Sep 13, 2024
By: Prerna Tyagi
Credit: BCCL
Many of India’s most influential political leaders found their voices in student politics. Let's explore the journey of some key figures who transitioned from student activism to the national stage.
Credit: BCCL
Sitaram Yechury was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India. He was an active leader in student politics as the All India President of the Students' Federation of India (SFI). He pursued economics from St. Stephen's College and Jawaharlal Nehru University and was even arrested during The Emergency in 1975.
Credit: BCCL
Arun Jaitley was a prominent student leader for the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) as a DU student. His tenure as the president of the Delhi University Students’ Union in 1974 coincided with the nationwide movement against the Emergency, during which he was detained for 19 months. He was a key figure in the BJP and was India’s Finance Minister from 2014 to 2019.
Credit: BCCL
Nitish Kumar’s political roots trace back to his involvement in student activism during the JP Movement led by JP Narayan between 1974 and 1977. Influenced by socialist leaders, Kumar’s dedication to political reform began during his student years. He later became Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister.
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Ashok Gehlot’s student activism began during his early years with the National Students' Union of India (NSUI). Gehlot's organisational skills were first recognised by Indira Gandhi, which later earned him the position of the first state president of NSUI, setting the stage for his long tenure as Rajasthan’s Chief Minister.
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Banerjee’s political activism began at the young age of 15 when she was a student at Jogamaya Devi College. Her establishment of the Chhatra Parishad Unions within the Congress party’s student wing was a turning point in her career. Banerjee later broke away to form the All India Trinamool Congress and became the first female CM of West Bengal in 2011.
Credit: BCCL
Kanhaiya Kumar rose to prominence as the president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU). His involvement in the All India Students Federation (AISF), thrust him into the national spotlight. After completing his PhD, Kanhaiya transitioned into mainstream politics, joining the Communist Party of India and later the Indian National Congress.
Credit: BCCL
Ajay Maken's political career took off when he became the first NSUI candidate to be elected president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 1985. His rise from student politics to the national stage was marked by his election to the Parliament of India and his appointment as a cabinet minister in the government of PM Manmohan Singh.
Credit: BCCL
Lalu Prasad Yadav became the President of Patna University’s student union in 1973. A central figure in the JP Movement, Lalu was elected to the Lok Sabha at the age of 29. He later served as Bihar’s CM and as the Union Railway Minister (2004-09).
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Sushil Kumar Modi started as a student activist in Patna University, where he joined the Bihar Student Movement led by JP Narayan. He protested against the Emergency and was heavily involved with the ABVP. He later served as the Deputy Chief Minister alongside Nitish Kumar for over a decade.
Credit: BCCL