The only Indian vice president to die while in office
In short: Krishan Kant’s life was a masterclass in political evolution, moving from a chemical engineer to a revolutionary activist. He survived a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament and navigated the turbulent waters of independence, only to hold the nation's second-highest office until his final days.
Born in 1927 to independence activists, Krishan Kant was radicalized early. At just 16 years old, he was imprisoned in Lahore during the 1942 Quit India movement alongside his parents. This foundation of activism shaped a career defined by principled opposition. Following liberation, he spent a short period employed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research as a researcher prior to joining the Congress party as a socialist politician.
Kant’s political journey was marked by significant friction with the establishment. Despite his initial ties to the Congress, he was expelled in 1975 for organizing a public event against the Emergency. He subsequently joined the Janata Party, where he became a pivotal figure in internal power dynamics. Notably, he was responsible for the 1979 collapse of the Morarji Desai government by demanding that no member of the Janata Party could hold dual membership with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
His later years were defined by high-level governance and a brush with violence. He served as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1990 to 1997 and was elected Vice President in 1997. He died in office in July 2002 at the age of 75, an event Prime Minister Vajpayee described as the 'end of an era.'
Kant's legacy is one of transition—from the struggle against British rule to the complexities of democratic governance. He remains a singular figure in Indian history, the only vice president to pass away while serving the nation.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Krishan Kant
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