Morarji Desai was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979. He held several important posts in the government of India, including Chief Minister of Bombay State, Home Minister, Finance Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, Desai improved relations with Pakistan and China and undid many constitutional amendments made during the Emergency period. However, his government failed to accomplish much due to internal conflicts within the ruling coalition. Desai retired from politics in 1979 at the age of 83.

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2. Morarji Desai

3. Morarji Desai (29 Feb 1896 – 10 April 1995), was a
notable Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime
Minister of India from 1977 - 1979. He was also the first
Prime Minister to head India's first non-Congress
Government. He held many important posts in the
Government of India such as: Chief Minister of Bombay
State, Home Minister, Finance Minister and Deputy
Prime Minister of India. At foreign fronts, Desai holds
international fame for his peace activism and made notable
efforts to initiate peace between two-rival South Asian
states, Pakistan and India. After India's first nuclear
explosion in 1974, Desai helped restore friendly relations
with China and Pakistan, and vowed to avoid armed
conflict such as Indo-Pakistani war of 1971.

4. Desai has the credible distinction of being the only Indian national to
be conferred with Pakistan's highest civilian award,
Nishan-e-Pakistan, which was conferred on him by
President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 in a colorful
ceremony. Domestically, he played crucial role in Indian
nuclear program after it was targeted by major nuclear
powers after conducting a surprise test in 1974. Later, his
policies promoted social, health and administrative
reforms in the country.

5. Early life
Morarji Desai was born into an Anavil Brahmin family in
Bhadeli, Valsad in Bombay Presidency (now in Gujarat).
He underwent his primary schooling in Saurashtra The
Kundla School, Savarkundla now called J.V. Modi
school and later joined Bai Ava Bai High School, Valsad.
After graduating from Wilson College, Mumbai, he joined
the civil service in Gujarat. Desai resigned as deputy
collector of Godhra in May 1930 after being found guilty
of going soft on Hindus during the riots of 1927-28
there.

6. Desai then joined the freedom struggle under
Mahatma Gandhi and joined the civil disobedience
movement against British rule in India. He spent many
years in jail during the freedom struggle and owing to his
sharp leadership skills and tough spirit, he became a
favourite amongst freedom-fighters and an important
leader of the Indian National Congress in Gujarat.
When
provincial elections were held in 1934 and 1937, Desai
was elected and served as the Revenue Minister and
Home Minister of the Bombay Presidency.

7. Social service
Morarji Desai was a Gandhian follower, social worker, institution builder and a great
reformer. He was the
Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith (university established by Mahatma Gandhi). Even during
his term as the Prime
Minister he used to visit and stay at Vidyapith during the month of October. He lived simply
and used to write
post cards himself even when he held the office of Prime Minister. Sardar Patel deputed him
to conduct
meetings of farmers in Kaira district which finally led to the establishment of the Amul
Cooperative movement.
During his rule, he withdrew intervention in Public Distribution System and rationing shops
were literally lost due
to cheap sugar and oil available in the market.

8. Prime Minister of India (1977-79)
After Indira Gandhi decided to lift The Emergency, general elections were held. Janata Party
registered a
landslide victory in the election and Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister. Desai worked
to improve
relations with neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and restored normal relations with China,
for the first time since
the 1962 war. He communicated with Zia-ul-Haq and established friendly relations.
Diplomatic relations were
also re-established with China. His government undid many amendments made to the
constitution during
emergency and made it difficult for any future government to impose national emergency.
However, the Janata
Party coalition, was full of personal and policy friction and thus failed to achieve much
owing to continuous inwrangling
and much controversy. With no party in leadership of the coalition, rival groups vied to
unseat Desai.

9. Retirement and death
In 1979, Raj Narain and Charan Singh pulled out of the Janata Party, forcing Desai to resign
from office and
retire from politics at the age of 83. The chief reason for the collapse was the demand by the
duo and other left
leaning members like Madhu Limaye, Krishan Kant and George Fernandes that no member of
the Janata party
could simultaneously be a member of an alternative social or political organisation. This
attack on dual membership was directed specifically at members of the Janata party who had
been members of the Jan Sangh,
and continued to be members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Jan Sangh's ideological
parent.
Desai campaigned for Janata Party in 1980 General Election as a senior politician but did not
contest the election himself. , In retirement, he lived in Mumbai, and died at the age of 99. He
had been honoured much in his last years as a freedom-fighter of his generation.

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