Tribute: Tribute to Dr Bhai Mahavir

Founder member and first general secretary of Jan Sangh, former Rajya Sabha MP & Governor of Madhya Pradesh passed away in Delhi on December 4

Veteran thinker, scholar, founder member of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and
former Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr Bhai Mahavir passed away in New Delhi on December 3 after a brief
illness. He was 94 and is survived by his two daughters. His wife had passed away on December 14, 2012.
Born on October 30, 1922 in Lahore, now in Pakistan, Bhai Mahavir did MA and Ph.D in Economics and also studied Law (LLB). He came in contact with the RSS in 1928 and later became a Pracharak in 1942. He worked in that capacity in Jalandhar for 2 years. He did the Sangh work in Lahore from 1944 to 47.
Bhai Mahavir was the son of Bhai Parmanand, senior leader of Arya Samaj and Hindu Mahasabha. He grew up with Arya Samaj background and studied at Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College, Lahore. After the Partition, he settled down in Jalandhar and worked as a Lecturer. He moved to Delhi in 1956 and worked as a Lecturer in Punjab University College established for the Punjabi refugees. Towards the end of 1950, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee gathered in Delhi a core group of activists for forming the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Bhai Mahavir was among this group, along with Vasantrao Oak and Balraj Madhok. Three of them founded Punjab-Delhi unit of Jan Sangh in Jalandhar on May  27, 1951, which later became part of
the nationwide ‘Bharatiya’ Jana Sangh established on 21 October. Bhai Mahavir was appointed first general secretary of the Jan Sangh and served in that capacity for one year, succeeded by Deendayal Upadhyaya in 1952. He served as Member of Rajya Sabha
for two terms and Madhya Pradesh Governor from April 1998 to May 2003.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his tweet said, “The demise of Bhai Mahavir is saddening. His commitment towards India’s regeneration was immense. May his soul rest in peace.” Union Minister of I&B Shri M Venkaiah Naidu also paid tribute. In his tribute BJP president Shri Amit Shah said, “Bhai Mahavir was very hard working and committed to the
ideology. His entire life was dedicated to the nation, ideology and the social service. A professor by profession Dr Bhai Mahavir has written many
important books and also played a key role in expanding the Jan Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party. His was
inspiration for many workers. His demise is a irreparable loss not only for the BJP but also for the entire nation.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources and Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra and Madhya Pradesh State BJP
president expressed deep condolence on his demise. “As Governor of Madhya Pradesh he served the people of the State. His life was dedicated to
betterment of the society and the nation. He inherited the samskars of making sacrifices for the nation from his
family,” said Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in his tribute. Rajya Sabha on December 4 paid condolence to its
former Member. Madhya Pradesh Assembly also on December 6 paid tribute the former Governor.