NDA Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu from Odisha, who is almost certain to become President of the country, has brought back the memories of Varahagiri Venkata Giri, who also had an Odisha connection.
Popularly known as VV Giri, he was born and brought up in Brahmapur in Ganjam district and was elected as the President in 1969, the first, and so far last one, as an Independent candidate. He served as the President from August 24, 1969 to August 24, 1974.
He was elected as the fourth President by defeating Congress candidate Neelam Sanjiva Reddy in a controversial election for the top post of the country with the support of Indira Gandhi. He won the election by a narrow margin of votes. Without making public of her opinion, Indira Gandhi on August 16, 1969, just four days before the election, had appealed to the party MPs and MLAs to cast their “conscience” votes.
Before being elected, Giri served as the country’s third Vice-President from 1967 to 1969. He also became acting President on the death of incumbent President Zakir Hussain in May 1969.
During his tenure, Giri gave assent to two revolutionary documents, the Shimla Agreement and the Bank Nationalisation Bill of 1969, which continues to shape the Indian economy, says Bishnu Charan Choudhury, retired Professor of Political Science. Giri had also served as the Governor of three States, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. After completing his graduation from the Khallikote College (now upgraded as the Khallikote Unitary University), Brahmapur, Giri had gone to Ireland to study law from the University College, Dublin.
Though Giri was born and brought up in Brahmapur, his political activities, however, started from the then State of Madras. He became the Union Labour Minister. His parents hailed from East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh and settled in Brahmapur and participated in the Independence movement. The house where he was born is now the Girls’ High School named after him while the civic body also named the local road as the Giri Road. Similarly, an old market area in the city, which was known as the Victoria Market, was renamed as the Giri Market.
“We are very much delighted as a tribal woman from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha is going to be the President of the country 48-years after Giri,'' said Jayant Kumar Mohapatra, former Vice-Chancellor and Political Science Professor of Berhampur University. Political scientists have also thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for extending his support to the candidature of Draupadi Murmu irrespective of her party affiliation.