Stories
Lal Bahadur Shastri: PM had ₹7K, borrowed ₹5K for car; a symbol of simplicity!
- •Today marks the 122nd birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, considered one of India's best leaders.
- •Shastriji borrowed ₹5,000 from a bank to buy a car for his family; his wife Lalita Devi repaid the loan from her pension after his demise.
- •He lost his father in childhood, grew up in poverty, and joined the freedom movement at 16, spending seven years in British jails.
- •Shastri's resignation as Railway Minister, taking moral responsibility for an accident, exemplifies his integrity in public life.
- •Despite reaching the highest office, Shastri maintained his simplicity, owning no house or land, and his life remains an inspiration for honesty and dedication.
Key Questions Answered
When Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in Tashkent in January 1966, the ₹5,000 bank loan he took to buy a Fiat car was still outstanding. Although the government or the bank was ready to waive the loan, his wife Lalita Shastri refused the offer and repaid it completely using her family pension.
Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned from his post as Railway Minister by taking moral responsibility for a major railway accident. This historic resignation is widely regarded as a prime example of accountability in Indian public life.
When Lal Bahadur Shastri decided to buy a Fiat car in 1964 at the insistence of his children, the car cost about ₹12,000, but he only had around ₹7,000 in his bank account. To cover the remaining cost, he took a loan of ₹5,000 from Punjab National Bank.
