania Hindi Primary School, Wahidia Technical Middle School, Alexandra Jahangiria High School, Bhopal and Central Hindu College, Benaras; m. Shrimati Sarju Devi, 1930; 1 S. and 1 D.; Organised Caste Sammelan, 1927; Organised movement against untouchability, 1930; Organised Stri Rakhshan Sabha, 1933; General Secretary, Bhopal Hindu Sabha, 1933; Elected Member of Bhopal Legislature, 1937; Organised Hindu Conference, Bhopal, 1937, broke ban on the Conference and was convicted for 18 months; President, Bhopal State People’s Conference, 1938; Suffered internment for 1 year in labour movement, 1939; Detained in 1940 for 1 year under Defence of Bhopal Act and after that convicted for 3 years under the Act; Joined ‘Quit India’ movement, 1942; Organised collection of Shri Kasturba National Memorial Fund, 1944-45; Revived Bhopal State People’s Conference, 1946; Organised Bhopal State Women’s Conference, 1946; Organised movement for the accession of Bhopal, 1947 and started movement for responsible Government in Bhopal; Leader, Congress Party in the Ministry and Deputy Prime Minister, Bhopal, 1948; Prime Minister, Bhopal, December, 1948—January, 1949; Honorary Secretary, Gandhi National Memorial Fund, Bhopal, 1943-49; Started Gandhi Ashram, 1949; Keenly interested in the spread of Basic education and welfare of Harijans and Cottage Industries; Toured China in 1952 and Hungary, Poland and a few other countries of Europe in 1953 and studied their social, educational and agricultural problems in particular.

Special interest: Journalism and Agriculture. 

Recreation: Music.

Publications: “A report on Jain Hindu Temple, Bhopal”; “Why responsible Governments in the States”; “Food Crisis in Bhopal”; “History of Political Evolution in Bhopal”; “A Handbook of peasants”.

Permanent address: Gandhi Ashram, Nishat Afza, Bhopal.