Shyam Sundar Shyam (7 December 1923 – 2 February 1985) was a prominent leader of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

and a significant political figure of

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

and

Vindhya Pradesh Vindhya Pradesh was a former state of India. It was created in 1948 as Union of Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand States from the territories of the princely states in the eastern portion of the former Central India Agency. It was named as Vindhya P ...

. He is notably recognized as the first

Member of the Legislative Assembly A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several nation ...

(MLA) from

Datia Datia, is a town and the district headquarter of the Datia District of Gwalior Chambal region in north Madhya Pradesh, a state in Central India. Datia is world famous for Pitambara Peeth, a shakti pilgrimage site. It is an ancient town, ...

Personal life

Shyam Sundar Shyam was born in

. He started his career in

politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

with

He then filed several elections of the Vidhan Sabha of Datia and became the first elected

Member of Legislative Assembly A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several national ...

(MLA) from Datia. After Shyam Sundar Shyam's death on February 2, 1985, his son

Rajendra Bharti Rajendra Bharti is an Indian politician and a leader of the Indian National Congress. He has been elected thrice as a Member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Datia Vidhansabha constituency, in 1985, 1998 and currently servin ...

contested the election from

and wo

Early life and education

Shyam Sundar Shyam was born into a family with a strong educational background. His grandfather, Mathura Prasad, was a businessman under British Raj, British rule. His father, Shri Murlidhar, was a well-known geography teacher at Lord Reading High School in Datia and mother Brijrani was a housewife. Shyam Sundar Shyam married Savitri Shyam in 1941, and together they had nine children. Shyam's academic journey began at home, followed by education at the Hindi Middle School in

Allahabad Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...

and high school in

, where he graduated in 1940. He pursued higher studies at Government Inter College,

Jhansi Jhansi ( ) is a historic city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (Toshan) Balwant Nagar was the old name of Jhansi. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand, on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme ...

(1942), and later completed his

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

and

LL.B. A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...

from

Agra University Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, formerly Agra University, is an Autonomous University located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The university, formerly named as Agra University, was later named after Bhimrao Ambedkar. Affiliated colleges The U ...

. In 1955, he served as a teacher in

High School before being promoted to Deputy Education Inspector. A multi-faceted personality, Shyam Sundar Shyam excelled in various fields during his student life, including

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

and

public service A public service or service of general (economic) interest is any service intended to address the needs of aggregate members of a community, whether provided directly by a public sector agency, via public financing available to private busin ...

. His involvement in the 1942 national movement led to his arrest, marking the beginning of his lifelong commitment to public service. At the time of arrest of

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and stateswoman who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 un ...

in 1978 he was arrested again, this time alongside his son

, who later became an MLA from

Political career

Shyam Sundar Shyam was an active participant in the Quit India Movement, a significant part of India's struggle for independence from British Raj, British rule. While employed in a government job in

, Shyam Sundar joined the movement and, along with Narayan Khare, went underground for 34 days to evade British authorities. During this time, Shyam Sundar traveled from village to village, spreading

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

's message of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience. His dedication to the cause played a crucial role in mobilizing support for the Quit India Movement in 1942, contributing to the broader effort to end

British colonial rule The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts establish ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. Shyam Sundar Shyam first contested an election in 1952 and won consecutively, serving as an MLA from 1952 to 1957 and then again from 1957 to 1962. He later served three more terms from 1967 to 1972, 1977 to 1980 and from 1980 to 198

He was also the vice president of the

Vidhan Sabha, with the first meeting held on April 21, 1952, and held various key positions, including membership in the Bundelkhand Congress Committee, the V.P.C.C. Executive, and as an observer for the

Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) is the Pradesh Congress Committee (state wing) of the Indian National Congress (INC) serving in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and cam ...

during the 1962 elections and in 1969-70 also chosen as the leader of pragati-sheel dal. Elected to the Vidhan Sabha in 1952, Shyam Sundar Shyam served as

Deputy Speaker Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spain ...

of the

Assembly. He chaired several important committees, including the

Public Accounts Committee A public accounts committee (PAC) is a committee within a legislature whose role is to study public audits, invite ministers, permanent secretaries or other ministry officials to the committee for questioning, and report on their findings subseque ...

, the Estimates Committee and the

Committee of Privileges A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly or other form of organization. A committee may not itself be considered to be a form of assembly or a decision-making body. Usually, an assembly o ...

. His tenure saw significant contributions to legislative procedures and governance, earning him respect and admiration across the political spectrum. His other notable roles included being a member of the Rajya Praja Mandal (1942-43), the Bundelkhand Congress Committee (1948-49) and serving as the first administrator of

. Additionally, he was a political advisor to the prime minister of Vindhya Pradesh in 1948-49 and being a pioneer for bringing the Rajghat Project in 1977 to benefit the folk of

Progressive politics

Shyam Sundar was elected as the chairman of the Progressive Legislative Group in the

Vidhan Sabha for the session 1969-70. In this role, he championed the cause of

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

, economic upliftment and the progress of suppressed communities. His leadership was marked by a strong stance against

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

, reflecting his commitment to

democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

and

secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...

. He once stated, "We are committed to the cause of democracy, socialism and secularism. Our primary duty is to eradicate feudalism." The late 1960s were a period of significant political realignment in India, marked by the emergence of the Progressive Vidhayak Dal (PVD). Under Shyam Sundar's leadership, the PVD was established as a counterforce to Rajmata Scindia's faction, advocating for democracy, socialism and secularism. The PVD was a diverse coalition, comprising legislators from various backgrounds, including defectors from the

Rajmata ''Rajamata'' () is a Sanskrit term used for the mother of a king (''raja''). It is also employed to address the queen dowager. In the contemporary period, it is most commonly used to address the head of a royal dynasty in India. Examples * Rajama ...

group and the

Jana Sangh The Akhil Bharatiya Jana Sangh ( BJS or JS, short name: Jan Sangh) was a Hindutva political party active in India. It was established on 21 October 1951 in Delhi by three founding members: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Balraj Madhok and Deendayal ...

. This diversity reflected the PVD's broader appeal and its commitment to progressive political change. Shyam Sundar's leadership within the PVD was instrumental in opposing feudalism and promoting

and economic upliftment for the people of

. His dedication to these causes was evident in his political career, particularly during the 1977 Vidhan Sabha elections, a time when the Janta Party was on the rise. Despite the political wave, Shyam Sundar's unwavering commitment to his constituents led to his election to the

Vidhan Sabha The State Legislative Assembly, also known as the Vidhan Sabha or the Saasana Sabha, is a legislative body in each of the states and certain union territories of India. Members of the legislative assembly are often directly elected to serve fiv ...

four times, consistently securing the trust and support of the people.

Literary contributions

An accomplished writer, Shyam Sundar Shyam penned articles and poems in

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

and English. He edited the Hindi weekly "Desh-Ke-Yuvak" and was actively involved in the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan Executive. His contributions extended to the cooperative sector, where he served as secretary and held the presidency of the Jila Bhumi Vikas Bank and was a member of the Jila Sahkari Bank in

Contributions to journalism and media

Beyond his political endeavours, Shyam Sundar had a significant and impactful career in

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree of accuracy. The word, a noun, applies to the journ ...

and media. He contributed extensively as a journalist for the Indian News Chronicle and Janasatta, where his articles and news reviews were regularly published. Journalism was not just a profession for Shyam Sundar; it was a vital means through which he communicated important issues to the public, helping to shape public opinion and inform society. His commitment to

extended further when he became one of the founders of the People's Press of India, a news agency established in the late 1940s. Shyam Sundar recognized the critical role that the press plays in shaping public opinion and holding leaders accountable. His journalistic efforts were not merely about reporting the news but were also integral to his political strategy. The media platform he helped create enabled him to popularize the political initiatives and actions he believed in, thereby reinforcing his influence in both

and

Legacy

Shyam Sundar Shyam's legacy is one of unwavering commitment to

and

. His relentless efforts to champion the rights of the poor and marginalised left an indelible mark on the political landscape of

. A staunch supporter of

, he played a crucial role in her political campaigns, even facing arrest for his

activism Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...

. Shyam Sundar Shyam's life was a testament to his dedication to the principles of

and

. His death in 1985 marked the end of an era, but his contributions continue to inspire future generations of leaders committed to the betterment of society. His legacy is carried forward by his elder son,

, who has served three terms as the MLA of

. His younger son, Ravi Chaurasia was the member of the

AICC The Akaike information criterion (AIC) is an estimator of prediction error and thereby relative quality of statistical models for a given set of data. Given a collection of models for the data, AIC estimates the quality of each model, relative to e ...

and a former member of Madhya Pradesh Pollution Board. His daughter-in-law, Savita Bajpai, was a minister of

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shyam, Shyam Sunder 1985 deaths People from Datia Indian National Congress politicians from Madhya Pradesh 1923 births