
Lal Bahadur Shastri Death Anniversary: 10 facts about the former prime minister of India
Lal Bahadur Shastri, India's second Prime Minister, died in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on January 11, 1966 after he signed the Tashkent Declaration, ending the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The official cause of death was a heart attack. However, the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery, with persistent rumors of poisoning.
No official investigation occurred in the 50 years following his death.
Shastri served as Prime Minister from 1964 until his death. He played a significant role in India's independence movement, facing arrest for protesting British rule. A close follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he was known for his simplicity and honesty.
He coined the popular slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" (Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer). In 1965, Shastri decided to return land captured by the Indian Army in the Rann of Kutch to Pakistan, promoting peace and responding to China's claim on Arunachal Pradesh. India observes Shastri's death anniversary as National Integrity Day.
Here are 10 facts about India's second prime minister
<div data-placement=«Mid Article Thumbnails» data-target_type=«mix» data-mode=«thumbnails-mid» style=«min-height:400px; margin-bottom:12px;» class=«wdt-taboola» id=«taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-117136744»> - Shastri was born in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh. He is known for the slogan, “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.”
- He died of heart failure on January 11, 1966, in Tashkent, then part of the USSR. The circumstances surrounding his death remain a source of speculation.
- Shastri led India after the 1962 war with China. He earned the title “Shastri” from Kashi Vidyapeeth university upon graduating in 1925.
- As a student, he frequently crossed the Ganga River.
- As Uttar Pradesh's Minister of Police and Transport Control, he