Remembering Giani Zail Singh: The seventh president of India, Giani Zail Singh is remembered as the only Sikh politician who took the president's oath. He had a notable political background and served the nation as president from 1982 to 87. The member of the Indian National Congress (INC) was a loyalist to former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi. Singh was well-known for his unwavering loyalty to her and was born as Jarnail Singh on May 5 1916 in Punjab's Faridkot district.
Today, President Droupadi Murmu paid tributes to former President Giani Zail Singh on his birth anniversary, in Rairangpur.
Here are some interesting insights from his life:
- Because of having great knowledge of the Sikh doctrines and philosophies, Zail Singh earned the 'Giani' title which means 'a learned person'. He also learned the holy book of Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib.
- Impressed with his public speaking, the authorities of the Shaheed Sikh Missionary College gave him admission even though he wasn't able to fulfil the minimum qualification of a matriculation pass.
- He was fluent in Urdu as well as Punjabi language.
- Singh established the Praja Mandal in 1983 in his home district of Faridkot. Praja Mandal was the political organisation allied with Congress.
- Singh was sentenced to five years in jail because of the insurrectionary act.
- He served the nation as a member of the Rajya Member from 1965 till 1962. Before this, he took oath as Minister of Agriculture in 1951.
- In 1972, Zail Singh was elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab. This was the turning point for his political career.
- He was appointed as the cabinet minister of then-PM Indira Gandhi in the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1980.
- He was unanimously chosen as the president on July 25, 1982.
