Ethical Lessons from Lal Bahadur Shastri

Ethical Lessons from Lal Bahadur Shastri

Context: Recently, we celebrated Birth anniversary of Shastri ji on 2nd October. It is apt to recollect some of the ethical lessons from his life.

About:
• Lal Bahadur Shastri was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the second Prime Minister of India from 1964 to 1966.
• As Prime Minister, Shastri promoted the White Revolution – a national campaign to increase the production and supply of milk – by supporting the Amul milk co-operative of Anand, Gujarat and creating the National Dairy Development Board.

What ethical lessons can we learn from Shastri ji?
• Against societal prejudice and discrimination: Shastri was born Lal Bahadur Shrivastava. Being against the prevailing caste system, he decided to drop his surname. The title ‘Shastri’ refers to a ‘scholar’ or a person, adept in the holy scriptures.
• Accountability, Integrity: He served as the Railway Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s Cabinet and was so conscientious that he resigned following a train accident at Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu in 1956.
• Leadership Qualities: When the Opposition brought a motion of no-confidence against his government in September 1964, Shastri candidly accepted its successes and failures – thus taking it as constructive criticism.
• Practice before preaching: In 1965, India was embroiled in a war with Pakistan and the country was facing an acute food shortage. He asked his family to give up a meal a day. It is only after he was sure that his own family could survive this he announced on All India Radio, urging the public to sacrifice one meal at least once a week.
• Moral public and private life: Shastriji had a Chevrolet Impala car for official use, which his son once used for a drive. When Shastri learned about it, he asked his driver to check the distance the car was used for and later deposited the money in the government account.
• Believed in “Sheelam Param Bhushanam”: In his maiden independence day speech, he had laid emphasis on character and moral strength – not only for personal growth but for the development of the nation.