Remembering Former President of India, VV Giri on His 125 Birth Anniversary

Guwahati, August 10, 2019:

Varahagiri Venkata Giri better known as VV Giri served as the fourth President of India. He was born on August 10, 1894. Today is the 125 birth anniversary of the fourth President of India.

VV Giri served as the President of India from August 24, 1969, to August 24, 1974.

Giri joined the Swarajya Party founded by Pandit Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das and was a member of the Central Legislative Assembly for three years from 1927 to 1930.

In 1967, V V Giri was invited to be the Vice-President. And after the death of the then President Dr. Zakir Hussain on May 3, 1969, VV Giri took the charge as the President.

Following his early education in India, Giri moved to Ireland to study law.

Giri was called to the Bar during World War I and returned to India in 1916. After returning, he enrolled at the Madras High Court. He Giri joined the Indian National Congress party and attended its Lucknow session and joined the Home Rule League.

He abandoned his flourishing legal career in response to Mahatama Gandhi’s Non-cooperation Movement in 1920. He was arrested for the first time in 1922 for protesting against the sale of liquor.

In 1923, he became one of the founders of the All India Railway men’s Federation.

Giri was twice elected President of the Trade Union Congress, in 1926 and 1942 respectively.

Giri attended many international gatherings as a leading trade unionist. He attended the International Labour Conference at Geneva in 1927 and the Trade Union Congress at Geneva. Giri attended the Second Round Table Conference in London as the Workers' Representative in 1931-1932.

Giri was a member of the Indian Legislative Assembly from 1934 to 1937. Giri made his mark as a forceful speaker, especially on labour questions in the house.

During the General Election in Madras 1935, after the introduction of the Act of 1935, Congress fielded Giri as its candidate in Bobbili against the most powerful political personality, Raja of Bobbili in the Madras Presidency. After the election, Congress formed the Ministry in Madras in 1937, Giri was included into the Cabinet and given the portfolio of Labour.

After the General Election of 1946 in Madras, Giri was once again taken into the Cabinet with the portfolio of Labour.

Giri was a member of the Lok Sabha from 1952 to 1957 and from 1952 to 1954 he served as the Union Labour Minister.

The former president also served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore.

“Industrial Relations” and “Labour Problems in Indian Industry” are the two nooks written by VV Giri.

Giri was married to Saraswati Bai and the couple had 14 children.

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