Mahendra Mohan Choudhury (12 April 1908 – 27 December 1982) was a freedom fighter and politician from Nagaon,

Undivided Kamrup district Undivided Kamrup district is a former administrative district located in Western Assam from which Kamrup Rural (2003), Kamrup Metropolitan (2003), Barpeta (1983), Nalbari (1985) and Baksa (2004) districts were formed. It was announced in January ...

(now Barpeta district) of

Western Assam Lower Assam division is one of the 5 administrative divisions of Assam. It was formed in 1874, comprising Undivided Kamrup district of Western Assam, undivided Darrang and Nagoan districts of Central Assam and Khasi & Jaintia hills of Meghalay ...

. He was Chief Minister of

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

from 1970 to 1972. He also served as governor of

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

Early life

Mahendra Mohan Choudhury was born on 12 April 1908 in

Nagaon Nagaon (previously Nowgong; Assamese নগাঁও), is a town and a municipal board in Nagaon district in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated east of Guwahati. History This division was organised on the both banks of Kalang river by ...

in an Assamese family. He did his graduation in Arts and subsequently completed his

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

Politics

A great persona and a true

Gandhian The followers of Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest figure of the Indian independence movement, are called Gandhians. Gandhi's legacy includes a wide range of ideas ranging from his dream of ideal India (or ''Rama Rajya)'', economics, environmentalism, ...

, he fought for the

independence of India The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

during freedom movement and went to jail thrice in 1932, 1941 and in 1945 respectively. He was a member of Assam Vidhan Sabha (1946–1952), Parliamentary Secretary (1947), State Minister (1951, 1955), President of Assam Congress Committee, President of Assam Vidhan Sabha (1967), Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly (1959-1967), Cabinet Minister (1967–1970),

Chief Minister of Assam The chief minister of Assam, an Indian state, is the head of the Government of Assam. As per the Constitution of India, the governor is the state's ''de jure'' head, but ''de facto'' executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following e ...

(1970–1972) and Governor of Punjab.

Works

He wrote books, viz. ''Mahatma Gandhi'' and ''The Philosophy of Binova Bhabe''. He was associated with many socio-religious institutions like Sankardev-Kristi Vikash Samiti, Gita Samaj, Madhupur Satra etc. Mahendra Mohan Choudhury was also instrumental in founding the Saint Sankaradeva Chair at Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, which had contributed immensely in acquainting the pan-Indian community of scholars with the Life and Works of the Saint.

Personal life and death

Choudhury had a son, Sourindra Mohan Choudhury. Mahendra Mohan Choudhury died in

Gauhati Medical College and Hospital The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, the second medical college to be established in Assam, is also a health care institution. It provides medical education at undergraduate, postgraduate and superspecialty levels. History Dr. John Ber ...

following a heart attack on 27 December 1982.''Data India'', Press Institute of India, 1983 - India, p. 60 Former Governor of Punjab and former Chief Minister of Assam Mahendra Mohan Choudhury (74) died in Gauhati's medical college hospital Dec. 27 following a heart attack. Mahendra Mohan Choudhury had six children, 2 sons and four daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudhry, Mahendra Mohan People from Barpeta district Kamrupi people 1982 deaths Indian independence activists from Assam Governors of Punjab, India Chief Ministers of Assam 1908 births Speakers of the Assam Legislative Assembly Chief ministers from Indian National Congress Assamese people

Early life

Politics

Works

Personal life and death

See also

References