Morarji Desai

Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India was born on 29th February 1896. During his long political career, he held many important posts in government such as the chief minister of Bombay State, the home minister, the finance minister, the deputy prime minister and finally the Prime Minister of India in the year 1977.

After the death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966, Desai was a strong contestant for the post of Prime Minister, but defeated by Indira Gandhi. He was appointed as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in Indira Gandhi's cabinet, until 1969. In 1969, Indian National Congress split into two factions, Congress (I) and Congress (O) and Desai became a part of the anti Indira faction Congress (O). In 1977, the opposition contested union elections in one umbrella of the Janata Party, and won the 1977 election. Morarji became the first non-Congress Prime Minister in 1977.

Morarji did not contest the General Election held in 1980 but campaigned for the Janata Party as a senior politician. When former French Prime Minister Antoine Pinay died on 13 December 1994, Desai became the world's oldest living former head of government. He was much honoured in his last years as a freedom-fighter of his generation. Desai was a, social worker, Gandhian follower and a great reformer. He was the chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith. Even during his term as the prime minister he used to visit and stay at Vidyapith during the month of October. During his Prime ministerial term, he withdrew intervention in Public Distribution System and rationing shops were literally lost due to availability of oil and sugar at a very low price. Morarji Desai died on 10 April 1995, at the age of 99, and was cremated at the Shantivan, which is located in New Delhi, north of Raj Ghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.