Remembering the 8th President of India – R. Venkataraman

R. Venkataraman was a lawyer, who entered politics through participation in the freedom struggle. After serving in the ministries of industry, defence and finance, he served as the Vice President and 8th President of India.

Ramaswamy Venkataraman; Source: Wikipedia

Ramaswamy Venkataraman was the 8th President of India, serving from 1987 to 1992. In 1910, he was born in the Tanjore district of the former Madras presidency of British India. Here, he studied at a government school, after which he proceeded to pursue a degree in economics, and later in legal practice. He graduated from the Loyola College and the Law College in Madras to start practising as a lawyer in the High Court in the same presidency, followed by the Supreme Court.

As a youngster enrolled in college, Venkataraman started participating in anti-British protests and activities. He was an active participant in the Quit India Movement and a member of the Indian National Congress.

His involvement in the Quit India Movement landed the lawyer in jail under detention for two years.

After India attained independence, Venkataraman’s legal expertise made him a reputed leader – he was a part of the constituent assembly responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution, and was also sent overseas to defend the case of Indian nationals being charged with an alleged conspiracy with the Japanese during the latter’s occupation of Singapore and Malaysia in the second World War.

Thus began R. Venkataraman’s journey with the politics of independent India. Apart from contributing his legal opinion regarding the Constitution, he became involved in the ministry of industries from 1967 to 1971. He was also elected as the Union Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Defence under Indira Gandhi’s government.

Given such a glorious, qualified track record, R. Venkataraman was nominated to serve as the 7th Vice President of India from 1984 to 1987.

In 1987, he became the 8th President of India, and served till 1992, in the congregation with four different Prime Ministers.

Sadly, at the beginning of 2009, the accomplished politician was admitted to the hospital. His condition kept growing worse over the days, and he passed away on January 27, 2009, as a result of multiple organ failure. To respect the demise of this Indian leader, Republic Day celebrations that coincided with his funeral were called off immediately.

Venkataraman also initiated India's first missile programme, named 'Integrated Guided Missile Development Program', for which APJ Abdul Kalam was appointed as the programme head.