Balwant Rai Mehta

Balwant Rai Mehta was born on 19 February 1899 in Bhavnagar, a city in the princely state of Bhavnagar in British India. He belonged to a wealthy and influential family of merchants and landlords. His father, Gopalji Mehta, was a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. His mother, Maniben Mehta, was a social worker and a freedom fighter. He received his early education from Alfred High School in Bhavnagar and later joined Gujarat College in Ahmedabad for his intermediate course. He then went to England for higher studies and obtained his degree in law from the University of London in 1923. He also became a barrister at the Inner Temple in London. He returned to India in 1924 and started practicing law in Bhavnagar. He joined politics as a member of the Indian National Congress and participated in various movements and campaigns against the British colonial rule. He was arrested several times for his involvement in civil disobedience and quit India movements. He also played an active role in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union after independence. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946 and was one of the signatories of the Constitution of India. He became the Chief Minister of Saurashtra state in 1952 after the merger of several princely states. He held this position till 1956 when Saurashtra was merged with Bombay state. He then became a member of the Bombay Legislative Assembly and served as the leader of opposition from 1957 to 1960. He became the Chief Minister of Gujarat state in 1962 after Gujarat was carved out of Bombay state. He held this position till his death in 1965. He is widely regarded as one of the most visionary and dynamic leaders of Gujarat who initiated several reforms and policies to transform the state into a model of development and progress. He promoted agriculture, irrigation, industrialization, education, health and infrastructure development in the state. He also established many institutions of excellence such as Gujarat University, Gujarat Vidyapith, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL). He is also considered as the 'Architect of Panchayati Raj' due to his contributions towards democratic decentralisation. He chaired the committee set up by Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service and to suggest measures for their better working. The committee submitted its report in November 1957 and recommended the establishment of a three-tier system of local self-government at village, block and district levels. This system came to be known as Panchayati Raj and was implemented by various states with some modifications. He died on 19 September 1965 when his plane was shot down by Pakistani fighter jets near Sonepat district of Haryana during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He was travelling from Delhi to Ahmedabad along with his wife Sharda Devi Mehta, three members of his staff, a journalist and two crew members. His death was mourned by the nation and he was cremated with full state honors in Ahmedabad. He was posthumously awarded the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors in India, in 1976. He is remembered as one of the greatest leaders and reformers of Gujarat who shaped its destiny and development. His life and achievements have been documented in several books and films. He is also honored by various institutions and organizations that bear his name or have statues and portraits of him.