Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur: Unknown Facts about 11th Chief Minister of Bihar

24 JAN 2024

Credit: Google Images

Credit: Google Images

Here are 10 things to know about the two-time former Bihar chief minister: 

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By choosing to carry out the Mungeri Lal Commission's recommendations in the late 1970s, Karpoori Thakur planted the seeds for government job reservations for underprivileged groups.

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Between December 1970 and June 1971, again between December 1977 and April 1979, Thakur served as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Ram Nath Thakur, the son of Thakur, is now the General Secretary of the JD(U) led by Nitish Kumar and a Rajya Sabha MP.

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In memory of Thakur, Karpuri Gramme was renamed from Pitaunjhia, his birthplace.

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Because of his pro-poor stance and commitment to the cause of the oppressed, Thakur was known as Jan Nayak, or the hero of the people.

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Thakur, who passed away 35 years ago in 1988 at the age of 64, joined the Quit India movement after becoming involved in the independence war.

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He is honoured by the Jan Nayak Express train, which travels between Darbhanga in Bihar and Amritsar. 

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Several prominent Bihar politicians, such as Lalu Prasad Yadav and the current chief minister Nitish Kumar, were mentored by Thakur.

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English was eliminated from the list of required subjects for matriculation exams by Thakur when he was chief minister. 

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He joined the Bihar Assembly in 1952 as a member of the Socialist Party and went on to become the first non-Congress socialist chief minister of Bihar as well as its deputy chief minister. He would never lose an election. 

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He was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Mandal Commission's recommendations, which promoted OBC reservation in the 1990s, to be put into effect.