 | |
 |  |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |  |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |  |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |
 |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |
 |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |
 |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
 |
 |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| |
Biography: Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla
Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla's hairs grey but his head is full of grey matter. He is in the wrong side of life. Yet he is fearless champion of right causes. Pandit Shukla is a marvel for all time.
His chief claim for fame is that he has breathed a new soul into the art of politics.
With a human spirit, loving tender, bold, even young, tolerant and just he is endowed with every essential gift of a popular leader.
His astounding human sympathy, his tremendous enthusiasm for work and his passionate fervour for freedom will command the respect of ages.
Pandit Shukla was born at Saugor, August 2nd 1877. He was educated at Raipur High School. In 1899 he graduated form the Government College, Jubbulpore. For some time he served in the chief Commissioners Office and was appointed a Famine Relief Officer. Then the purity and efficiency of the administrative service was vitiated. So it did not suit the genius of young Shukla.
He resigned his post and became a schoolmaster at Kairagarh High School. Very soon he rose to the position of a head master. The teaching profession was a poor avenue for his high aspirations.
In 1907 he took the L.L.B. degree and joined the Raipur Bar. His industry, acumen, tact and charm very soon enabled him to become the leader of the Bar
In 1920 he abandoned his practice and joined the non-cooperation movement. He was arrested twice but was subsequently released. For a decade he was the Chairman of the Raichur District Council. He completely nationalized that institution. As a consequence the government suspended it. The oppressive act of the Government caused wide spread resentment. When the ban was lifted Pandit Shukla was unanimously elected as its Chairman. This bears testimony to his amazing popularity.
Pandit Shukla is a man of unbending will. An incident which occurred during his chairmanship will throw a jet of light on this streak of his nature. The council resolved to supply every school with a copy of "Harijan Sevak". The government refused to grant money. Panditji took up the gauntlet of challenge.
He wrote to the government that if they failed to make the grant then he would ask the teachers to subscribe their pay. The government saw in him an iron-man. It immediately sanctioned the amount.
Pandit Shukla participated in the last Civil Disobedience Movement. In 1930 he was arrested and sentenced to two years imprisonment. Again he was arrested in 1932 and sentenced to two years gaol life. In 1937 he was elected to the C.P.Legislative Assembly. He is now the minister in charge of education.
It is however impossible to separate the patriot and the reformer in Pandit Shukla. As a patriot he is a true replica of the Sage of Sabarmati. His heart-strings vibrate to one lofty note-patriotic passion. As a reformer he believes in silent and constructive work. His "Vidyamandir" scheme has piqued the interest of all educationalists. His practical forcefulness is the key to his success.
In person he stands six-foot tall, with Homeric eye-brows, with a benign expression illuminating his face. On his solid features are imprinted the stern authority of a schoolmaster mellowed by the tender pity of a Guardian Angel.
In private life he radiates joy. He is a generous host, who bathes the company in good-humoured smiles. Is devoted wife has greatly helped him in all his patriotic endeavours.
Says Bernard Shaw "You should live so that when you die God is in your debt". This is indeed a truism in the case of Pandit Shukla.
