Mahamana Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya

A staunch nationalist, journalist, social worker, lawyer, statesman, educationist and learned scholar of ancient Indian culture, Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya stands as a colossal figure in the history of the nation. He represented a unique amalgamation of the ancient and the modern, of the Eastern and the Western cultures. He was a true sage in his beliefs and his profound religious attitude steered his actions but he was open to modern ideas. His keenness to promote the scientific and technological studies and his words & actions show how he had absorbed the best of civilizations. His remarkable contribution to the freedom struggle made him one of the prominent leaders of the nation. Amongst the many of his great achievements, Banaras Hindu University stands as the living testimony of Mahamana's life and vision. In recognition of his service to the nation, Mahamana has been conferred with the highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna posthumously by the Government of India in the year 2014.

Malaviya was a firm believer in the plurality of India. During his Presidential address in the Lahore session of Congress in 1909, he said -"I have faith in the future of my country. I have no doubt that the policy of the preferential treatment of one community over another and all other obstacles which keep the great communities of India from acting together, will slowly but steadily disappear, and that under the guidance of the benign Providence feelings of patriotism and brotherliness will continue to increase among Hindus, Mohemmedans, Christians and Parsees, until they shall flow like a smooth but mighty river welding the people of all communities into a great and united nation, which shall realize a glorious future for India and secure to it a place of honor among the nations of the world."

(The website is a tribute to Mahamana and has been launched with the financial support from Ministry of Culture, Government of India)

(Source: Mahamana Malaviyaji Birth Centenary Commemoration Volume. 25th December, 1961)