Jai Jawan Jai Kisan
Jai Jawan Jai Kisan (English:
"Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer") was a slogan given to India by the Prime Minister of
India Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 at a public gathering at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi.[1][2]
Soon after Shastri took over the prime ministership of India
after Nehru's
death, India was attacked by Pakistan. At the same time there was scarcity
of food grains in the country. Shastri gave the slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan to enthuse the soldiers to defend
India and simultaneously cheering farmers to do their best to increase the
production of food grains to reduce dependence on import. It became a very
popular slogan.[1][3]
In popular culture
After the Pokaran tests in 1998, Atal Bihari Vajpayee added Jai Vigyan (Hail Science) to the
slogan to underline the importance of knowledge in India's progress.[4]
During the acceptance speech of Sunil Bharti Mittal delivered at Teen Murti Bhavan on 15 December 2009 after receiving
the 10th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award from the President of India, the
Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Delhi, Dr Kailash Chandra
Mishra, restated the slogan as
Jai Jawan! Jai Kissan! Jai Vigyan! Jai Vidwan!
Jai Vidwan means "hail the learned" to signify
knowledge working as the driver of India's current significant economic growth.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India) commemorated Shastri on his 48th
martyr's day:
Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was one of those great Indians who has
left an indelible impression on our collective life. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri's
contribution to our public life were unique in that they were made in the
closest proximity to the life of the common man in India. Shri Lal Bahadur
Shastri was looked upon by Indians as one of their own, one who shared their
ideals, hopes and aspirations. His achievements were looked upon not as the
isolated achievements of an individual but of our society collectively.
Under his leadership India
faced and repulsed the Pakistani invasion of 1965. It is not only a matter of
pride for the Indian Army but also for every citizen of the country. Shri Lal
Bahadur Shastri's slogan Jai
Jawan Jai Kisan reverberates
even today through the length and breadth of the country. Underlying this is
the inner-most sentiments 'Jai Hindustan'. The war of 1965 was fought and won
for our self-respect and our national prestige. For using our Defence Forces
with such admirable skill, the nation remains beholden to Shri Lal Bahadur
Shastri. He will be remembered for all times to come for his large heartedness
and public service.[5]
In 2015, a film based
on Shastri's life was
released which was named after this slogan.
1.
b
